MINI Complaints

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS RANDOMLY DISABLED (WITH WARNING LIGHT/TONE) WHEN MY 63# DOG IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. CAUSE IS A FAULTY "PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT MAT" THAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED WILL COST OVER $1500 TO REPLACE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT ONLY WHILE DRIVING SO CAN'T REALLY GET A PICTURE OF THE WARNING LIGHT SAFELY.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE PRESSURE MAT BUT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATES THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR EVEN THOUGH MANY CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM WERE RECALLED. SCAN TOOL INDICATES PASSENGER SIDE PRESSURE MAT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS MODEL WAS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALLED VINS. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE AIRBAG WOULD WORK OR NOT IF IT WERE NEEDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE MECHANIC SHOP PENDING REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

TIMING CHAIN EVIDENTLY BROKE WITH LITTLE WARNING AND CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. BMW MINI HAS KNOWN OF THIS AND SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WITHOUT EVER ISSUING A RECALL OR NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT.

I DROVE 20 FEET OUT OF MY GARAGE AND SMELT A SURFER SMELL. I PUT MY CONVERTIBLE TOP DOWN, PUT THE CAR IN PARK WALKED AROUND TO SEE IF IT WAS SMOKING OR IF THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE OR MUFFLERS. WHEN I COULD NOT DETECT WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM, I PUT THE TOP BACK UP, CLOSING IT AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I LOCKED THE CAR AND WENT INTO MY GARAGE. AS I LOOKED BACK I SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE VENT ON THE HOOD. I YELLED FOR MY HUSBAND & AS HE LOOKED FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER I CALLED 911 & FILMED THE CAR. WITHIN 30 SECONDS THE CAR WAS ON FIRE & WITH 90 SECOND TOTALLY UP IN FLAMES. NOTHING BUT THE SHELL OF THE CAR REMAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE & FIRE MARSHAL WERE PRESENT. ARSON WAS RULED OUT. I HAD A RECALL PART INSTALLED AT THE DEALER IN 2012 FOR POTENTIAL FIRES. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY SHUT OFF. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 20 HOURS PRIOR TO THE FIRE.

WE PURCHASED THIS ALL-NEW MODEL IN MARCH 2016 AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN A CRASHWORTHINESS RATING THROUGH YOUR ADMINISTRATION OR THE IIHS. I ONCE ASSUMED THAT THESE TESTS WERE CONDUCTED PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC SALE OF AUTOMOBILES. HOW LONG MUST A CONSUMER WAIT FOR A TEST TO BE CONDUCTED? THE INSURANCE COMPANIES SEEM TO DEPEND HEAVILY ON THESE EVALUATIONS WHEN DETERMINING THEIR RATES.

MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED DIRECTLY AFTER DRIVING IT SIX MILES, SAVED BY FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. CAUSE DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY POWER STEERING MODULE.

"PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT BELT ON, AND VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS WAS EXPRESSED TO MINI, WHO HAS A RECALL FOR EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM ON EARLIER MODELS, AND MINI HAS EXPRESSED THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. I HAVE VIDEO OF THIS OCCURRING IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN WATCHING IT. *TR

I HAVE HAD THE STEERING PUMP FAIL TWICE IN MY 2005 R53 MINI, THE 1ST TIME THE POWER STEERING WOULD CUT OUT AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING AND THE PUMP WOULD CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF (HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY FOR IT TO STOP). THIS WAS REPLACED IN 2013 AT A MINI DEALERSHIP UNDER AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" AT THE EXPENSE OF MINI. NOW 3 YEARS LATER I AM HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS, THE POWER STEERING CUT OUT ON WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY AND THEN THE PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN WHEN I ARRIVED HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF (HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY). THE NEXT DAY THE STEERING PUMP ACTUALLY BURNT ITSELF OUT (SMOKED) WHILE THE CAR WAS IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY. I UNDERSTAND MINI HAS ISSUED A MORE EXTENSIVE RECALL HOWEVER SINCE MINE WAS "FIXED" ALREADY I AM NOT COVERED - IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE JUST AS FAULTY AS THOSE THEY HAVE REPLACED AND WILL MOST LIKELY EXPERIENCE THE SAME DANGEROUS FAILURE. *TR

WHILE ON A RECENT ROAD TRIP, PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LAMPS BEGAN TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. AT FIRST, THE SYSTEM SEEMED TO RESET WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SWITCHED OFF, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF 2 DAYS, IT STOPPED RESETTING AND THE WARNING LIGHTS, AS WELL AS THE WARNING TONES, WOULD JUST GO ON AND OFF SPONTANEOUSLY WITH THE SEAT OCCUPIED. NOW THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR LAMP ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR, WARNING LAMP NEAR TACHOMETER (AREA 1 AS INDICATED BY MINI OWNER'S MANUAL), AND AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE LAMP (AREA 2) ARE CONTINUOUSLY LIT WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED. I HAVE NOT HAD THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY A MECHANIC YET; CURRENTLY, THE NEAREST MINI DEALERSHIP/SERVICE CENTER IS 202 MILES FROM ME. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON ISSUE REPORTED HERE AND ON SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER ALSO FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED IN SPRING OF 2015.