MINI Complaints

CAR STARTED OF FIRE AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE BRAKES FAILED AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. HAD TO PULL THE E-BRAKE TO STOP AND BY THIS TIME THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PASSENGER HAD TO CRAWL OUT THE DRIVERS SIDE BECAUSE OF THE FLAMES ON THAT SIDE. LUCK TO HAVE GOTTEN OUT AS THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN 10 MINS

ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM RECALL. MINI COMPANY AND DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO TOW OUR CAR FOR REPAIR. WE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE OF STEERING "FREEZING UP" - SEVERELY LIMITED, ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH WAS SCARY AND DID NOT FEEL SAFE. ALL DEALERSHIPS REQUIRE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FROM OUR HOME. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, BUT I DO NOT AGREE, HAVING EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM FIRST HAND. MINI REFUSES TO TOW BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. PLEASE NOTE: INCIDENT DATE IS AN ESTIMATE. WILL GET ACTUAL DATE ASAP. NOTE: THIS STEERING LIMITATION HAS ALSO HAPPENED LAST WINTER WHEN TRYING TO STEER THE CAR OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL (1/16). CALLED DEALERSHIP, BUT DID NOT HAVE NEW PART IN STOCK YET AND DID NOT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. CAR DID NOT DO IT THE NEXT TIME (FEW DAYS LATER). DEALERSHIP NEVER CONTACTED US TO ALERT THE PART WAS AVAILABLE (AS IT NOW IS).

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS LIT AND CANNOT BE TURNED OFF, THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE OTHERS HAVE HAD. ALSO THE SAME PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CONVIRTIBLE 2007 MINIS THAT HAVE A OPEN RECALL TO GET THE SENSOR FIXED.

TAKATA RECALL...AIR BAG PASSENGER SIDE WARNING LIGHT IS ON. LOCAL DEALER WANTS $140 TO "LOOK" TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND $800. TO FIX IT. CAN'T AFFORD THIS. WHY CAN'T WE GET HELP FROM DEALER/MGR?.

THE ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM EXPERIENCES TEMPORARY LOSS OF ASSISTANCE WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTING UP AND IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN STREET OR HIGHWAY DRIVING. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MINI DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT MY PARTICULAR STEERING PUMP ISN'T COVERED IN THE WARRANTY ALTHOUGH I DID RECEIVE A LETTER INDICATING THAT IT SHOULD BE. I HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUES HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE THAT THE RECALL IS TALKING ABOUT.

THE POWER STEERING GOES IN AND OUT. SOMETIMES IT STEERS PROPERLY AND SOMETIMES IT IS LIKE TURNING A TRUCK. HAPPENS BOTH WHILE STATIONARY AND WHEN MOVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

STARTING AROUND 65,000 MILES PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN CAR WOULD BE TURNED ON AND WOULD REMAIN ON WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGH NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HAD IT CHECKED BY LOCAL MINI WORKSHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAT IN 2001-2008 MODELS. THEY LOOKED UP MY CAR FOR RECALL USING MY VIN AND MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED, THOUGH THE 2008 COOPER S CONVERTIBLE THAT USES THE SAME EXACT PART WAS INCLUDED. THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL!! ALL MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED SINCE ALL MODELS HAVE THE PROBLEM!! IT IS COMPLETELY ABSURD THAT MINI WOULD PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH OF THEIR CUSTOMER'S LIVES THEY WANT TO SAVE. I AM BEING QUOTED BETWEEN $700 AND $1200 TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. MINI SHOULD FOOT THAT BILL; THEY INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS CRUCIAL IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEY NEED TO OWN UP TO IT.

PASSENGER SEATBELT ELEMENT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION WITH NEW SENSOR FOR A COST OF $1843.00. A 2012 VEHICLE SHOULD NOR REQUIRE A NEW SEAT THROUGH ORDINARY USE. NOTE:MINI SEATBELT SENSOR IS MOLDED INTO THE CUSHION REQUIRING A NEW CUSHION AND NOT JUST REPLACING THE SENSOR RESULTING IN THE HIGH COST TO THE CONSUMER.

CAR MALFUNCTIONED TO INCLUDE, HIGH BEAMS, BLINKERS AND WINDOW MECHANISMS. MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE.