MINI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR THE PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT STANDING WATER FROM THE CUP HOLDER HAD SPILLED DOWN INTO THE SHIFTER CONTROL BOX AND RUINED THE ASSEMBLY. FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE THIS WAS DEEMED TO BE 'EXTERNAL FORCES' THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WILL COST ME OVER $1100.00 TO FIX IT . I COULDN'T IMAGINE THAT I HAVE HAD 'STANDING WATER' IN MY CUPHOLDER, AND THAT THIS WATER COULD HAVE SOMEHOW DAMAGED A SHIFTER CONTROL BOX THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEALED INT THE FIRST PLACE. WITH FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MINI AS THE CUP HOLDERS HAVE TWO SCREWS IN THE BOTTOM THAT ALLOW FOR LEAKAGE DIRECTLY INTO THE SHIFTER CONTROL BOX THAT IS PLACED DIRECTLY UNDER IT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE MINI; 1. THE CUP HOLDER LEAKS, 2. THE SHIFTER CONTROL BOX IS LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THIS POTENTIAL LEAK, AND 3. THE SHIFTER CONTROL BOX IS NOT SEALED. I SPOKE WITH BOTH MY SERVICE MANAGER AT MINI OF MURRY IN SALT LAKE CITY AS WELL AS TWO CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES (1866- ASK-MINI) WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WOULD BE NO RESOLUTION WITH THIS MATTER AND THAT I WOULD INDEED HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. MY MINI HAS LESS THAN 16,000 MILES ON IT, AND I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH THE DESIGN FLAW OF THIS CAR. CLEARLY IF THERE IS A LEAK IN A CUP (FROM THE TEETH OF THE CUPHOLDER!) THAT COULD DAMAGE THE SHIFTER CONTROL, THIS COULD LEAD TO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING.

ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING ON MAJOR FREEWAY AT POSTED SPEED LIMITED OF 75 MPH. PULLING OFF ON SLIP ROAD DUE TO ENGINE STOPPING. ONLY AFTER FULL STOP DID ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND FOUND COOLANT HAD EVACUATED THE SYSTEM. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED TO MECHANIC AND FOUND THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER HAD WORN THROUGH COOLANT HOSE DUE TO ENGINEERING DEFECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ON MANUAL CONTROL AND AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP, THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONED AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A CLANKING NOSE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V66000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THAT A REMEDY WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000. VIN TOOLS CONFIRMS PARTS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE TURN. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO WAIT FOR A SECOND NOTIFICATION LETTER TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR MONTHS AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A TIME FRAME FOR THE PARTS TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVIN HOME AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,353. ...UPDATED 04/26/16 *BF UPDATED 12/11/2017*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN HOME AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

MY VEHICLE IS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE YELLOW "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE IS ALWAYS ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND THE BUCKLE LIGHT ARE ALWAYS ON. THESE LIGHTS ARE ON REGARDLESS WHETHER THERE IS A FRONT PASSENGER. THE CAR WAS NEVER IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENTS AND THE AIRBAGS WERE NEVER DEPLOYED. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN NOV 2013 AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON PERMANENTLY DURING EARLY 2015. AS I FOUND OUT RECENTLY, A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THESE DAYS AND THE PAST YEAR, WITHOUT KNOWING THE DANGER OF A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY WIFE AND SOMETIME MY MOTHER AROUND. I CAN NOT IMAGINE INVOLVING IN AN ACCIDENT WITH SOMEONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HOPE BMW/MINI CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE ASAP.

I WAS DRIVING ON I 280 EAST AND NEWAR EXIT 8B THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY TIGHT. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A TRACTOR. I GOT OUT OF THE EXIT (EXIT 7) AND GOT MYSELF TOWED. THE MECHANIC THINKS IT IS THE TIMING BELT THAT IS BROKEN.

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR IS FAULTY. IT SHOWS AIRBAG OFF AND THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN IT BACK ON. I SEE RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON MINI COOPER S AND CLUBMAN OF THE SAME YEAR, BUT NOT THE BASE MODEL THAT I HAVE.