MINI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER AND THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT STAYED ON FOR LONG PERIODS AND SOMETIMES WENT OFF. YESTERDAY BMW/MINI DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED SEAT SENSOR MAT SENDING FAULT CODE. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT LET ME HAVE COPY OF DIAGNOSTIC REPORT AND I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE A COPY. PART MUST BE DEFECTIVE. MY OUT OF POCKET COST TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SENSOR MAT IS $1,371.00 FOR THE PART WHICH I HAD TO PREPAY BEFORE DEALERSHIP WOULD ORDER IT. LABOR TO INSTALL AND PROGRAM NEW PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT IS ESTIMATED AT $505.00. MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE AROUND 22,000. CAR IS ON AN ISLAND WHERE YOU CANNOT DRIVE LONG DISTANCES. I MUST REPLACE THE SENSOR MAT NOW, AT MY OWN EXPENSE, IN ORDER TO PASS STATE OF HAWAII ANNUAL AUTOMOBILE SAFETY INSPECTION. MINI COOPERS MANUFACTURED IN 2005 AND 2006 WERE RECALLED LAST YEAR FOR DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MATS. I THINK THE 2007 MINI COOPERS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED FOR SAME DEFECT. MINI COOPER 2007 CONVERTIBLES WERE RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR. WHY OMIT 2007 MINI COOPER HARD TOPS FROM THAT RECALL? IF MY CAR IS RECALLED IN THE FUTURE FOR THIS DEFECT, WILL I BE REIMBURSED BY BMW/MINI FOR MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES??

I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY MINI COOPER AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS HAD A MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL HOWEVER MY VIN NUMBER ISN'T INCLUDED- I WOULD SUGGEST PERHAPS LOOKING INTO WHERE MINE WAS PRODUCED TO SEE IF THOSE ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. AN AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULDN'T JUST DISABLE ITSELF- THAT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

TIMINIG CHAIN TENSIONER HAD A WASHER STRIPPED, OIL WAS LEAKING ALL OF THER ENGINE AND IT WAS DOWN TO LESS THAN A QUART. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MINI COOPERS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WHERE A $10 PART, IF NOT CAUGHT CAUSES MAJOR ENGINE REPAIRS, OR WORSE, ENGINE REPLACEMENT. MINI COOPER DEALER WONT FIX IT FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH IT'S TOUTED "MAINTENANCE FREE" CHAIN BELT. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 22,365 MILES ON IT.

ENGINE RATTLE UPON STARTUP. NEXT THING I KNOW IS THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDES BROKE AND THE VALVES BENT. THOUSANDS IN REPAIR AND MINI WON'T COVER A THING.

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON. PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF DESPITE SOMEONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT

POWER STEERING GOES OUT. VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. ITS LIKE HAVING NO STEERING AT ALL AT TIMES. I HAVE TWO MINI COOPERS. THIS ONE HAS NOT YET TO GET THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING PUMP. I HAVE A RECALL FOR THE OTHER MINI THAT I OWN BUT THAT ONE DOESNT HAVE A PROBLEM.

MY MINI COOPER S CONV, 2005, HAS BEEN HAVING STEEERING ISSUES FOR SOME TIME NOW. IT WILL RANDOMLY LOSE WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE POWER STEERING WHILE I AM DRIVING! I HAVE FOUND THAT BY TURNING THE CAR OFF (IF I AM STOPPED AND IN AREA WITH TIME TO TURN OFF MY CAR) THAT IT WORKS AGAIN FOR 10 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES. OTHER TIMES I CAN DRIVE FOR 45 MINUTES NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. HOWEVER, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE STEERING GOES OUT IS NOT WORKING AS SOON AS I TURN THE CAR ON. I K NOW THAT I HAVE TO SELECT A DATE OF WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND I AM PUTTING TODAY'S DATE SINCE IT HAPPENS DAILY. HOWEVER, I WANT IT NOTED IT IS NOT ONLY TODAY.

THIS IS THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT THAT I HAD ABOUT THE 2009 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE 2 WEEKS AGO WHICH HAS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TODAY FROM THE CERTIFIED BMW MECHANIC HERE IN AUSTIN. MANUFACTURER: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NO. (VIN): WMWMS33589T... SUMMARY: " I OWN A 2009 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. I BOUGHT IT 4 MONTHS AGO. I WAS DRIVING ON I35 GOING TO AUSTIN THE 26TH OF DECEMBER 2015. THE VEHICLE DIED WITHOUT A WARNING WHILE IN MOTION. I TURNED THE HAZARDS ON IMMEDIATELY...SAW THAT I COULD SAFELY STOP. A SAN MARCOS COP CAME TO HELP PUSH THE CAR FURTHER IN TO SAFETY BEFORE THE ELECTRICITY OF THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND MY KEY FOB WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION.... THEY GAVE ME A LIST. THEY SAID THE VACUUM PUMP MELTED. THE REPORT SAID THAT, PULL VALVE COVER FOUND TIMING CHAIN GUIDES BROKEN DUE TO LOOSE CHAIN SLAPPING THEM NEEDS TIMING CHAIN, GUIDES AND ALL ASSOCIATED SEALS AND BOLTS. THEY GAVE ME A QUOTE OF $2300.00 FOR ALL THE PARTS..." TODAY, I CALLED THE BMW REPAIR SHOP ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THEY COULDN'T DO THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT HAS BEEN DAMAGED. THE COST FOR THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS ABOUT $4,000 IN ADDITION TO THE LABOR COST AND PREVIOUS COST WHICH BRINGS ME UP TO ALMOST $7,000 IN COST. THIS HAS REALLY GOTTEN OUT OF HAND. I ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 4 MONTHS AND WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS AND COST THAT IT INCURRED IS ALREADY SUCH A BURDEN, I'VE ALREADY LOST 2 WEEKS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE. I HOPE THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION. THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE. I AM NOW STUCK WITH NOT HAVING A TRANSPORTATION AND A HUGE BURDEN OF CAR PAYMENTS, HUGE CAR REPAIR PAYMENTS AND LOSS OF PRODUCTIVE DAYS. NOT TO MENTION, IT IS UNSAFE.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 13 MONTHS THE REAR SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING FOR NO REASON. WE WERE DRIVING AROUND 45MPH AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. THE SCREEN WAS CLOSED BUT GLASS SHARDS FELL THROUGH THE SCREEN ALL OVER OUR DOG AND THE BACK SEAT.