MINI Complaints

THE PASSENGER DETECTOR ON MY PASSENGER SEAT HAS FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN MINI COOPERS AND BMWS OF THIS AGE. THE FIX IS COMPLETE $1500 SEAT REPLACEMENT AT THE DEALER. BMW HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE PARTS FOR ALL THE BMWS WHERE THIS OCCURS, BUT NOT THE MINIS. *TR

STEERING BECAME CHOPPY , NOT SMOOTH,IT CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE TO A DANGEROUS STATE OF OPERATION. *TR

OIL FILTER HOUSING FAILED DURING COMMUTE AND LOST ALL OIL. NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED FOR REPAIR. RECEIVED THE CAR BACK NEXT DAY. FAILED PART IS CURRENTLY SUBJECT OF RECALL, BUT MY CAR DID NOT FALL INTO THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL SO I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. TWO DAYS AFTER REPAIR FOR THE OIL FILTER HOUSING, THE VANOS SYSTEM FAILED. ENTIRE VANOS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, TOOK A TOTAL OF 6 DAYS FOR REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVE SHIFT CABLE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V201000 (POWER TRAIN). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

A FEW WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE COLD. THIS "RATTLING" NOISE WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THE ENGINE HEATED UP & GO AWAY. I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY CHANGED THE OIL & TOLD ME THAT THE COOLANT WAS LOW. HE ASKED IF THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING WHICH IT WAS NOT. HE TOLD ME TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO SEE IF THE CAR OVERHEATS. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC JUST TO BE SAFE. A FEW DAYS LATER, DRIVING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY EXHAUST & THE HOOD, CLOSER TO THE WINDSHIELD NOT THE FRONT BY THE RADIATOR. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE VENTS AND SMELLED "RUBBERY". THE THERMOSTAT SYMBOL APPEARED & THEN THE OIL LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO CARMAX WHO SAID "SRY, NO EXTENDED WARRANTY, NO HELP". I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME INITIALLY THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS BLOWN AND THERE WAS A MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE HOUSING (IT WAS CRACKED), HE REPLACED ALL THE PIPES FROM THE COOLANT: $482. THE MECHANIC CALLED & SAID THAT HE COULD NOT "BURP" THE VEHICLE & THAT IT MADE A WEIRD SOUND SO THEY HAVE TO "BLEED IT OVERNIGHT". THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE SO THEY HAD TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART & FIND THE PROBLEM. THE HEAD CASKET WAS BLOWN & QUOTED ME A REPAIR BILL OF $5000+ .THE OWNER OF THE SHOP CALLED BMW AND ASKED IF THEY COULD DO A "GOOD FAITH" REPLACEMENT WHICH THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO IF THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT... MINE HAD 85,000 MILES ON IT... FROM WHAT I AM READING ON THE COMPLAINT BOARD, THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE!! AS A RN IF THERE IS A FAILURE IN ANY PRODUCT WE IMPLANT IN PATIENTS, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE RECALL, SO WHY, WHEN BMW CLEARLY KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE DO THEY WAIT FOR HARD-WORKING PEOPLE LIKE ME TO BE PUT IN THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION!!! I HOPE THAT BMW STEPS UP AN HONOR IT'S "GOOD FAITH" BEYOND 80,000 MILES AND REPLACE THE CAR. *TR

STEERING FLUID CONTINUOUSLY LEAKS - REPLACE HYDRAULIC HOSE TWICE - KNOWN DEFECT - MINI REFUSED TO FIX FOR FREE ENGINE COOLING - FAN RUNS AFTER SHUTOFF CONTINUOUSLY - KNOWN DEFECT - MINI REFUSED TO FIX FOR FREE ELECTRICAL - DOORS, WINDOWS, SUNROOF FIRE OFF ON THEIR OWN WHILE CAR IS MOVING AND WHEN IS PARKED. WILL DO THIS AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR WHEN SITTING OUTSIDE (RAIN OR SHINE) - CAR UNLOCKS ITSELF AND WINDOWS ALL OPEN UP -KNOWN DEFECT - KIND OF DISTRACTING AT HIGHWAY SPEED -MINI REFUSED TO FIX FOR FREE. DEALERS WILL NOT FIX THESE ISSUES UNLESS YOU MAKE THEM RECALL VEHICLES WITH MULTIPLE SMALL PROBLEMS ( NOT JUST ONE BIG PROBLEM) - THIS MODEL HAS 73 TSBS THAT DEALERS CHARGE YOU TO FIX EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEMS ARE KNOWN AND DANGEROUS ISSUES. IN MY MIND, MANY SMALL PROBLEMS CAN BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN A FEW BIG ONES - STEERING, DOOR LOCKS, COOLING - NOT GOOD. THIS IS AN OLD CAR BUT THESE PROBLEMS ARE OLD TOO - KNOWN TSBS SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO WARRANTY TIME FRAMES, THEY ARE STILL DANGEROUS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. WHEN THESE CARS ARE ROUTINELY SERVICED, THESE KNOWN/DANGEROUS ISSUES NEED TO BE CORRECTED OR THE CARS SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. I USED THE DATE OF THE LAST INCIDENT, NOT THE FIRST ONE. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF OCCURRENCE, THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING. VERY DIFFICULT AND HARD STEERING. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. MANAGED TO PARK SAFELY. STOPPED CAR AND TURNED OFF IGNITION. WAITED A FEW MINUTES. TURNED ON IGNITION AND NORMAL POWER STEERING RESUMED. OCCURRED ONE MORE TIME ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER. OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE COMING DAYS. IF IGNITION IS SHUT OFF THEN TURNED BACK ON, IT WILL RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULT STEERING AND MAINTAINING OF LANE ESPECIALLY ON CURVED ROADS AND TURNS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I PULLED LEFT TO CORRECT THE CAR AND IT BEGAN TO FISHTAIL SWERVING LEFT AND RIGHT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. SUDDENLY IT WENT OFF THE ROAD, HIT THE GUARDRAIL AND DOWN A SMALL EMBANKMENT AND FLIPPED OVER. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE REAR WINDOW SMASHED AND SNOW IN THE CAR. I WAS MINORLY INJURED WITH A SMALL CUT ON MY FACE AND BRUISES ON MY RIGHT SIDE. *TR

DRIVING TO SHOPPING CENTER, I HAD MY HEATED SEAT TURNED TO THE HIGHEST SETTING. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE SEAT WAS UNUSUALLY WARM SO I TURNED THE SEAT DOWN TO THE MEDIUM SETTING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE SEAT CONTINUED TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AS I DROVE, SO I TURNED IT DOWN TO LOW, BUT IT STILL DID NOT COOL DOWN. IT BECAME ALARMINGLY HOT SO I TURNED IT OFF COMPLETELY BUT IT DID NOT COOL DOWN. AT THIS POINT I WOULD HAVE EXITED THE CAR, BUT I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THE MALL. AFTER PARKING I DID MY SHOPPING AND DID NOT TURN THE SEAT ON FOR THE DRIVE HOME. THE NEXT MORNING I DISCOVERED A 13 INCH BURN IN THE CONFIGURATION OF A WIRE ON MY LEFT BUTTOCK AND THIGH. (PICTURE TAKEN) BMW REPORT STATED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT AND THAT IT "PERFORMED AS IT WAS DESIGNED." THEY ACCEPTED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY BODILY INJURY. *TR