MINI Complaints

AROUND THIS TIME MY AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS DURING MY SERVICE VISIT (OCT 2009) AND I WAS TOLD THAT TO INVESTIGATE THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR WOULD BE OVER $100 IN LABOR AS IT WOULD REQUIRE REMOVING THE SEAT. I DECLINED THE SERVICE. WITHIN THE LAST YEAR THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON PERMANENTLY EVEN WITH PASSENGERS IN THE SEAT. I'VE RECENTLY DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF MINI RELATED TO A FAILURE OF THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH SIMILAR MODEL YEARS OF BMW HAS RECENTLY RESULTED IN A RECALL. AS THIS IS LIKELY THE SAME PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING, AND AS THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, I AM REPORTING THIS TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE AIRBAG AND OCCUPANCY SENSOR ISSUE FOR MINI COOPER. *TR

DRIVING WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT TURNED ON. AFTER SHIFTING IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG MAT AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MINIS. HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER. READING ONLINE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. KEEP WAITING FOR A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON SECONDARY ROAD, A LOUD ENGINE NOISE STARTED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BLINKING. I PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED TO MY GARAGE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRD. THIS WAS DONE FOR A COST OF $567.97. IN RESEARCHING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT BMW REIMBURSES THIS EXPENSE FOR AN ISSUE THEY SEEM TO BE AWARE OF BUT ARE NOT TAKING RECALL ACTION WITH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY MINI COOPER ON A MAJOR ROAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC MY MINI COOPER EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER TO THE WHEELS (SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE). MY ONLY OPTION TO AVOID BEING REAR-ENDED WAS TO STEER THE CAR OFF THE ROAD ( WITH THE REMAINING FORWARD MOMENTUM INTO A FAST FOOD PARKING LOT IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. DESCRIPTION OF FAILED COMPONENT/AFFECTED PART: MINI COOPER'S CVT TRANSMISSION HAVE A KNOWN HISTORY OF SUDDEN FAILURE AT 80K-120K. BMW THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MINI HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IN THEIR VEHICLE FOR YEARS, AND HAS NEVER INFORMED OWNERS OF THEIR VEHICLES OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OR THE POTENTIAL RISK FOR ACCIDENTS, INJURY, OR DEATH THAT COULD RESULT FROM THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE MINI'S TRANSMISSION AND RESULTING TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. BMW HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL OR OFFER TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. ADDITIONALLY, BMW HAS ISSUED SERVICE ADVISORIES TO THEIR SERVICE MANAGERS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR MINI COOPER'S CVT TRANSMISSION, BUT AS MENTIONED HAS NOT COMMUNICATED THIS PROBLEM TO MINI OWNERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GOES OUT, ALMOST HIT 2 CARS TRYING TO GET OFF FREEWAY. PARKED THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, STARTED IT BACK UP AND STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED HALF A DOZEN TIMES. I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET THIS REPAIRED WITHOUT IT COSTING ME $$$$. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF. *TR

LA TRANSMISION ESTA FALLANDO,CUANDO LLEGA A LAS 2100 RPM EL SIGUIENTE CAMBIO O SEA LA 4TA CAMBIO NO ENTRA O TARDA EN ENTRAR LO Q PASA ES ENTONCES SUBEN LAS RPM Y SE ACELERA EST ES CONSTANTE ,EN LAS PRIMEROS MINUTOS TRABAJA BIEN LUEGO DE UNOS CUANTOS MINUTOS DE RODAR ESQUE COMIENZA A MOLESTAR NECESITA ARREGLO INMEDIATO. *TR

FEBRUARY OF 2014 DRIVING MY 2006 CONVERTIBLE ON CURVY HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH. LOUD SHRIEKING NOISE AND THEN STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. TOWED TO MECHANIC. HAD STEERING PUMP & FAN REPLACED. TOTAL COST $1,038.54. 2005 MINI'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT DEFAULT. CALLED MINI AND THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE MINE IS A 2006. HOWEVER, MY MINI WAS MADE IN 2005. *TR

THE DEALER INFORMED ME MY OIL FEED LINES TO THE TURBO WERE LEAKING AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH FOUND THE COUPLINGS THAT ATTACHES THESE LINES TO THE TURBO ARE DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOT A RECALL AND WILL COST APPROX: $1200.00. THE DEALER INSTALLED A TURBO SHIELD TO HELP WITH THE HEAT THAT IS CAUSING THE LINE TO PREMATURELY FAIL. WITH SO MANY AFFECTED SHOULDN'T MINI BE FIXING THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. FORTUNATELY I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM IN A MINI AND THAT MINI IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS PART IS READILY AVAILABLE IN ALL DEALERSHIPS AND PARTS STORE INVENTORIES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH READING DISCUSSION ON THE INTERNET THAT MINI HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY IN 2002 TO 2005 MINIS UP TO 13 YEARS AND 100,000 MILES. MINE IS NOT COVERED AND I INCURRED A COST OF ALMOST $1,300 FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I HAVE NEVER IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING HAD A POWER STEERING FAILURE UNTIL THIS INCIDENT. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED THIS POWER STEERING FAILURE MAY HAVE RESULTED IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. SINCE THIS IS A FAIRLY LOW VOLUME VEHICLE THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE AS QUICKLY NOTICED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT AS IF IT WERE A FORD FOCUS OR HONDA CIVIC. .I HAVE GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.. *TR