MINI Complaints

I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEGAN FLASHING. I PULLED OVER TO THE ROADSIDE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. I LOOKED AT THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO SEE WHAT THE FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT INDICATES. NOTHING DEFINITIVE WAS STATED IN THE MANUAL, SO I STARTED THE ENGINE AND DROVE IT TO MY HOME ABOUT 10 MILES UNDER PARTIAL POWER. I CONTACTED A LOCAL GARAGE (MIENKE) AND LET THEM KNOW THE PROBLEM. THE GARAGE WAS ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY SO I DROVE IT TO THEM. THEY DIAGNOSED A LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN ONE OF THE VALVES THAT WOULD REQUIRE A VALVE JOB. I CONTACTED MINIUSA TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. THEY REQUESTED I TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT OCCURRED AND ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE THE APPROXIMATE 20 MILES TO THEIR LOCATION WITH A COMPROMISED ENGINE. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE OKAY AND BRING IT IN. THEY DIAGNOSED IT THE NEXT DAY WITH A FAILED TIMING CHAIN ($1800), VACUUM PUMP ($600) AND VALVE COVER ASSEMBLY ($385). I LET THEM KNOW THE TIMING CHAIN WAS ALREADY REPLACED BY A MINI DEALERSHIP AT 40781 MILES AND THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO COST AS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO LAST 100,000 MILES. THE DEALER WOULD NOT. I CONTACTED MINIUSA AGAIN TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND REQUEST TO HAVE THIS REPLACED AT NO COST. THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK TO ME YET AND IT IS STILL PENDING THEIR DECISION. I BEGAN TO LOOK ONLINE FOR SIMILAR ISSUES AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. MINI/BMW IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT STILL DOES NOT COVER THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND UNKNOWING MINI OWNERS ARE SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE THEIR CARS PUT BACK ON THE ROAD. THERE IS ALSO A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IN NEW JERSEY FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING IN 2ND GEAR (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) AND THE CAR BRAKES EVERYTHING LOCKED UP SKIDDING TO AN IMMEDIATE, VIOLENT STOP THAT SQUEALED THE TIRES AND MADE SMOKE, OIL EVERYWHERE ON THE ROAD, ENGINE STILL RUNNING FINE. SCARY, COULD NOT EVEN PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT WAS STUCK IN GEAR. WARRANTY COMPANY TOWED IT TO A MINI DEALER IN VALENCIA, CA. TWO WEEKS LATER, THEY GRANTED WARRANTY WORK HOWEVER, THE PRICE TAG IS $4000!! WARRANTY ONLY COVERS $2000 SO I HAVE TO GET ANOTHER USED TRANSMISSION! I SEE WHERE THERE IS A RECALL ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS 2003-2007 BECAUSE OF A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST MINI COOPER. ISN'T IT POSSIBLE THE SAME THING WRONG WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS ALSO HAPPENING WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS? I CAN'T AFFORD THIS EVEN WITH THE WARRANTY AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO RISK PUTTING ANOTHER FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT LOCKS UP, WHAT IF I WAS DOING 65? I'D ROLL AND BE DEAD, THAT'S WHAT! THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND I FEEL THE NEW, APPROVED TRANSMISSION IS THE ONLY ANSWER. THIS ISN'T ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THE CAR LOCKED UP WITH NO SIGN OR WARNING WHATSOEVER. THOUGH, IF THERE IS A RECALL I WOULD LIKE REIMBURSED FOR THE COSTS OR HOWEVER THAT WORKS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE FOLLOWING REPORTS ARE FROM: ORLANDO MINI 350 S. LAKE DESTINY DRIVE ORLANDO, FL 32810 (407) 835-2727 INCIDENT 1 @ 47,603 MILES: SERVICE ADVISOR [XXX]. [XXX] FOUND TIMING CHAIN RATTLE "NOISE AT IDLE UP TO 2,100 RPM. NOISE IS A RATTLE UNDER VALVE COVER NEAR CYL 1. INTERROGATED FAULT MEMORY, NO FAULTS. FOUND NOISE TO BE RELATED TO VALVE-TRAIN. PERFORMED STEPS OUTLINED IN BULLETIN 110207. MEASURED TIMING CHAIN SLACK AT 71.5MM. NEEDS COMPLETED REPLACEMENT TIMING CHAIN CASSETTE." REPLACED TENSIONERS (PART # 11-31-7-598-956, PART # 11-31-7-534-833), AND MANY OTHER PARTS. INCIDENT 2 @ 96,125 MILES: 100% CLIENT GOODWILL PROVIDED. [XXX] FOUND THAT THE "TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED, FOUND VEHICLE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER TO HAVE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME OUT OF TIMING, REPLACED TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER AT THIS TIME, CLEARED FAULTS FROM SYSTEM AND TEST DROVE VEHICLE, ALL OK..." REPLACED TENSIONERS (PART # 11-31-7-609-483 [ALREADY UPDATED FROM THE ONE USED ABOVE], PART # 11-31-7-534-833), AND MANY OTHER PARTS. INCIDENT 3 @ 105,543 MILES: SERVICE ADVISOR [XXX]) FOUND "DEFECT CODE 00 11 08 03 00, CHECK TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, FOUND IT WAS AN UPDATED MODEL, OK AFTER THAT REPAIR" SINCE IT WAS UPDATED. NOTHING WAS REPLACED. NOISE GOT WORSE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I GOT IN MY VEHICLE AND SHUT THE DOOR. I TURN THE KEY TO ON, THE LOCKS WENT DOWN (LOCKS USUALLY GO DOWN WHEN CAR IS IN GEAR AND MOVING) I TURNED THE KEY FURTHER TO START THE ENGINE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN, THE SUN ROOF WOULD NOT OPEN, THE FOB WOULD NOT WORK, AT THAT POINT I WAS LOCKED IN MY CAR. I HAD TO KICK OUT THE WINDOW TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. WHEN I DID GET OUT, I RE ENTERED THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD AND JIGGLED THE BATTERY CONNECTION. I SHUT THE HOOD AND TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND IT STARTED. I NOTICED AS I WAS DRIVING IT HOME THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE STEERING COLLUM WERE NOT WORKING AND THAT WHEN I PARKED IT AT HOME THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON. *TR

RADIO NOT WORKING, FIRST THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH PREVIOUSLY. THEN THE RADIO STARTED TO GO IN AND OUT OF SERVICE. SOMETIMES WORKING AND THEN NOT WORKING. IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN, THE REPLACEMENT COST IS 1000.00. WHEN THE INCIDENT FIRST STARTED WAS AT ABOUT 41,000 MILES AND WHEN I TOOK IT IN WAS 45,000 MILES. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN A THREE LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE 2008 MINI COOPER S WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MINI DEALER. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN BECAUSE THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAD COLLAPSED. MINI USA INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE TENSIONER WHICH MY CAR QUALIFIED FOR AND IF THE DEALER COULD STATE THAT WAS THE CAUSE THE ENGINE WOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE THE CONNECTION AND REFUSES TO TELL ME AFTER A TEAR-DOWN WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. MINI IS TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY AND I'M LEFT WITH A $12000 REPAIR BILL, BEYOND WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER CAUSES ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR SHOWS AIR BAG DISABLED INTERMITTENTLY, EVEN WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY FULL SIZED ADULT (OVER 140 POUNDS). THIS MEANS MY PASSENGER IS AT RISK OF SEVERE INJURY IN CASE OF CRASH, AS THE AIR BAG IS DISABLED. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THE LIGHT IS OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS NOT OCCUPIED. DITTO IF A 5 POUND LUNCH BOX IS ON THE SEAT. BMW/MINI REFUSES TO CORRECT THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECT IN MINIS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE MAKING FREE REPAIRS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN MANY BMWS OF SIMILAR YEARS, AND HAVE EVEN MADE AN WARRANTY EXTENSION OF MANY YEARS AND UNLIMITED MILES FOR AFFECTED BMWS. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER SMALL PASS USED THE SEAT AND DID NOT GO OFF. AFTER THAT THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF FOR A WHILE AND THEN COME BACK ON. I HAD IT LOOKED BY MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SEAT MAT. HE CLEARED THE LIGHT AND IT LASTED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE COST OF THE PART TO HIM WAS 1400.00 PLUS LABOR. I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR MY 2006 BMW. I RECEIVED ANOTHER LETTER FROM BMW AND MISS READ IT THINKING IT WAS FOR THE MINI COOPER. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE MINI COOPER DEALER IN MY AREA (RALEIGH NC) AND WAS TOLD WHEN I SHOWED UP THAT THE PART WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. I DID NOT HAVE THE SEAT REPLACED AT MY COST SINCE IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAN BE A COVERED DEFECT IN ONE BMW PRODUCT AND NOT IN ANOTHER WHEN IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR TURNS OFF THE AIR BAGS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE MAT SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY WITH A PASSENGER. MINI HAS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX TO REPLACE THE SENSOR AT ABOUT $1200. HUNDREDS OF MINI OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MINI WILL NOT FIX IT. BMW ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PART. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALSO ON EVEN IF THERE IS A PASSENGER SEATING. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAG WEIGHT SENSOR) ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED IF THE AIRBAGS DO NOT DEPLOY. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 02-06 MODELS AND THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED FOR LATER MODELS. *TR