MINI Complaints

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS A PASSENGER SEAT BELT/AIR BAG LIGHT THAT IS ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS SPORADIC, AND CONNECTING THE SEAT BELT WOULD CAUSE THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. NOW IT IS LIT ALL THE TIME, WHETHER THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT OR NOT. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE SENSOR IS BAD AND WILL COST $1600 TO FIX, WHICH INCLUDES COMPLETELY REPLACING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MOST CONCERNING. OBVIOUSLY, THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE FOR THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. WHAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY PASSENGER IS GRAVELY INJURED (OR KILLED!)?? UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE READ THAT BMW HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR BMW MODELS WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MINI COOPER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, AS THEY ARE MADE BY BMW, OFTEN USING THE SAME PARTS! WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT?!? *TR

MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED A RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE , WHICH WORSENED AND CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO BRAKE AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE , WHICH IF AT HIGH WAY SPEED , COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT . MINI IS DENYING ACCOUNT ABILITY. *TR

I AM CURRENT OWNER OF A 2006 MINI COOPER S. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AROUND APRIL 2006. OVER LAST 2 MONTHS, I HAVE STARTED TO SEE A PROBLEM WITH POWER TRAIN. THE CAR JERKS HORRIBLY WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHEN IT TRIES TO CHANGE TO HIGHER GEARS. THIS HAPPENS EITHER IN THE "DRIVE" MODE WHERE THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES THE GEARS OR WHILE DRIVING IN "M/S" MODE WHERE THE DRIVER GETS THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE GEAR. OVER LAST 1-2 WEEKS, THE VEHICLE JERKS WHEN I SWITCH FROM PARK TO REVERSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $8500. MY CAR HAS AROUND 96,500 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL. WHEN I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN ABOUT 2 TO 3 CARS HAVING PROBLEM (JUST WITHIN THAT DEALERSHIP) IN RECENT TIMES (THE PERSON I TALKED TO WAS RELATIVELY NEW). IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR TRANSMISSION TO REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. IN ADDITION, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SEEMS LIKE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE GIVEN JUST ONE DEALER HAS SEEN A FEW OF THESE AND A QUICK SEARCH INDICATES A NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS OF MINI COOPER S ENCOUNTERING THIS ISSUE OVER LAST 12 TO 18 MONTHS (TRANSLATES TO TRANSMISSION SYSTEMATICALLY BREAKING AFTER ABOUT 7 TO 8 YEARS OF OPERATION). THE PROBLEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN COLLISIONS SINCE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED. *TR

PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. DEALER AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SAY THE SEAT SENSOR NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS LOCATED IN THE SEAT AND THE WHOLE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ESTIMATED COST $1200. TO 1500. US DOLLARS. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS RARELY USED. THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY. APPARENTLY ALL BMW'S WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NOT THE MINI COOPERS WHICH ACCORDING TO POSTED THREADS ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING FAILURE WHILST ON HIGHWAY, HEADED TO THE GRASS CURB, SMOKE IN CABIN (SMELT OF BURNING WIRE INSULATION). DID MANAGE TO RELEASE THE HOOD AND OPEN TO SEE IF I COULD EXTINGUISH, FIRE WAS FOCUSED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ENGINE UNDER EXHAUST MANIFOLD. NOTHING TO DUE BUT WAIT FOR THE FIRE TRUCK, CAR COMPLETELY BURNED FRONT TO BACK, NOTHING LEFT TO SALVAGE. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN USING EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE HANDLE. THE DOOR LOCK BUTTON DOES GO UP AND DOWN BUT DOES NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE DOOR OPENING. THIS IS THE THIRD MINI DOOR WE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH (WE OWN TWO MINI'S, UNFORTUNATELY). THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT MINI SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND FIX BUT THEY CONTINUE TO IGNORE GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 12 MODEL YEARS. WHEN WILL IT BE FIXED, WHEN SOMEONE DIES? *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS FLICKERING ON AND OFF. THIS HAPPENS A LOT. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHTS UP. NO ONE HAS EVER SAT IN THE SEAT. REPAIR ESTIMATE IS $1,600.00. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG GOT DISCONNECTED AND WILL NOT OPERATE IN CASE OF ACCIDENT. LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES. I KNOW SEVERAL MINI OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME INCIDENT, AND MINI DEALERS REFUSES TO ASSUME THAT THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO POOR DESIGN. I READ THAT BMW (OWNER OF MINI) HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND WAS OBLIGED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE IN CARS AS OLD AS MODELS 2005. *JS

I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER AND JUST LOST THE POWER STEERING. A COUPLE TIMES RECENTLY IT WAS HARD TO STEER WHILE PARALLEL PARKING, BUT OK ON THE ROAD. THIS MORNING IT COMPLETELY FAILED ON THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY. THE WHEEL WAS VERY HARD TO TURN AND JUST MANAGED TO GET IT BACK TO THE HOUSE, WILL TAKE IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. I SEE ON THE INTERNET NOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING PUMP SINCE 2011 THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT BEFORE. WHY ARE OWNERS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS? I COULD HAVE HAD A BAD ACCIDENT IF THE FAILURE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. UPDATED 11/24/2014 *JS