MINI Complaints

FIRST INCIDENT: ON A HOT DAY, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, DRIVERS SEAT OCCUPIED AND RECLINED. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES UPON RESTART OF VEHICLE. FAULT WAS RESET BY DEALER WITH NO EXPLANATION. SECOND TIME SAME SITUATION; HOT DAY, PARKED, DRIVER SEAT OCCUPIED AND RECLINED, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES UPON RESTART. DEALER REPLACED AIR BAG DUE TO ELECTRICAL CABLE FOR DRIVERS SEAT AIRBAG BEING NEARLY CUT IN TWO BY SHARP EDGE OF SEAT FRAME. *TR

AROUND JUNE 2008 MY MINI COOPER S 2005 BEGAN EXHIBITING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENT SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT RPM. I EXPERIENCED SLOW, OR SLUGGISH ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON SPORADICALLY. I TOOK MY MINI, WHICH WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY IN FOR SERVICE TO BMW/MINI OF SAN ANTONIO AND WAS REASSURED THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING NORMAL SHIFTING MECHANICS. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO DETECT WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I EXPERIENCED THESE IDIOSYNCRATIC ISSUES CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEGAN TO NOTICE THE CAR JUMPING HIGHER AND LOWER IN SPEED DURING ACCELERATION IN MORE REGULAR INTERVALS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 THE ENGINE WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR, SECONDS AFTER FAILING TO CHANGE GEARS EFFECTIVELY. AT TIMES, THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DROP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I BEGAN TAKING MY CAR INTO A BMW/MINI CERTIFIED SHOP IN AUSTIN, TX. AFTER MUCH TIME, MONEY, AND TROUBLE, PLUS MANY VISITS TO THE MECHANIC, MY MINI COOPER'S CONDITION DETERIORATED COMPLETELY. WHILE IN BUSY TRAFFIC MY MINI LURCHED FORWARD AND STALLED COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING BEFORE I COULD GET IT OFF THE BUSY ROADWAY. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY VEHICLES BEHIND MINE, THESE DRIVERS HAD TO MAKE EXTREME EVASIVE MANEUVERS IN ORDER NOT TO HIT ME, THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM, OR BE REAR ENDED THEMSELVES. THIS UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS INCIDENT ENDANGERED MY LIFE, AND WAS THE LAST FOR MY MINI, RESULTING IN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN JULY 2011. I SOUGHT OPINIONS ON MY OPTIONS, SHOP QUOTES TO FIX MY VEHICLE, ALL AROUND $10,000. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED OR ALTERED, IT STANDS AS IT DID THE DAY OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE SHOP TO STORAGE. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE DOCUMENTED. WHY WAS THERE NO RECALL? CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW JERSEY. *TR

THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED AS A NOISE WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE IN THE COLD. THIS "RATTLE" NOISE WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THE ENGINE GOT A BIT WARMER AND THEN WOULD GO AWAY. EVERYTIME THE ENGINE STARTED COLD THE NOISE WOULD COME BACK. I TOOK MY (NOW OUT OF WARRANTY) CAR TO THE MINI DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR AND THE TENSIONER WAS REPLACE. UNFORTUNATELY THE REPAIR DID NOT LAST LONG. ONLY 2 MONTHS LATER THE NOISE RETURNED. I AM STILL LIVING WITH THIS "RATTLE" NOISE HOPING MY CAR DOES NOT BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE DRIVING. I CAN NOT AFFORD THE (OVER $1000) QUOTE FOR REPAIRING THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY AT THIS TIME. I FEEL, AFTER READING THROUGH MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND ALL TIMING CHAINS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE REPLACE. THERE IS NO REASON THAT A CAR WITH LESS THAN 75,000 SHOULD NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN! I HAVE NEVER USED ANYONE BUT MY LOCAL MINI DEALER TO FIX ANY ISSUE WITH MY CAR, I FEEL THAT MINI HAS LET ME DOWN. I WILL BE LOOKING INTO JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST MINI. *TR

TURBO CHARGER FUEL SUPPLY LINE IS LEAKING ON MY 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE DEALER SUGGESTED A REPLACEMENT COST OF $750. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE LEAK IS HAPPENING DUE TO POOR DESIGN. THE LEAK MAY CAUSE FIRE DAMAGE AND MIGHT CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. *TR

CPSC: I1420055A. 2013 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATED THE CONTINENTAL TIRES ARE FAULTY AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *LN THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE FAILURES, WITHIN MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, AND THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED AS SHE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, WHEN THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHE DISCOVERED A BUSTED SEAM ON BOTH FRONT TIRES, AND THREE GIANT BUBBLES ON THREE OF THE TIRES. *JB

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON US 75 SOUTH (DOWNTOWN DALLAS) AND THE VEHICLE (2009 MINI COOPER S) JUST STOPPED, AND ALL OF THE OIL WAS LEAKING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THE ISSUE IS WITH A MINI ISSUE RELATING TO THE TENSIONERS/TIMING CHAIN. *TR

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE SOUNDS AS IF PARTS ARE LOOSE IN THE ENGINE AREA. IT LESSENS UP AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP BUT IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. IT APPEARS IT MAY BE THE TIMING CHAIN/ TENSIONER. *TR

MINI COOPER 2010. STARTING/STALLING ISSUES. CAR DOESN'T START. IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AS WELL. CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 1 AND BROUGHT TO PRESTIGE MINI IN NJ (CAR DEALER) FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES. AFTER REPLACING BATTERY AND AN ENGINE SENSOR, THE PROBLEM PERSIST. THE CAR WILL BE TOWED AGAIN TODAY (JAN 30, 2014) FOR FURTHER COSTLY REPAIRS. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR BUT EVEN WITH THAT, THE COST OF REPAIRS AND TOWING ARE NOT COVERED. THIS IS A VERY POOR, UNRELIABLE CAR (MINI COOPER 2010). RESPONSIVENESS FROM PRESTIGE MINI IS ALSO VERY POOR. SERVICE MANAGER DOESN'T RESPOND TO CALLS OR RETURN VOICE MAILS. VERY POOR SERVICE. *TR

THE SEAT SENSOR IS FAULTY. IT READS THAT SOMEONE UNDER 30LBS IS IN IT (DISABLING THE AIRBAG) THE DASH LIGHT VERIFIES IT IS OFF. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT TO THIS DAY. SO IF A CRASH OCCURS THE SENSOR WON'T READ CORRECTLY IF ANYONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT, THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AND IF IT DOES WILL DO SO POSSIBLY WITH TOO MUCH FORCE. *TR

CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH CVT TRANSMISSION. YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT URGING OF OTHER MINI OWNERS IN THE SAME SITUATION, I AM REPORTING PROBLEM TO YOUR AGENCY IN HOPES TO HAVE BMW RECALL THE CARS AND REPLACE THE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS. *TR