MINI Complaints

I PURCHASED THE 2012 MINI NEW AND TOOK DELIVERY 12/20/2013. THE FIRST ISSUE INVOLVED THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND ALARM. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES THE FASTEN SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE AUDIBLE ALARM. THE SEAT BELT WAS SECURELY FASTENED, I HAD NO PASSENGERS AND THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. I PULLED OVER AGAIN, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, AND UNFASTENED THE SEAT BELT. AFTER 5 MINUTES I FASTENED THE SEAT BELT AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE WARNING RESUMED IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED FOR THE ENTIRE 1 HOUR DRIVE HOME. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER DISMISSED MY CONCERN AND INSISTED THERE MUST BE A HEAVY PURSE OR GROCERY BAG ON THE SEAT. THIS ISSUE CONTINUES. THE 2ND PROBLEM WAS STEERING FAILURE. ONE MORNING I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEELS TO LEAVE MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WAS RUNNING. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TRIED AGAIN.I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE HAD SPOKEN TO HIS "TOP MECHANICS" AND NONE OF THEM COULD THINK OF A SINGLE THING THAT WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM. HE INSISTED IT WAS DRIVER ERROR: I HAD STALLED THE CAR, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ON, OR THERE WAS SOMETHING UNDER THE CAR PREVENTING THE WHEELS FROM TURNING. NO, NO AND NO. THE ISSUE APPARENTLY FIXED ITSELF LATER THAT DAY. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A CHECK OF THESE PROBLEMS. THE SCAN INDICATED A FAULTY POWER STEERING MODULE. THE FOREMAN OF THE SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME THIS WAS A FREQUENT PROBLEM IN THE 2011 MODELS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS TO THIS DAY INTERMITTENTLY. THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER HE TOLD ME TO TAKE A PHOTO OF THE INFORMATION DISPLAY THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED TO "PROVE THAT THE CAR IS RUNNING WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON" - HE WANTS TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER. *TR

ONE TIME LAST YEAR I LOSS POWER STEERING WHILE GOING AROUND A CORNER, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND ALMOST HAD A COLLISION. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE, AND UPON RE-STARTING THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. NOW, A COUPLE DAYS AGO MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. I PULLED OVER AND RE-STARTED AND STILL NO POWER STEERING. LATER THAT DAY IT RANDOMLY CAME BACK AND NOW I AM EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING LOSS, THAT USUALLY GOES OUT ONCE A TRIP. *TR

THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE INJECTOR RAIL WAS DAMAGED BY THE HEATER HOSE SUPPORT BRACKET. THE ABRASIVE EDGES OF THIS PLASTIC BRACKET RUBBED A HOLE IN THE HIGH PRESSURE REINFORCED RUBBER HOSE AND CREATED A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR THIS WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND GASOLINE FUMES WERE VERY STRONG AFTER EXITING THE CAR. I READ UP ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED ANOTHER SIMILAR CASE, AND I TRACED MINE TO THE BRACKET AS THE PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2007/MINI/COOPER/10467501.ASPX WHEN ORDERING THE NEW FUEL LINE, I WAS INFORMED A NEW SUPPORT BRACKET FOR THE FUEL LINE WAS RECOMMENDED WHEN CHANGING THE LINE (APPROXIMATE TOTAL FOR LINE AND BRACKET - $135.00). BMW IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS SOLD FOUR LINES THIS YEAR SO FAR. WHEN THE NEW PARTS ARRIVE, I WILL ASSESS IF REVISIONS TO THESE PART(S) HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER THE "RADAR". LUCKILY MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER/EXHAUST DID NOT IGNITE THE FUMES/FUEL. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE HOSES/BRACKET AND FUEL LINE INTERFERENCE, AND FUEL TRAIL ON THEM IF NEEDED.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH IN FAR LEFT LANE AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKE AND STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF AND WOULD NOT WORK RIGHT. THE AREA OF THE FREEWAY WAS CROWDED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO THE SIDE. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS ENTIRELY TO CLOSE AND IM SURPRISED I WAS NOT HIT. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT HAS BEEN TRIPPING THE FAULT TO LIGHT UP THE DASHBOARD AND OVER HEAD LAMPS TELLING THE DRIVER THE AIRBAG IS DISENGAGED, WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. PREVIOUS YEAR MINI'S AS WELL AS SAME YEAR MINI'S HAVE BEEN AFFECTED CAUSING MINI TO EXTEND A WARRANTY OR EVEN A RECALL IN THE INSTANCE OF BMW. HOWEVER FOR MY MAKE MODEL AND YEAR NO SUCH WARRANTY HAS BEEN ISSUED OR EXTENDED. THIS IS A MANDATORY SAFETY FEATURE UNDER FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY 100'S IF NOT 1000'S OF DOLLARS TIME AND AGAIN FOR A PART THAT WAS DESIGNED TO LAST ONLY A FEW YEARS WHEN ALL VEHICLES MUST POSSES A SAFE WORKING AIRBAG FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. HAVE CONTACTED MINI USA AS WELL AS VARIOUS DEALERS, USA AND UK BASED. THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO THE PART AND IF IT IS USED IN PREVIOUS YEARS VEHICLE'S WITH THE KNOWN ISSUES. THEY CLAIM THAT THE COMPUTER SAYS "YOUR" VIN NUMBER HAS NO KNOWN ISSUES. MINI TELLS ME I SHOULD ONLY CHANGE MY OIL ONCE EVERY 2 YEARS OR 15 THOUSAND MILES. THEY ALSO TELL ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE CAR UNLESS A WARNING LAMP COMES ON. THEY ALSO TELL ME THAT MY VEHICLE BURNS ABOUT A LITRE OF OIL FOR EVERY 5000 MILES DRIVEN. AS FAR AS I KNOW RUNNING AN ENGINE ON 2 LITRES OIL WILL CAUSE IT TO SEIZE. HOW CAN THIS PRACTICE BY THE COMPANY PREVENT OR PROVIDE FOR SAFE USAGE TO CONSUMERS WHO DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CARS EXCEPT HOW TO DRIVE ONE. *TR

FAN IS BARELY BLOWING OUT OF THE FRONT VENTS, THE AIR IS ALL FLOWING THROUGH THE BOTTOM VENTS. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. HEAT AND AIR-CONDITIONING WORKS FINE. ONLY THE AIR FLOW IS LIMITED REGARDLESS OF ADJUSTMENTS TO AIR FLOW SETTINGS OR TEMPERATURES. *TR

THE MANUFACTURER HAS RECENTLY STATED THEY ARE GOING TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE WARRANTY FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP FOR MODELS RANGING FROM THE YEARS 2002-2005 AND SOME 2005 MINI CONVERTIBLES. I HAVE A 2005 MINI CONVERTIBLE, AND HAVE THE FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP THAT THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY LIFE FOR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A WAITING LIST TO GET THE WORK DONE. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PARTS ARE ENTIRELY UNAVAILABLE, AND I CAN EXPECT TO WAIT UP TO A MONTH BEFORE I CAN EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO GET MY CAR FIXED. TILL THEN HOWEVER I CANNOT GET MY CARS INSPECTION RENEWED AS IN MY STATE A CAR CANNOT PASS WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I HAVE BEEN LEFT WITHOUT ANY FEASIBLE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, AND UPON BEGGING MINI TO HELP WITH MY PROBLEM WHICH THEY HAVE CREATED I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THIS LEAVES ME WITH EITHER HAVING TO BREAK TEXAS STATE LAW AND DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT CURRENT INSPECTION, OR DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AS I WILL HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING THERE UNTIL THE MINI FIXES THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN BECAME TIGHT AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER BUT DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STEERING PUMP AND PUMP COOLING FAN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH THE STEERING PUMP AND PUMP COOLING FAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

WHILE DRIVING WEST ON 580 HIGHWAY, MY CAR LOST POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE LANE. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE FREEWAY OUT OF THE WAY OF MOVING TRAFFIC. HIGHWAY PATROL WAS ABLE TO ASSIST WITH WARNING OTHER DRIVERS OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE. DUE TO A MECHANICAL VACUUM PUMP FAILURE, CAR LOST ALL POWER, AND THE ENGINE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ALSO FAILED ON THE ENGINE WAS A CAM SHAFT FAILURE, TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. REPAIRS COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. COST OF REPAIRS PROVIDED BY DEALER IS ESTIMATED AT 9,700.00 DOLLARS MANUFACTURE AWARE OF OIL ISSUES WITH THE VACUUM PUMP, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE BREAKDOWN. OIL FEED HOLE ON THE PUMP CAN BECOME CLOGGED ON THE PUMP. VACUUM PUMP WILL INADEQUATELY SUPPLY OIL TO THE VITAL MOVING PARTS ON THE ENGINE.WE HAD JUST COMPLETED AN OIL CHANGE A WEEK BEFORE THIS FAILURE. MANUFACTURE INTERVALS FOR OIL CHANGES, PUT FAILURE OF PUMP A REALITY, NOT A POSSIBILITY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CLUTCH SLIPPED AS THE RPMS INCREASED TO 6000. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.