MINI Complaints

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKING THE CAR, A FIRE IGNITED IN THE ENGINE BAY. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF PRIOR TO THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER WHO, UPON INSPECTION, INDICATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND/OR ASSOCIATED HARDWARE HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. *TR

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND I NEARLY CRASHED WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND EXIT THE FREEWAY. *TR

2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH AN OCCUPANT POSITIONED IN THE SEAT. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR EVEN WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE ILLUMINATION NO LONGER CONTINUED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *TR

PURCHASED CAR USED. WHEN PASSENGER SITS IN FRONT SEAT, AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY GOES ON AND OFF AND THEN STAYS ON. HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS LIKELY BROKEN AND IS A $1500 FIX AT THE DEALER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY MANUFACTURER. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED. SEAT PASSENGER DETECTOR FAILURE IS CAUSE. A REVIEW OF ON LINE TROUBLE SITES SHOW THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH MANUFACTURER DENIES AND DELAYS REPAIR. THOUGH MINI HAS MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS, THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR AS THEY STATE "OUT OF WARRANTY". THIS IS A BASIC SAFETY FEATURE WHICH IS FLAWED AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE AND BROAD RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK MY STEERING ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAME HARD TO TURN I HIT THE CURB AND BLEW TWO TIRES. *TR

PROBLEM OF POWER ASSIST FAILING CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME DIFFICULT. ONLY HAPPENS AFTER BEEN ON HIGHWAY FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES. VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER REPORTS ON 2004-2005 MINI COOPER S'S REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT GONE OFF. THIS HAS RENDERED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERABLE . THE SEAT WAS RARELY USED AS MY WIFE USES THE CAR AS A SUMMER CAR. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES, ENGINE EXHIBITED A LOUD RATTLING NOISE AT IDLE, AND RUNNING UP TO ABOUT 2800 RPM, WHEN NOISE WOULD DISAPPEAR. TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER PISTON; THAT FAILURE CAUSED THE CHAIN TO SKIP AND THROW THE CAM TIMING OUT OF ALIGNMENT, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER... COST OF $188.00 TO REPLACE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, AND $471 TO DIAGNOSE CAM TIMING SKIP AND RESTORE CAM TIMING... TOTAL COST $659. DEALER REFUSED TO SUBMIT CLAIM TO MINI NORTH AMERICA FOR GOODWILL COVERAGE, DESPITE OUTSTANDING CONDITION, LOW MILEAGE, REGULAR DEALER MAINTENANCE, AND PROPER OIL LEVELS AND CHANGE INTERVALS. THIS ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE AND RESULTING DAMAGE IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL DOCUMENTED AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND REPAIR OF ENTIRE TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM AT MINI'S COST-- SEVERE CASES CAN RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND POTENTIAL CRASHES/FATALITIES. NHTSA, PLEASE MAKE MINI DO THE RIGHT THING!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE STEERING SYSTEM SEIZED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS CHANGING LANES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC HOWEVER, NO DETAILS REGARDING THE STEERING SYSTEM DEFECT WAS PROVIDED BY THE MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.