MINI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT AND THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE BECAME PERMANENT OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,416 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,570.

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. AFTER LONG DRIVE ~150 A LOUD BUZZING UNDER CAR CONTINUED AFTER CAR ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL MADE THE BUZZING CHANGE SOUNDS. STARTING AND SHUTTING THE CAR'S ENGINE DID NOT RESOLVE THE BUZZING. DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO AVOID BATTERY FAILURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO COOL DOWN SO THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN A FEW MILES WITHOUT IT OVERHEATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,234. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. FINGER WAS CUT 2MM DEEP BY DEFECTIVE PEELING/FLAKING CHROME ACCENT ON MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT KNOB. AS A RESULT, FINGER WAS BLEEDING AND EXPERIENCED A SHOCK FROM THE AFFECTED NERVE THROUGHOUT THE BODY WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ATTENTION TO THE ROAD WAS LOST FOR A MOMENT CAUSING ME TO NEARLY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON PARKWAY. ENGINE MADE CLUNK AND LOST POWER. PULLED CAR ONTO SHOULDER AND STARTED WITH WHITE SMOKE UNDER HOOD, PROGRESSING TO BLACK SMOKE AND FLAME. EXITED CAR AT FIRST SIGN OF SMOKE. CAR BURNED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, MOVED INTO CABIN. FINAL DAMAGE WAS A TOTAL. FRONT END OF CAR IS COMPLETELY BURNED. FIRE IN CABIN MELTED DASHBOARD, MOVED ACROSS AND MELTED CEILING, AND MELTED FRONT WINDSHIELD. TOOK PICTURES OF FINAL DAMAGES AT GARAGE FOLLOWING INCIDENT. *TR

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

WITHOUT ANY WARRANTING THE POWER STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN. THE CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE I JUST HAD DIAGNOSED TEST FOUR DAYS AGO ON THE CAR THE ONLY PROBLEM NOTED WAS THE THERMOSTAT. KNOW I CAN NOT DRIVE THE CAR. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR LIGHTS STAY ON AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED OR NOT. SEAT MAT SENSOR DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS FULLY AWARE OF. REPAIR COST IS IN EXCESS OF $1,300 FOR A VERY SIMPLE PART. *TR

2006 MINI-COOPER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, BUT THEY DID STATE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO GET ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO PAY 1/2 OF THE COST ON THE BILL, WHICH TOTALED $8,000. *JB

MINI COOPERS YEARS 2008 AND 2009 HAVE A ISSUE WHICH I BELIEVE IS KNOWN BY MINI USA, BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO INITIATE A VOLUNTARY RECALL. THESE VEHICLES HAVE A TIMING CHAIN THAT CAN PREMATURELY FAIL (IN MY CASE AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES). IF THE TIMING CHAIN FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SLOWLY COME TO A FULL STOP. IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN IN A HIGHWAY, THIS STOP COULD CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT THAT POTENTIALLY CAN INVOLVE MANY VEHICLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE, BECAUSE MOST MINI OWNERS WOULD NOT EXPECT A TIMING CHAIN TO FAIL SO PREMATURELY. *TR