MINI Complaints

NOTICED A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AFTER A COLD START. THE NOISE WENT AWAY AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT A MINUTE SO, IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE SAME LOUD NOISE THAT MINIS MAKE AFTER COLD STARTS. HOWEVER, NOTICED THAT THE NOISE SEEMED LOUDER THAN NORMAL AFTER A COUPLE OF OTHER COLD STARTS AND DECIDED TO TOW THE CAR IN AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (YELLLOW) CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WAS JERKY (AS THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO STALL). DROVE THE CAR HOME WITH NO INCIDENT (ABOUT 5 MILES). I TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE(S) BROKE AND DISINTEGRATED INTO THE OIL PAN. ENGINE POSSIBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE AND ON THIS SITE SHOWS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF MINI OWNERS (SINCE 2008) AND COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED. WHY AREN'T THERE RECALLS YET???? *TR

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING DECREASED ACCELERATING POWER AND A LOUD RUBBING/KNOCKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING, THAT WILL CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE IF NOT PROMPTLY FIXED. IT IS A WELL KNOW MINI COOPER PROBLEM (2007 MODELS TO CURRENT YEAR) AND THE MINI DEALERSHIP I TOOK MINE TO HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE. MINI HAS CAME OUT WITH REPLACEMENT PARTS AND A SERVICE GUIDE ON HOW TO REPAIR THE ISSUE AT A HEFTY COST (IF THE ENGINE HASN'T ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED); HOWEVER, MINI/BMW HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT AT NO COST TO CONSUMERS TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT. ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR IN MY AREA WERE $1300-$1600 IF REPAIRABLE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT FIXED QUICKLY. MY CAR HAS 41,000 AND HAVE HAD MY MINI SERVICED AT THE DESIGNATED TIME INTERVALS AT ONLY MINI SERVICES AREAS. SUCH A MAJOR REPAIR THAT COULD HAVE EVENTUALLY CAUSED MY ENGINE TO STOP WORKING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT 41,000 MILES. MINI/BMW SHOULD BACK UP THERE PRODUCT WITH REPAIRS AND NEEDS TO FIND AN ULTIMATE FIX BECAUSE IT IS AN ISSUE EVEN IN THE CURRENT MODELS. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED AS I WAS RETURNING FROM TAKING MY CHILD TO THE AIRPORT. THE CAR POWER STEERING COOLING FAN STAYED ON AFTER I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND DRAINED THE BATTERY. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AS WAS THE DEAD BATTERY. THE TOTAL COST WAS OVER $1700. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED, CALLED DEALER TWICE AND BMW COMPANY TWICE, KNEW ABOUT PROBLEMS, BUT SENT ME IN A CIRCLE. DEALER SAID TO GO TO COMPANY FOR HELP AND INFO, COMPANY SAID TO GO TO DEALER, VERY DECEPTIVE PRACTICES. *TR

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NOW 4 TIMES WITH VERY DIFFICULT STEERING. NO LOSS OF FLUID ON THE PAVEMENT OR SQUEALING NOISES. AFTER ENGINE COOLS DOWN, POWER STEERING AGAIN WORKS. *TR

DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN I BEGAN TO SMELL BURNT OIL. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO I PULLED OVER, IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A CLOUD OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THOUGH THERE WAS NO FIRE IT APPEARED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM OIL LEAKING ONTO THE TURBO FROM THE OIL FEED LINE. AFTER LETTING THE CAR COOL I PROCEEDED HOME. NOW WHENEVER THE CAR IS SITTING IDLE I CAN SMELL BURNT OIL AND AFTER GETTING HOME I CAN SEE OIL POOLING ON THE TOP OF THE TURBO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CONNECTION ON THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE LINE AND HEAT FROM THE TURBO AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THIS AT MY OWN COST. *TR

CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AS I WAS DRIVING (TWICE THIS HAS HAPPENED - IN A BEND IN THE ROAD--VERY SCARY). ALSO, AROUND THIS TIME, COULD NOT START UP THE CAR--CAR ENGINE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T UNTIL ABOUT MY 6TH ATTEMPT. I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS STARTING MY CAR BEFORE. I MIGHT ADD THAT RECENTLY, BEFORE I HAD THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE FAST PICK UP THAT IT USE TO. *TR

RIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME SUDDENLY VERY STIFF AS I WAS MAKING A STANDARD 90 TURN. I ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME BUT DIDN'T AS I MANAGED TO HIT THE BRAKES. I FINISHED THE CURVE ON THE VERY LAST LANE ON THE RIGHT. IF A CAR HAD BEEN ON MY WAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH, FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NONE. MINI DIAGNOSED A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. BROWSING ON THE WEB, I CAME ACROSS PAGES OF PEOPLE HAVING HAD THE SAME ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR'S MODEL (MINI COOPER S 2005). CANADIAN AUTHORITIES EVEN ORDERED A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE. I HAVE ALSO READ THAT NHTSA IS CURRENTLY STUDYING THIS ISSUE; COULD YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THIS IS TRUE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IS THE PROCESS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT A RECALL WILL BE DECIDED IF A RECALL WAS DECIDED, WOULD WE GET REIMBURSE NOT MATTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE IN A MINI DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE ? THANK YOU *TR

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACED JULY OF 2011 NOW AUG31,2012 LOUD NOISE TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED SO REPLACED & TENSIONER REPLACED AGAIN. *TR

IN JANUARY 2012 WITH 37,000 MILES ON IT MY MINI STARTED HAVING VERY NOISY STARTS. THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY AFTER IT WARMED UP. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MINI DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER GUIDES ETC FOR HALF PRICE AS A GOOD WILL GESTURE. NOW I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR