MINI Complaints

POWER STEERING FAILED AFTER 3 HOUR TRIP - WHILE PARKING. STEERING HAS RETURNED AND QUIT MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE - AND NOW HAS QUIT WORKING IT SEEMS FOR GOOD. CAR IS HARD TO STEER, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEED, BUT I AM STILL ABLE TO DRIVE IT. *TR

OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SIX MONTHS THE SRS LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS IT FINALLY CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK TO THE LOCAL BMW/MINI DEALER AND THEY ASSESSED IT FOR $167.00. THEN I WAS TOLD IT WAS A PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR ISSUE AND THE COST OF THE PART AND LABOR WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1100. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE MATTER AND REALIZED THAT DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF MINI-OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSORS, SEATS AND LIGHTS DATING BACK TO 2003+. SEEMS TO ME THAT IF IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE THAT THEIR SO CALLED ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT MIGHT RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS WITHOUT COSTING OWNERS THIS KIND OF MONEY. I THINK ITS A RIP JOB BY THE DEALERS AND A FAILURE OF THE ENGINEERS AT MINI TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. COST FOR SUCH A REPAIR SHOULD BE ON THEM. I WILL MAKE SURE TO REPORT TO ANYONE THAT WILL LISTEN TO STAY AWAY FROM THE PURCHASE OF THESE CARS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE PROBLEMS. *TR

DRIVING ON FREEWAY, STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. LATER WENT BACK TO NORMAL. A MONTH LATER THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER VEHICLE SWITCHED OFF, DRAINING BATTERY DEAD. *TR

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT THAT THE MINI COOPER COUNTRYMEN WHICH HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR OVER 3 YEARS HAS NOT YET BEEN RATED FOR CRASHES OR ROLLOVERS. I FIND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE HOW ARE CONSUMERS TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION WHEN THERE IS NO DATA AVAILABLE ON THE VEHICLES SAFETY. *TR

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BRACKETS ALL BROKE ON MY 07 MINI. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IN NOT A NEW ISSUE AND THE IT IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT HE DEALS WITH ON SEVERAL MINIS. THEY ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND WHEN CRACKED OR BROKEN THEY ALLOW MY TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT OVER 2000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 5 YEAR THAT I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. BMW/MINI MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE ENGINE PARTS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES FOR IT CAN CAUSE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO WERE YOU WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. *TR

I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY 07' MINI COOPER S ENGINE'S TIMING CHAIN SINCE 2010. THE TENSIONER BRACKETS FOR THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAME WITH MY 07 MINI ARE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND BREAK EASILY, CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO SLIP AND DAMAGE MY ENGINE. IT HAS CURRENTLY COST ME 1500 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE REPAIR CAN ONLY BE A TEMPORARY FIX BECAUSE THE BRACKETS WERE SIMPLY REPLACED WITH THE SAME PLASTIC BRACKETS THAT BROKE PREVIOUSLY. I AM SIMPLY AWAITING THE DAY THEY BREAK AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE, AS I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS VERY SAME ISSUE ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND BMW NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEFECTED ENGINES. I SUGGEST A RECALL BE PLACED ON THE 07 - 10 MINI COOPERS, COOPER S, AND CONVERTIBLES, FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE TENSIONER BRACKETS FOR THE TIMING CHAIN BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF NOT DESTROY THE ENGINE COMPLETELY. *TR

OIL LEVEL IS DECREASING RAPIDLY AFTER EACH OIL CHANGE. DEALER STATES IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BURN ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 800 MILES. HOWEVER, I DISAGREE AND BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECT SINCE CARS SHOULD NOT BURN THIS MUCH OIL, ESPECIALLY WHEN NEW. *TR

POWER STEERING IS LOSS IS RANDOM, ONCE STEERING IS LOST AFTER TURNING OFF AND CAR COOLS IT WORKS AGAIN. LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE UNIT'S DESIGN. HESITANT TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $800 (IN PARTS) TO REPLACE WHEN IT MAY NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND ISSUE RECALL DUE TO TREMENDOUS COMPLAINTS ON SIMILAR FAILURES AND NOT SOLUTION IS AVAILABLE. *TR

HINGE ON REAR HATCH BEGAN BENDING UNTIL DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE AT ALL. FINALLY, THE HINGE FRACTURED AND THE WHOLE DOOR NEARLY FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE CONDITION BECAUSE THE HATCH WAS NOW HANGING OVER THE REAR BUMPER BY ONLY ONE HINGE. THESE EVENTS OCCURRED OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS AND WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING. *TR

ALL BULBS ARE GOOD BUT YET I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ARE TURNING SIGNALS TOP BRAKE LIGHT IS ALL I HAVE WHEN I TURN ON SIGNALS WINDOWS GO DOWN SUNROOF OPENS. *TR