MINI Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, I CALLED THE DEALER WITHIN SECONDS AND ASKED THEM IF THIS WAS A CONCERN. THEY SAID TO DRIVE IT IN IT WAS PROBABLY JUST THE OIL LEVEL NEEDING TOPPED OUT. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT A MILE WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND CALLED THEM BACK. THE AGAIN SAID TO BRING IT IN. I WALKED AROUND THE CAR BEFORE PROCEEDING AND NOTED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL WELL,TIRE AND WHEEL WERE ALL SOAKED WITH OIL( PASSENGER SIDE) . I CALLED THEM BACK AND REQUESTED A TOW TRUCK AS WHEN I STARTED IT UP IT MADE AN EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD HAMMERING NOISE. I I KNEW THAT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO LET GO IF I CONTINUED. THE DEALER TOOK THE CAR IN AND CALLED ME A DAY OR SO LATER TO INFORM THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE A,FLATTENING THE VALVES, MESSING UP THE VALVES AND ENGINE BLOCK. THE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS APPROX 7,000MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD AN EXTENDED 100,000 SERVICE WARRANTY SOLD TO ME BY THE DEALER IN CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. I WAS SOLD THIS BY THE "FINANCE MANAGER" AND HE MADE ME BELIEVE THAT I WAS COVERED. THE DEALER WHERE I LIVE IN DUBLIN OHIO, HAS SERVICED THE CAR FOR EVERY REQUIRED SERVICE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET MINI TO COVER THE REPAIRS. I HAD INFORMED THEM THAT THE ODOMETER ALWAYS READS ABOUT 7 TO 8 MPH FASTER THAN MY GPS AND THAT THE WARRANTY PER THEIR INSTRUMENTS WOULD BE SHORTED. THE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT CUT ME OFF IN A CLOSE SITUATION. THE ACTUAL POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS 50,000. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A TIMING CHAIN BREAKING WITH EVEN A 100,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE SERVICED THE CAR AT ALL APPROPRIATE INTERVALS AS NOTED IN THE SERVICE RECORDS AND I PAMPER THE CAR. I AM 61 YRS OLD AND HAVE HAD MANY, MANY CARS AND DO NOT DRIVE IRRESPONSIBLY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW. THE MID WEST AUTO GROUP HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS W/THEM. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER CV. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

UNFASTENED SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR STAYS LIT AT ALL TIMES, WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER RIDING IN THE SEAT NO MATTER THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER. UNFASTENED SEAT BELT WARNING BELL/DING DOES NOT CHIME. *TR

MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO ON AND OFF AT RANDOM INTERVALS (IE. REGARDLESS OF SOMEONE BEING IN THE SEAT, DRIVING CONDITIONS, ETC). THIS STARTED ONE DAY WHEN I TURNED MY VEHICLE ON AFTER NORMAL OPERATIONS. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH MINI COOPERS MADE AFTER 2005, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON DUE TO FAULTY OC SENSORS, AND FAULTY OC SENSOR CONNECTORS. MINI USA REFUSED EXTENDED WARRANTY ON SENSOR, OR RECALL WHILE PASSENGER SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR PAD WAS FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM IN WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE DEALER AS A WARRANTY ISSUE AS I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION BUT DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE SAFETY RELATED DEFECT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND STILL HAVE IT. PART FAILED IS A SEAT SENSOR. DEALER WANTS CLOSE TO $2K TO REPLACE IT, BUT IT FAILED A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO. I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 2 OR 3 YEARS. CAN FIND TONS OF THE SAME PROBLEMS AT HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/STOCK-PROBLEMS-ISSUES-9-2.HTML *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN 2004 MINI COOPER FAILURE AT 98K MILES. COST TO REBUILD QUOTED AT $5K-$8K. *JB

SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL STEERING ASSIST AT SPEED, RESULTING IN ALARMING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN MANUALLY OR WITH A KEY FOB FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ONLY ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR BY OPENING THE WINDOW AND USING THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,816.

ON 6/12/12 I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TOWARDS MY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD AT SPEED OF 10-15 MILES AN HOUR. FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE STEERING WHEEL FELT AS IF IT WAS LOCKED IN PLACE. WITH ALL MY FORCE I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED. THERE WAS NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON OR ANY WARNINGS WHAT SO EVER, THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. IF I WERE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS OF 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY I COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY BEEN HURT.THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

MY MINI COOPER INTERMITTENTLY, WITHOUT WARNING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. POWER STEERING FAILED ROUNDING A CORNER ON THE FREEWAY, NEARLY RESULTING IN A HIGH SPEED CRASH. *TR