MINI Complaints

IN AUGUST OF 2008, 12 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR, IT FOR A 2ND TIME IN 1 YEAR, STARTED TO SMELL STRONGLY LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN. I BROUGHT IT IN TO MINI OF CONCORD, AND THEY FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS - FOR A 2ND TIME. THIS WAS THE SECOND OF FOUR REPLACEMENTS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN MY CAR. *TR

IN EARLY JANUARY 2008, 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR, IT STARTED TO SMELL STRONGLY LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN, AND I WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A RISK OF FIRE. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR SIT, AND RESTARTED IT, BUT THE SMELL RESUMED. I BROUGHT IT IN TO MINI OF SF, AND THEY FOUND A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND LINE, AND REPLACED THE PARTS. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF FOUR REPLACEMENTS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR. *TR

PARKED CAR ON CITY STREET AND TURNED OFF CAR. HEARD HIGH-PITCHED NOISE LIKE SOMETHING WAS STILL RUNNING. TURNED CAR ON AND BACK OFF AGAIN. STILL HEARD NOISE. SAW GRAY, ACRID SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BENEATH HOOD. CAR STARTED BUT POWER STEERING WAS OUT. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. HIGH-PITCHED NOISE WAS POWER STEERING PUMP FAN WHICH DIDN'T TURN OFF WHEN CAR WAS TURNED OFF WHICH BURNT OUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP, WIRES, HARNESS AND OTHER RELATED PARTS. $2000 REPAIR MADE AT MINI/BMW DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A MINI COOPER S WITH 70,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I NOW SEE WHERE ERROR CODE P0012 IS AFFECTED BY SERVICE BULLETIN SIM-11-02-07 AND PUMA MEASURE 10686850-13. THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE PROCESS AFFECTING THE OIL CONDITION IS THE START OF THIS OCCURRENCE AND YIELDING SOME ISSUES WITH THE VANOS UNIT AND THE TIMING CHAIN, I AM AT A LOSS. NOW THIS IS MY PROBLEM, AND IT IS ALL THE FAULT OF MINI. I AM WONDERING WHAT TO DO?? *TR

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT AND STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT (I.E. HARD TO CONTROL THE CAR). THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING AND AFTER RESTART GOES AWAY. IN FEBRUARY OF 2012 THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM IN CANADA. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, PLEASE RECTIFY IT. *TR

THE TURBO CHARGER HAS TOTALLY FAILED (CAR IS UNDER HALF POWER) AND THE TOP GUIDE ON THE TIMING CHAIR (TENSIONER SYSTEM) IS BROKEN. I HAVE DONE THE PROPER MAINTENANCE WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE. THE TURBO IS COOLED BY THE KNOWN FAILED AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WITH INTEGRATED CIRCUIT BOARD AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECALL. MINI/BMW IS REFUSING TO COVER THESE FAILURES CLEARLY CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PARTS AND DESIGN (OIL LINE LEADING TO TURBO GETS GUMMED UP BECAUSE IT IS TOO SMALL). THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE ME OVER $5200 TO REPAIR THE CAR (20% OF THE VEHICLE COST IN 2008) FOR WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. MY CAR IS NOT OPERATIONAL AND HAS NOT BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR OVER 2 WEEKS WHILE I CONTINUE TO 'FIGHT' BMW'S DETERMINATION NOT TO COVER THESE PROBLEMS. READING COUNTLESS BLOGS WITH OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM(S) I BELIEVE BMW IS INTENTIONALLY SELLING A PRODUCT IT KNOWS IS DEFECTIVE AND COLLECTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON REPAIRS. NO CAR SHOULD EXPERIENCE A TOTAL FAILURE OF A TURBO AND BROKEN TIMING CHAIN IN 60K MILES. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND NHTSA SHOULD PROTECT US CONSUMERS FROM THIS FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY BY ISSUING A RECALL - SOONER THAN LATER. *TR

WHILE DRIVING STEERING BECAME STIFF. ALMOST UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL WHEN I SLOWED TO PARK. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PROBLEM RESOLVED. STILL HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY USUALLY WHILE SLOWING OR DOWNSHIFTING. ALWAYS RESOLVES AFTER RESTARTING CAR. *TT

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN 2009 I HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING THAT IT HAS A FAILURE. BMW NO RESPONSE FOR THIS ITS A PUMP THAT ITS NOT DESIGN CORRECTLY. LOST OF MINIS HAS THIS PROBLEMS. HARD TO STEER AND ALMOST GOT INTO A CRASH. *TT

LOST POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEED DUE TO POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. SHORT CIRCUIT OR FIRE MELTED POWER STEERING PUMP WIRING HARNESS. DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO OTHER PORTIONS OF ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS BY FIRE, RESULTING IN BLOWN FUSES. UPON REMOVING KEY FROM IGNITION AT ROADSIDE, ENGINE KEPT RUNNING UNTIL BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. *TT

POWER STEERING IS OF GREAT CONCERN AS IT HAS PERIODS WHERE IT SEEMS THAT THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING. ALSO WHEN ADJUSTING THE DIRECTION AS I AM BACKING UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY STEERING IS SORT OF LAZY AND IT MAKE A HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TT