MINI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION OF THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11005 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) ONE DAY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE REMEDY HOWEVER, FAILED TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 59,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL REPAIRS DUE TO A LACK IN AVAILABILITY OF THE NECESSARY PARTS. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO DEALER LOCATIONS AND NEITHER DEALER HAD THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RECALL REPAIR READILY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ABOVE MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND ON MY DASH. I HAVE FOUND ON MULTIPLE SITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. *JS

FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP MADE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN PARKING. *JS

EXITING ON AN OFF-RAMP FROM THE FREEWAY THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND STEERING BECAME ROCK HARD AND IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING STRAIGHT AND RUNNING INTO THE GUARD RAIL AROUND THE TURN. VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND IF I HAD DECREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH THE CAR WOULD HAVE VEERED STRAIGHT FOR THE GUARD RAIL AND AT HIGH FREEWAY EXIT SPEEDS. *JS

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHETHER OR NOT A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS COST US OVER $1500. IN 2006 MINI ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 2002 AND 2003 MODELS WITH THE SAME DEFECT. BMW'S INVESTIGATION OF THE SAME SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEATS OF BMW AUTOS RESULTED IN A RECALL OF THIS PART. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA08001. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. MESSAGE BOARDS HAVE INSTANCES OF PEOPLE PAYING FOR THIS EXPENSIVE SAFETY DEFECT AT THE DEALER, AND THE PROBLEMS RETURNING AFTER 1 TO 2 YEARS IN SOME CASES. SOMEONE WITH BE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FAILS TO DEPLOY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED, RESULTING IN A NEAR-LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PHYSICAL EFFORT REQUIRED TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF FLUID OR BREACH IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MODEL OF CAR. *TR

AIRBAG PASSENGER MAT SEAT SENSOR . THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE 2003 TO PRESENT. SEAT SENSOR TURNS AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND CAN DISABLE AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE AND ACCORDING TO MINI DEALERSHIP, NOT ON FACTORY RECALL BUT THEY SAY GET HUNDREDS A YEAR AND CHARGE TO REPLACE SENSOR AT 1000.00. SAFETY ISSUE! SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE THEM FIX A KNOWN ISSUE AT ALL DEALERSHIPS AND PUT PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER. *TR

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE COMMONLY REFERRED TO BY MINI OWNERS AS "THE DEATH RATTLE". THE DEALER CLAIMS THE ISSUE IS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF BEING 1.5 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. BUT DOZENS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING LOW ON OIL. I SUSPECT THE LOW OIL LEVEL IS A COVER ALLOWING THE MANUFACTURER TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NO OIL INDICATOR LIGHT IS TRIGGERED AT THAT LEVEL. MINI IS TAKING ACTION ON THIS ISSUE BUT HAS STOPPED SHORT OF ISSUING A RECALL. AS SUCH, THOUSANDS OF MINI OWNERS RISK SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THEIR ENGINE AT SPEED AS A RESULT OF POTENTIAL TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. FURTHERMORE, MOST OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR (BETWEEN $1,200 - $1,700) TO PREVENT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A DEFECT. IT REQUIRES CORRECTIVE ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR