MINI Complaints

POWER STEERING RANDOMLY COMPLETELY FAILS AT LOWER SPEEDS/ NO ASSIST AT ALL. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT CAME ON WITH NO ONE IN THE SEAT, WHEN ADULT SAT DOWN THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF. ALSO THE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON. THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN PASSENGER DOES NOT BUCKLE SEAT BELT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, OIL STARTED TO DRAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES OVER THE STREET. STEADY STREAM ABOUT 2 INCHES WIDE WAS VISIBLE ON THE STREET ONCE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. OIL LIGHT CAME ONE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER OIL SPIN WAS NOTED. CAR WAS MOVED TO SAFE LOCATION ONCE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NOTES FROM KNAUZ MINI SERVICE MANAGER: FOUND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WALKING OUT OF POSITION CAUSING OIL TO COME OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. CLEANED OIL RESIDUE AND REPLACED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS. DUE TO LACK OF PROPER TENSION OF TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CHECKED TIMING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABRUPTLY HALTED CAUSING ME TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT IT COULD BE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SAFE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY SORT WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO A LOCATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE TOWED. DETAILS OF SERVICE PROVIDED FROM KNAUZ MINI AS FOLLOWS: FOUND CAR NOT STARTING, DURING FAULT INSPECTION FOUND FAULT FOR EXHAUST CAM SENSOR NOT READING. FOUND EXHAUST CAM NOT MOVING THROUGH OIL CAP ON VALVE COVER. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOR CYLINDER, FOUND TIMING CHAIN TO BE BROKEN CAUSING EXHAUST CAM TIMING CHAIN SPROCKET TO BREAK OFF EXHAUST CAM. FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING CAUSING DAMAGE TO COMPLETE ENGINE DUE TO TIMING CHAIN BREAKING IN TWO PIECES. FOUND LOWER CRANK DAMAGED FROM TIMING CHAIN WEDGING IN BETWEEN BLOCK AND TIMING CHAIN COVER AREA. REMOVED COMPLETE ENGINE AND REPLACED, NOTE DURING REMOVAL OF SUB-FRAME BOLTS ON RAIL FOUND TREADS TO BE DAMAGED FROM FACTORY (SUBFRAME NEVER REMOVED BEFORE) WHILE BEING INSTALLED. RE-TAPPED TREADS AND REPLACED BOTH BOLTS. TEST DROVE CAR WITH NEW MOTOR OVERNIGHT NO FURTHER PROBLEMS FOUND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT'S MECHANIC ORIGINALLY ASSUMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SWITCH BUT AFTER SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SWITCH WAS NOT THE ISSUE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED HAVING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 84,000. UPDATED 4/2/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF PADDLE SHIFTER AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT DOWN SHIFT. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT UP AND DOWN IN ALL GEARS, UNTIL IS SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. UPDATED 04/13/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COPPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,600.

CAR IMPACTED THE REAR END OF A JEEP AT LOW RATE OF SPEED (WAS BRAKING TO AVOID CRASH IN THE FRONT). UPON IMPACT THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. LUCKILY THE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF CAR. WITHIN MINUTES THE CAR WAS TOTALLY IN FLAMES. NO ONE WAS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED BUT IF THE OCCUPANT DID NOT GET OUT WHEN THEY DID THE OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE DIED DUE TO SMOKE OR FLAME INJURY.MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS LOW FRONT END IMPACT SHOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE FIRE AND LARGE FLAMES. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE CAR JUST AFTER THE OCCUPANT GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND ALSO PHOTOS OF THE CAR AFTER IT WAS TOWED BACK TO WRECKER YARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAR AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,400.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF YEARS LATER WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AGAIN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ON BOTH OCCASIONS AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,800. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED ONE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 01-SEP-2009 WITH 37800 FAILURE MILEAGE AND AGAIN ON 16-FEB-2012 AT 53827 UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS

OVER HEATING CONSTANTLY NO TECHNICAL PERSON KNOWS OF A REMEDY. OVERFLOW TANK BLOWS OUT WHEN CAR OVERHEATS CONSTANTLY .THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM SINCE THE BEGINNING NO MATTER WHAT YEAR THE CAR WAS BUILT AND NEVER REMEDIED. WHY NOT A RECALL? NOT KNOWING WHAT OTHER DAMAGE THIS CAUSES TO THE ENGINE. THIS HAS TO BE A RECALL FOR THE COMPANY TO FIX IT IS A HIT AND MISS FIX??? THIS IS A COSTLY PROCESS AND EVEN IN THE FORUMS ON MINI IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. FRONT END FAILS ALL AT THE SAME TIME. (CONTROL ARMS, CV JOINTS) STEERING BECOMES HARD TO CONTROL. MINI HELP *TR