MINI Complaints

TURNING FROM A LEFT HAND TURN LANE ON TO A SIDE STREET AS I HAVE DONE AT LEAST 4 TIMES A DAY FOR OVER 10 YEARS, I LOST ALL POWER AND THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE LOSS OF POWER, THE LOSS OF STEERING, AND THE LOSS OF BRAKES CAUSED ME TO RUN INTO THE CURB. THIS ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND ASSEMBLY BEING REPLACED. NOT LONG AFTER GETTING MY MINI COOPER S THE HESITATION OF THE ACCELERATOR WHEN STATING OFF IN FIRST GEAR BEGAN. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REP AT THE MINI DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TOO MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF IT. GOING BACK AS FAR AS 2005 I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT MY STEERING AND THE NOISE IT MAKES. THE WHOLE STEERING UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES, YET IN 2009 I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. THE POWER LOSS WAS ELECTRICAL EVEN THOUGH MY ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE FINAL OUTCOME WAS MINI REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. I'VE COMPLAINED TIME AND AGAIN YET WITH NO HELP UNLESS IT'S COMING OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. SINCE OWNING THIS MINI COOPER S I'VE SPENT NEARLY 6000.00 IN REPAIRS. BECAUSE OF THE INTERDEPENDENT NATURE OF THE ASC/DSC ON THE VEHICLES BRAKING, ELECTRONICS, AND EVEN STARTING ACCELERATION FROM A STOP; HAS THIS FEATURE BEEN PROPERLY STUDIED AS THE CULPRIT FOR THE MANY AND VARIED PROBLEMS THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAS? IN THE UK THERE IS A BLOG CALLED WATCHDOG THAT HAS 180 PEOPLE WHO POSTED BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND APRIL 2009 THAT ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING THAT I AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. HOW CAN SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM GO UNRESOLVED FOR SO LONG. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS PROBLEM ALONE FALLS UNDER THE UNITED STATES CODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301). *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SRS FLOOR MAT SENSOR IS DAMAGED AND MAY CAUSE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. *TR

WHEN TURNING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT 10-15MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER AND THE STEERING BECAME STIFF. I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF TILL I PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO OUR GARAGE AND TURNED IT OFF. AT THIS TIME THE COOLING FAN AND POWER STEERING REMAINED ACTIVE, CREATING LOUD WHINING NOISES. I LET IT RUN FOR 30 MINUTES BUT THE ISSUE REMAINED. ONLY THING THAT RESOLVED THE ISSUE WAS DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY. EVEN RECONNECTING THE BATTERY THE POWERSTEERING FAN RE-ENGAGED. *TR

I HAD POWER STEERING ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING I BEGAN TO MAKE A TURN AND REALIZED MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TO THIS DAY IT HAS NEVER CAME BACK. I WAS TOLD IT IS SOMETHING LIKE AN ELECTRIC HYDRAULIC PUMP BUT THE PRICE IS SO OUTRAGEOUS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED SO I JUST TRY TO DRIVE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND BE AS CAREFUL AS I CAN. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILS DURING DRIVING. SEEMS TO BE AFTER ENGINE GETS HOT. HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (I-684) AT 65 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST APPROX. 30 MILES FROM MY HOME. THIS MADE THE CAR DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN TAKING TURNS IN AND OFF OF EXITS. MUCH FORCE WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND STEERING THE VEHICLE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP HOME. I WILL REPORT THIS TO MINI ON MONDAY. *TR

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE COST IS ABOUT $1000. 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. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE MINI DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY...THAT THE "MRS CONTROL UNIT SHORTED". SINCE THIS IS A PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND SINCE IT IS NOT A MECHANICAL DEVICE THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO WEAR, I BELIEVE THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THIS UNIT AT NO CHARGE...AND/OR AN ALERT SHOULD GO TO OTHER MINI OWNERS. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE CONTROL UNIT REPLACED (AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE) BECAUSE I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING WITHOUT AIRBAGS. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE AND CAR BECOME VERY HARD TO TURN. ALMOST CRASHED INTO A CURB TAKE A 90 DEGREE SHARP TURN. ALL FUSES RELATED TO PUMP DID NOT FAIL. STEERING FLUID LEVEL IS AT PROPER AMOUNT. I JACKED UP THE CAR FRONT THE FRONT AND IT WAS A LITTLE BETTER WITHOUT ANY LOAD ON THE FROM END BUT FELT VERY NOTCHY ABOUT EVERY 20% OF A FULL TURN OF THE WHEEL. ELECTRIC COOLING FAN THAT COOLS THE PUMP IS NOT BLOCKED AND I CAN SPIN IT FREELY. MANY MINI COOPER OWNERS ARE COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DOES NOT KEEP RUNNING AFTER THE CAR IS SHUT DOWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SEIZE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,650. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. UPDATED 03/06/12