MINI Complaints

I HAVE A 2009 MINI COOPER S WITH 27,000 MILES. TWICE THE ENGINE VALVES HAS BEEN CLEANED BECAUSE OF EXCESS CARBON BUILD UP. JUST LOOK AT THE DISCUSSIONS ON THE WEB. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH CAR. *TR

THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED AND ENTERED A "ROUNDABOUT" CIRCLE. THE SYSTEM NOT ONLY STOPPED PROVIDING STEERING ASSIST, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL STAYED IN THE RIGHT TURN POSITION (DID NOT RETURN TO CENTER) WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD SURFACE. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAS COMPLETED FAILED IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH MAKES THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE (ESPECIALLY MY FOR WIFE WHO WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE INITIAL FAILURE OCCURRED). DO TO THE NON-FUNCTIONAL POWER STEERING SYSTEM, WHEN MAKING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL STAYS IN THE TURNED POSITION WHICH REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO QUICKLY MANEUVER THE CAR TO PREVENT IT FROM CONTINUING TO VEER OFF OF THE ROAD SURFACE ~ THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT AT ALL SPEEDS WITH ALL DEGREES OF STEERING INPUT. IN SIMPLE TERMS: IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS FULLY TURNED "HARD" TO THE LEFT, IT WILL STAY IN THAT POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TURNING AND WILL NOT START ITS RETURN TO THE CENTER "STRAIGHT" POSITION WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. ASIDE FROM THE COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST (WHICH MAKES NORMAL STEERING VERY DIFFICULT AT ALL SPEEDS), THE STEERING WHEEL POSITIONAL ISSUE (AS NOTED ABOVE) INTRODUCES A VERY UNSAFE OPERATING CONDITION FOR THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH OR LESS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT LOSS IN THE POWER STEERING. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL MANEUVERED WITH DIFFICULTY, EVEN THOUGH THE POWER STEERING HAD NOT COMPLETELY FAILED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IN OPERATION. IN ADDITION, A TICKING NOISE WOULD EMIT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. ALSO IN MAY OF 2009, THE ENGINE AND CLUTCH WERE REPLACED. MOST RECENT THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION AND THEY ADVISED THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE DEFECTS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,164 .

THE NEW MINI COOPER THAT I LEASED STARTED TO HAVE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS AROUND 6500 MILES. WHAT HAPPENS IS A HESITATION IN THE ACCELERATION OF THE MINI FROM A START OR AT LOW RPMS. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN YOU'RE AT A STOP AND YOU ARE TRYING TO CROSS TRAFFIC THE HESITATION OF THE ACCELERATION IS DANGEROUS IN TIMING THE VEHICLE TO CROSS TRAFFIC AND WHEN THE ACCELERATION CATCHES UP THE CAR JUMPS TO HIGH RPMS. THIS IS BEING REPORTED BECAUSE I TOOK THE COOPER INTO THE MINI OF ONTARIO SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL DEFECT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,648.

2008 MINI CLUBMAN. SPEEDOMETER IS NOT ACCURATE OFF BY APPROX. 5-6 MPH AT 60 MPH. DEALER DID NOT CARE. *TR

2009 MINI S. FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH BURNED UP AT 9000 MILES. WENT TO DEALER AND HAD TO HAGGLE TO GET THIS COVERED. THEY MADE ME SIGN OUT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE IT WAS MY FAULT. I WOULD NOT SIGN IT. THIS ISSUE IS ON MANY OF THE 2009S. WHAT I DID WAS TO HOLD STRONG THAT ANY CAR AT 9000 MILES SHOULD NEVER USE UP A FLYWHEEL/CLUTCH AND IT WAS THEIR ISSUE WITHIN THE MODEL. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. IT BEGAN TO RUN ALL THE TIME EVEN WITH THE KEY OFF. PLEASE NOTE LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AGO I FILED CLAIM # 10411560 PREDICTING THAT AFTER THE FAN HAD FAILED THE PUMP WOULD FAIL IN A SHORT TIME. IT DID. *TR

THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER WITH NO NOTICE IN CITY TRAFFIC. I WAS DRIVING ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER STEERING WHICH NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED FOR $1144.11 AND FOUND IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE CRUISING 60MPH I WAS APPROACHING THE CURVED RAMP FROM I-26 TO THE COOPER RIVER BRIDGE IN CHARLESTON SC. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I HAD TO "MAN HANDLE" THE STEERING WHEEL TO ENTER THE LEFT CURVE. PART WAY THRU THE CURVE, THE POWER STEERING STARTED AGAIN AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN A SEVERE TURN TO THE LEFT. JUST ABOUT LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY SWERVED TO AVOID ME. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STOPPED AT THE MINI DEALER IN CHARLESTON, SERVICE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. SPOKE WITH THE PARTS GUY AND WAS TOLD IT IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE MINI, THEY HAVE THEM IN STOCK AND MAY USUALLY GET ANOTHER DELIVERY EVERYDAY. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE MANUFACTURE STEP TO THE PLATE AND REMEDY THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR