MINI Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON A HOUSTON, TX FREEWAY GOING 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR TO THE LEFT OF ME SUDDENLY SWERVED DIRECTLY INTO MY DRIVER SIDE. THE OTHER CAR, WHICH WAS A HONDA PASSPORT SUV, HIT MY ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE FROM REAR BUMPER TO MY DOOR TO THE FRONT BUMPER. I WAS DRIVING A 2007 MINI COOPER. AT 60 MPH, MY SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THE IMPACT WAS DIRECT AND AT 60 MPH. SURELY THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT WITH THE SIDE AIRBAGS. *TR

MY 2004 MINI EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STEERING PROBLEMS IN FEB. OF 2011. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND THEN NEARLY ALL THE TIME. GOT NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. MOSTLY FIXED BUT FELT ODD AT TIMES. STEERING BECAME PERMANENTLY DIFFICULT IN JUNE 2011 AND HAD PUMP REPLACED BUT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. ADVISED TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION. PLAN TO DO SO. STEERING BILLS AT ABOUT $2,000. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 35-40, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED COMPLETELY. THE CAR BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND CREATED A VERY UNSAFE MOMENT AS I MADE A 90 DEGREE TURN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME WITH GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT INVOLVED. THE PROBLEM SEEMS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN ON-LINE DESCRIPTIONS FROM OTHER MINI OWNERS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION .... IT IS ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I AM SURPRISED THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN REQUIRED DUE TO THE OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE!

AIR BAG FAILURE LAMP LIGHT ON. 2006 JCW MINI COOPER. ON STARTUP, LAMPS ALL GO THROUGH STARTUP ILLUMINATION THEN GO DARK. AIRBAG FAILURE LAMP RELIGHTS 1 SECOND LATER AND REMAINS ON. NO INTERIOR WIRING DONE, CAR IS AS WAS RECEIVED NEW FROM DEALER. *TR

2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER $4800 IN REPAIRS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE STEERING ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST. THE COST WOULD BE $1000 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD GIVE HER A RETURN CALL IF THEY REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 07/29/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,200. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF UPDATED 3/6/12 *CN

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT TWICE, BOTH TIMES THIS WAS NOTICEABLE SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE (BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY). IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, POWER STEERING RETURNED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT HALF A BLOCK. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT (A COUPLE MONTHS LATER), POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN WHILE DRIVING (1 MILE), BUT RETURNED WHEN CAR WAS STARTED THE FOLLOWING DAY. DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER IS CURRENTLY UNABLE TO PINPOINT ISSUE THROUGH CAR'S COMPUTER, BUT POWER STEERING PUMP IS SUSPECTED. CAR IS UNDER 30K MILES. *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. ALSO, THE LIGHT WHICH INDICATES THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF COMES ON WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. CERTAINLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE BELIEVE BMW/MINI SHOULD FIX THIS AT NO CHARGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ