MINI Complaints

MINI COOPER S 2004- POWER STEERING FAILURE, GOING IN AND OUT, EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THE VEHICLE AROUND CORNERS AND DISTURBING TO SAY THE LEAST. HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP YET, APPARENTLY THIS IS A 'COMMON' PROBLEM ON MINI COOPERS OF THIS MANUFACTURING PERIOD, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I'M AFRAID THAT IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING AT A CRUCIAL MOMENT THAT IT WILL LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE COST OF REPAIR (THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY MORE) WILL BE MORE THAN I CAN BEAR AS FAR AS COST. THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A COST THAT SHOULD BE BURDENED BY THE OWNER, IT IS AN ISSUE OF SAFETY AND SHOULD BE A MAJOR CONCERN OF THE AUTO MANUFACTURER. *TR

MY 2005 MINI COOPER VIN # [XXX] JUST LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING ON THE SIDE STREET, TRIED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART, IT WORKS BUT DECIDED TO JUST PARK IN THE GARAGE SINCE I WAS AFRAID TO GET INVOLVE IN A ACCIDENT. THEN SUDDENLY, A WEIRD SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, LEFT IT OVERNIGHT , NEXT THING MY CAR BATTERY DIED AND COULD NOT START THE CAR. JUMPED START IT LET MY HUSBAND DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE POWER STEERING BECAME STIFF AND VERY HARD TO MANEUVER EVEN JUST MAKING A 45 DEGREES ANGLE AND RETURNED TO A DRIVING POSITION. I JUST DECIDED TO JUST PARK IT AND WAIT UNTIL A POSSIBLE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

HI, I'M THE THIRD OWNER OF A 2003 MINI COOPER S SINCE FEBRUARY 2010, LOCATED IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. IN THE BEGINING OF MAY 2011 MY CAR STARTED TO HAVE BIG ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS RUNNING DISCONTINOUS, ALL THE LIGHTS (FRONT, BACK AND DASHBOARD) ARE DIMMING AND AFTER JUST AFEW MILES OF DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. I HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOW EVERYDAY WHEN I TRY TO DRIVE THE CAR. I'VE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN AND IT SPINS FREE. NO BLOW OF THE F5 FUSE (AS OTHER PEOPLE REPORTED). IT HAPPEND TO ME IN THE LAST YEAR FOR 3 TIMES, BUT ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT, BUT FEW HOURS AFTER I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND DIDN'T DRIVE THE CAR, THE PUMP CAME BACK NORMALLY (EXCEPTING THE CONTINOUS WHINING NOISE OF IT). DIDN'T TAKE IT TO THE DEALER YET FOR A PUMP REPLACEMENT. I KNOW THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MINIS 2002-2006 AND I WANT TO CLAIM THIS PROBLEM ON MY CAR TOO. HOPE THIS PROBLEM TO BECOME A RECALL SOON FOR MINI/BMW. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2006 MINI COOPER S. MAKES HORRIBLE ENGINE NOISE AND UPON INVESTIGATION MINI FOUND THAT THE AC COMPRESSOR IS OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 44K MILES AND HAS BEEN MINI MAINTAINED. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS CLOSE TO 4K WHICH IS ABSURD FOR A PART THAT SHOULD LAST.I FOUND A MECHANIC ( NOT MINI) THAT CAN DO THE WORK FOR 2,800 BUT EVEN THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A DEFECTIVE PART. MINI SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. NOW, WE CAN'T EVEN TURN ON THE FAN BECAUSE IT WILL TRIGGER A CHAIN REACTION OF PROBLEMS. *TR

BOUGHT MINI COOPER USED FROM DEALER JUST PRIOR TO GOING TO FLORIDA FOR 2 WKS. WHEN ALMOST HOME FROM FLORIDA POWER STEERING WENT OUT. MY 3000 MILE USED CAR WARRANTY HAD JUST RAN OUT SO CHECKED ON RECALLS, FOUND NONE. BUT I DID FIND OUT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY AND FOUND THE STEERING SOMETIMES WORKED AND AGAIN WOULD CUT OUT WITH NO WARNING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER WHEN NOT EXPECTED. THEN ONE DAY I CAME HOME AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF BUT THE STEERING PUMP WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET IT TO STOP. WHEN I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY IT WOULD START RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN. THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED I NEEDED TO BITE THE BULLET AND TAKE IT IN TO BE FIXED. I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND DROVE IT TO A MINI COOPER DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE STEERING PUMP THAT WAS BAD, THAT IT HAD INTERNAL ELECTRONICS THAT FAIL. I HAD THEM REPLACE IT FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1072.38 AND THAT CAME WITH A 2 YR WARRANTY. PLEASE NOTE ~ THE VEHICLE HAD A WHIRRING NOISE WHEN I BOUGHT IT THAT I THOUGHT WAS FROM THE TURBO. I FOUND OUT LATER IT WAS THE STEERING PUMP MAKING THE NOISE. WHEN THE NEW PUMP WAS INSTALLED IT WAS A LOT QUIETER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT WITHOUT WARNING. HE NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WOULD REMAIN ACTIVE WITHOUT POWER TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,096. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/24/11 *BF UPDATED 06/30/11*JB

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS POWER STEERING WHEEL FAILURE. IT STARTED HAPPENING AFTER THE CAR HIT 50,000 MILES WHICH I THINK IT'S STILL TOO LOW FOR ANY CARS. I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON A MAIN RD. THE STEERING WAS SO DIFFICULT TO TURN EVEN WITH BOTH HANDS THAT I HAD TO COME TO HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WOULD HAVE HIT THE BUILDING IF I KEPT ON GOING AT FULL SPEED WHICH IS 30 MILES. SO GLAD THERE WAS NO CAR BEHIND ME. ENCOUNTERED A FEW MORE TIMES AFTER THIS. MY CAR IS NOW PARKED AT MY CONDO LOT AS IT COST OVER $1300 TO GET IT FIXED. IT WILL BE VERY DANGEROUS IS THIS HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY. A FEW OF MY FRIENDS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE OR LIFE WILL BE LOST. BMW/MINI NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE--PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WON'T GO OUT. ACCORDING TO WEB-FORUMS, PART FAILED IS A SEAT SENSOR. DEALER WANTS CLOSE TO $2K TO REPLACE IT, BUT IT FAILED A LONG LONG LONG TIME AGO. I WOULD THINK IT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 2 OR 3 YEARS. CAN FIND TONS OF THE SAME PROBLEMS AT HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/STOCK-PROBLEMS-ISSUES-9-2.HTML. *TR

2008 MINI COOPER S - ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY VACUUM PUMP. WHILE DRIVING MY WELL MAINTAINED 2008 MINI COOPER S UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE ISSUED A LOUD, BRIEF METALLIC NOISE AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENGINE WAS STILL TURNING, BUT WAS NOT RUNNING. HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VALVE TRAIN, BY REMOVAL OF VALVE COVER, THE EXHAUST CAM GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND SEVERAL VALVES HAD BEEN BENT. THE EXHAUST CAM WOULD NOT TURN. FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE MATTER INDICATES A FAILED VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE EXHAUST CAM TO LOCK-UP AND SHEAR OFF THE CAM SPROCKET BOLT. THE PISTONS THEN IMPACTED THE VALVES CAUSING SEVERE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS CAR ALSO FELL VICTIM TO THE "COLD START" ISSUE AND HAD THE VALVE TRAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES. MINI HAS INDICATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAS EXPIRED, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I SUGGEST THIS ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN A PRODUCT RECALL OF ALL R56 EQUIPPED MINI VEHICLES FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE VACUUM PUMP. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET, AND BMW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY THE PROCEDURE EXECUTED TO REPAIR THE "COLD START" ISSUE INCLUDES A STEP TO REMOVE AND INSPECT THE VACUUM PUMP FOR BINDING. *TR

I OWN A 2003 MINI COOPER. I AM EXPERIENCING UNEXPECTED POWER STEERING LOSS THAT IS CURRENTLY A TEMPORARY CONDITION. IT OFTEN OCCURS WHILE EXITING ONTO HWY 10/61 CLOVERLEAF IN WOODBURY, MINNNESOTA. ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE NEARLY DRIVEN OFF OF THE ROADWAY DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. IT IS AN EXIT THAT IS TAKEN AT 45-50 MPH AND AN HILL DOWNWARD. WHEN IT OCCURS THE CAR VEERS HARD LEFT AS THE POWER STEERING FAILS. THE STEERING REQUIRES A HEAVY DRIVER INPUT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS OFF THE ROADWAY BRIEFLY UNTIL I COULD MUSCLE IT BACK ONTO THE ROADWAY. A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE. I AM SURE IF THIS OCCURRED WITH MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER BEHIND THE WHEEL, AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS, SO I CONDUCTED AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS. SEEMS CLEARLY TO BE A PROBLEM THAT IS MORE AN ISSUE OF DESIGN THAT WEAR AND TEAR. WHAT SHOULD I DO? *TR