MINI Complaints

ON TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2011, I DROVE MY 2005 MINI COOPER S ABOUT 20 - 25 MILES HEADING FOR WORK - I MADE A BRIEF STOP FOR COFFEE. THE CAR OPERATED PROPERLY DURING THIS DRIVE, HOWEVER, WHEN I LEFT THE COFFEE SHOP I NOTICE A VERY ACRID SMELL IN THE AREA. WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND STARTED IT THE "BATTERY" INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. I CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND IT SAID THIS INDICATED THE BATTERY WAS NOT BEING CHARGED. AS THE CAR WAS RUNNING I DECIDED I COULD DRIVE IT TO WORK AND THEN ADDRESS THE CHARGING ISSUE. WHEN I BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT I REALIZED I HAD ALSO LOST MY POWER STEERING. I WAS CONCERNED THAT MY CAR MIGHT NOT BE COOLING AS WELL, SO MOVED THE CAR TO A SPOT FURTHER OUT IN THE PARKING LOT TO ALLOW FOR A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP. I REALIZED THE ACRID SMOKE SMELL WAS STILL WITH ME AND DECIDED TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD I FOUND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORTUNATELY I CARRIED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT - THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO RESPONDED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SANDIA MINI COOPER IN ALBUQUERQUE NM AND I HAVE SINCE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. FROM SOME RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON LINE IT APPEARS THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE ISOLATED TO MY VEHICLE, BUT THAT IT WAS OCCURRED IN A NUMBER OF CASES. *TR

2004 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAD A SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE APPROACHING A HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. I WENT TO TURN INTO IT AND THE CAR HAD BECOME A TANK. AFTER SOME PANIC BRAKING AND ALL THE UPPER BODY STRENGTH I COULD MUSTER ON THE STEERING WHEEL... I DID NOT FLY INTO THE DITCH, BUT HAD THE ROAD BEEN WET OR ICY I HAVE NO DOUBT THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS ESTIMATED $1200 FOR THE REPAIR OF A KNOWN FACTORY DEFECT. *TR

FOR THE PAST YEAR, MY MINI COOPER S HAS HAD SEVERAL SUDDEN POWER LOSSES IN THE POWER STEERING, RESULTING IN THE CAR BECOMING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY A MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHO KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME. MY WARRANTY WAS CALLED IN, AND THEY DID NOT AUTHORIZE ITS REPAIR EITHER. I LIVE IN A REMOTE AREA, WITH A DRIVING NEED FOR 3-4 HOURS FOR MEDICAL CARE. THIS DRIVE IS THROUGH CANYONS AND OVER MOUNTAINS, SO THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IS IN NO WAY AN OPTION, AND MAY ALSO RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR WORSE, DEATH. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT THE COMPLAINT WAS MADE TO MINI BY ME, AND YESTERDAY, RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT THEY DID, IN FACT, KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

A FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN. AT SOME POINT THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE FAN SEIZED AND THE RESULTING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO HEAT TO A POINT OF MELTING SOME OF THE PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION ALLOWING FOR DIRECT WIRE TO WIRE CONTACT AND RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE RESULTING FIRE COMPLETELY DISABLED THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND REQUIRES AT MINIMUM THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. EVENT DESCRIPTION AFTER A SHORT DRIVE (LESS THAN 2 MILES ON A COLD ENGINE) THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF SMOKE WAS SEEN RISING FROM THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON RAISING THE HOOD, FLAMES WERE SEEN BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT REFLECTING OFF BOTH FIRE WALLS. 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE REQUIRED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES AFTER THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE TO FIRE WAS PREVENTED BY THE OWNERS ACTIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER SPORT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE CHECK OIL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE TIMING CHAIN LOOSENED AND CAUSED ALL THE PISTONS TO MISFIRE AND DAMAGE THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, IT WORK INTERMITTENT, ALMOST GOT TO A ACCIDENT. *TR

YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING HOME NORMALLY. WHEN I SLOWED TO TURN INTO THE ALLEY WHERE I PARK MY CAR MY POWER STEERING FAILED. I MISSED SLAMMING INTO THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING BY A COUPLE INCHES AND WAS ABLE TO PARK. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND EVEN PUT A LITTLE IN. SINCE THE THEN THE POWER STEERING IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE, BUT "CATCHES" EVERY NOW AND THEN. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE. AFTER READING OF NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVING THIS ISSUE, I CALLED BMW TODAY. THEY RECORDED MY INFORMATION AND SAID I WOULD BE INFORMED IF THERE WAS A RECALL BY NHTSA, BUT THAT NOTHING WAS BEING DONE AT THIS TIME. *TR

THERE WERE NO WARNINGS OR EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, IN MY CASE THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE FAILURE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME. SHE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO MAKE THE TURN WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING SO HAD IT OCCURRED ON HER WAY TO WORK AROUND A CURVE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH FOR SURE. A COUPLE OF TURNS SHE NEEDS TO MAKE HAVE STEEP DROP OFFS AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC THAT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN DEATH. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUE TO THIS, BUT I CAN SEE WHERE IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN AND NOT BE PINPOINTED AS THE CAUSE SINCE THE FAILURE WAS IMMEDIATE AND WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING, NOT AFTER BEING STOPPED. *TR

UPON RETURNING HOME AND PARKING MY MINI IN THE GARAGE I SMELLED SOMTHING STRANGE. MY WIFE AND I UNLOADED GROCERIES FROM THE CAR I NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. WE QUICKLY ROLLED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND OPENED THE HOOD, I NOTICED THE CONNECTION ON TOP OF THE AUX WATER PUMP BURNING. THE FIRE SUBSIDED ON ITS OWN. *TR