MINI Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE ALL POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH CONCLUDED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND COMPLETED THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,648 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE STEERING BEING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ON HER BEHALF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD SPEAK WITH THE REGIONAL MANAGER ON HER BEHALF AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

2004 MINI COOPER S, POWER STEERING FAILURE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF POWER STEERING IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM AND CAUSES GREAT DIFFICULTY WITH STEERING THE VEHICLE. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION IN WHICH IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN A GIVEN DAY OR SOMETIMES ONLY ONCE IN A WEEK. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS TIMES OF OPERATION, INCLUDING IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNING, MID-COMMUTE, AND AT THE END OF A LONG DRIVE. THE ONLY CONSISTENCY IS THAT IT SEEMS TO OCCUR JUST AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, THEN BACK IN 1ST GEAR (THOUGH NOT EVERY TIME). POWER STEERING IS ALMOST ALWAYS RESTORED BY TURNING IGNITION OFF AND BACK ON- NOT A SAFE ACTION IN MOST OF MY DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. ON ONE OCCASION THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AUDIBLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, THREATENING TO DRAIN THE BATTERY. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WAS ONLY RESOLVED BY DRIVING THE CAR AGAIN FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AGAIN, THE PUMP FINALLY SHUT OFF. *LN

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR 1 MONTH AGO FOR OUR 16 YEAR OLD TWINS TO LEARN TO DRIVE ON. TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING HAS LOCKED UP TO THE POINT THEY ARE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. BOTH TIMES THEY CALLED ME FROM THEIR CELL PHONES AND I INSTRUCTED THEM TO TURN ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND TRY AND GET TO A SAFE PLACE. THEY COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR FROM SIDE TO SIDE SO I INSTRUCTED THEM TO STOP PUTTHE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF AND TRY TO RE-START. EACH TIMES THIS SEEMED TO HELP BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAD ONLY 27,982 MILES A MONTH AGO WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. *LN

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING AS I WAS DRIVING ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I'VE NOT HAD IT IN FOR REPAIRS YET, BUT RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET IT SEEMS MANY CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE EVEN READ OF THOSE WHOSE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND AM FEARFUL OF THE SAME HAPPENING TO ME NOT TO MENTION THE EXTREMELY HIGH COST OF REPAIR. MINI SHOULD RECALL THE 2005 AND FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND THE CONTACT UNPLUGGED THE BATTERY, WHICH STOPPED THE LOUD NOISE THAT SHE WAS HEARING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,998.

THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED SUDDENLY AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR. *TR UPDATED 08/24/11 *BF UPDATED 08/29/11

I HAVE AN 05 MINI COOPER S AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS DEFECTIVE ALONG WITH 80,000+ OTHERS. I AM ROUGHLY AROUND 90,000 MILES AND THE PUMP HAS JUST RECENTLY STARED GOING OUT DUE TO WHAT THE DEALERSHIP CALLED A "DEFECTIVE LEAK ON THE ACTUALLY BODY OF THE PUMP". I ASKED THEM WHAT I SHOULD DO AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $1100 TO "FIX IT" BUT SAID THAT IT COULD GO OUT AND FAIL AT ANYTIME WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE MY WIFE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR IF IT COULD GO OUT AT ANYTIME? THEY ALSO SAID THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN 04/05 MINI COOPERS. I REALLY WISH SOMEBODY WOULD MAKE THEM RECALL THIS POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM WITHOUT CHARGING US $1100 FOR THEIR MISTAKE IN DESIGNING/INSTALLING THE POWER STEERING PUMPS??? *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG PROBLEM INDICATOR IS ON. THE CAR ONLY HAS 54811 MILES. THE DEALER CHARGED $118.37 TO CHECK. THEY STATED A SEAT SENSOR PAD WAS BAD AND WOULD COST $1,200. TO REPLACE. THEY INDICATED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WOULD STILL DEPLOY. I CONTACTED MINI USA TO FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE I THOUGHT AT THIS MILEAGE AND SAFETY ISSUE THE REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED AS WARRANTY (RECALL). THEY DENIED THE REQUEST AND ALSO INDICATED THE SYSTEM WOULD STILL DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. AFTER READING SEVERAL BLOGS, EVERYONE SEEMS TO INDICATE THE BAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON ON MINI COOPERS. I READ SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE REPAIRED MULTIPLE TIMES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. *TR

MULTIPLE POWER STEERING FAILURES. INITIALLY WHEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 1 HOUR, NOW (JAN. 2011) OFTEN GOES OUT WHEN DRIVING MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. SOMETIMES COMES/GOES DURING A TURN. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE WHEN CORNERING IN THE CITY OR PARALLEL PARKING.