MINI Complaints

THE POWER STEERING WOULD STOP AND IT BECAME HARD TO TURN AND STEER. IT CAME BACK ON AND HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. IT EFFECTS STEERING WHEN GOING SLOW MORE THAN FAST. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO FAIL UNDER ANY SPECIFIC CONDITION, IT WILL JUST STOP AND AFTER AWHILE IT WILL COME BACK ON.

SAME ISSUE AS COMPLAINT 10378962, RELATED TO INVESTIGATION 10-038. POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN.

THE SEAT HEATERS IN MY 2008 MINI COOPER S GET WAY TOO HOT. THEY HAVE TWO TEMPERATURE SETTINGS (ONE IS HOTTER THAN THE OTHER) AND EITHER ONE GETS TOO HOT AND YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE HEATER. IF YOU DON'T TURN IT OFF IT WILL CONTINUE TO HEAT UNTIL IT BURNS YOU. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM CERTAIN THAT WITHOUT TURNING THE HEATER OFF THE PASSENGER COULD BE BURNED AND/OR THE WIRING TO THE HEATER COULD MELT OR CATCH ON FIRE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BMW/MINI AND THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT VIA A WIRING HARNESS INSTALLED IN-LINE WITH THE HEATER TO CONTROL THE VOLTAGE, BUT THIS FIX DIDN'T WORK ON MY CAR. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ALL BEGAN TO POINT TO ZERO. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE RPMS BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ERRATICALLY, AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE AIR CONDITIONER ALSO SHUT OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND AS HE EXITED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING GASKET, PRESSURE HOSE AND GASKET, FAN AND MOTOR, VALVE COVER, ENGINE HARNESS, AND THERMOSTAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER REPAIRS BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,900.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER F. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG AND ATTENTION TO HARNESS. THEY ALSO, ADVISED HER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THEIR WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 3/28/11 *CN UPDATED 12/20/11 *CN

I HAD A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF MY 2008 MINI COOPER S, FOLLOWED BY THE TIMING BELT BREAKING. I HAD IT FIXED TO THE TUNE OF $2000+. IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD IT BROKE DUE TO BEING DOWN 1 QT OF OIL. I HAVE HEARD THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. *TR

2009 MINI COOPER S LOUD NOISE AT COLD STARTUP IMMEDIATELY AFTER CAR WAS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER 2008 MINIUSA HAS DISCOVERED IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING BELT AND ITS TENSIONER I READ OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND ASKED MINI DEALER TO REPAIR IT: THEY REPLACED TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER BUT SOME MINI OWNERS REPORT A RECURRENCE OF THE ISSUE AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S ENGINE. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER I JUST HIT 55K MILES AND MY POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED. MY BATTERY IS NOW DEAD, ALTERNATOR IS FRIED. IT WAS RUNNING FINE ONE DAY AND THE NEXT IT TURNED ON AND I COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF MY GARAGE AND THEN THE BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND AN EXPENSIVE COST THAT IS THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT IN THE UK THEY ARE PAYING FOR PARTS BUT IN THE US IT IS A MINOR ISSUE. *TR

WHEN I BOUGHT THE MINI BACK IN MARCH THE NIGHT I BROUGHT IT HOME THE STEERING SUDDENLY GOT REALLY STIFF. THEN WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS WORKING FINE, THEN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO GOT STIFF AGAIN, WENT AWAY AND NOW IS COMPLETELY OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST POWER STEERING WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF; AND AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE SIMILAR FAILURE RECURRED ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.