MINI Complaints

VERY NOISY CLATTER WHEN STARTING ENGINE WHEN COLD. ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL WHEN COLD. GOES AWAY AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. DEALER SAYS ITS NORMAL ??? PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY MORNING. *TR

ENGINE EXHIBITS HARSH NOISE DURING STARTUP 50% OF THE TIME AFTER MINIMUM OF 8 HR SHUTDOWN OR IF PARKED NOSE LOW. THE ISSUE IS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH THE DEALER WON'T REPLACE BECAUSE 1) THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED AN EFFECTIVE REPAIR KIT FROM BMW OR 2) TRY TO EXPLAIN IT AWAY WITH THE EXCUSE THAT THIS TIMING CHAIN METAL-ON-METAL RATTLE IS "NORMAL." AN INCREASING WORLD-WIDE NUMBER OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND ENGINE HAVE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC LOW MILEAGE ENGINE FAILURES BECAUSE OF DEALER INACTION AND SUBSEQUENT TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. *TR

ENGINE EXHIBITS HASH NOISE DURING STARTUP 50% OF THE TIME AFTER MINIMUM OF 8 HR SHUTDOWN AT BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE ISSUE IS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH THE DEALER WON'T REPLACE BECAUSE 1) THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE STARTUP NOISE OR 2) THIS IS "NORMAL." OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND ENGINE HAVE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURES BECAUSE OF DEALER INACTION AND SUBSEQUENT TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. *TR

I PURCHASED MY '03 MINI COPPER S WITH 49K FROM A HONDA IN MECHANICSBURG, PA DEALER IN AUGUST. IN DECEMBER, I PURCHASED TIRES AND THEN WENT TO A SELF-SERVICE CARWASH AFTERWARD. WHEN I GOT HOME AND BEFORE I PUT IT IN THE GARAGE, I TOOK OUT THE HOSE AND WASHED OFF THE WHEELS AND UNDER THE CAR. DURING THE PROCESS THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STEAM FROM THE WATER HITTING THE MANIFOLD. I PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND LATER WHEN MY WIFE CAME HOME SHE COMMENTED ON THE SMOKE AND MIST IN THE GARAGE (IT WAS QUITE COLD THAT NIGHT.) THE NEXT DAY WHEN I PULLED THE CAR OUT, THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF AND I ONLY DROVE IT OUT THE DRIVEWAY AND ON THE ROAD BEFORE I REALIZED THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY OUT. I DROVE IT ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE DEALER AFTER CHECKING FUSES AND DETERMINING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BEYOND MY MECHANICAL SKILLS. THE POWER STEERING PUMP, FAN AND HARNESS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BATTERY (SHORTED OUT). INSURANCE ADJUSTERS FROM HONDACARE (EXTENDED WARRANTY), STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANY (MY COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE) AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THEIR CONJECTURE WAS THAT I HAD PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH THE HOSE WHEN I SPRAYED UNDER THE CAR. HONDA CARE PAID $1999 FROM EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP, BATTERY, POWER STEERING HARNESS AND FAN. A TOTAL OF $2700 ADDITIONAL FROM STATE FARM COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE (HONDACARE EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER HARNESS, TOWING AND DIAGNOSTIC WORK FROM THE MINI DEALER IN MARYLAND, ETC BECAUSE THEY WERE THE RESULT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE POWER STEERING PUMP FIRE); STATE FARM INSURANCE WAS EXCEPTIONAL AND COVERED THE DIFFERENCE WITH COMPREHENSIVE COVERED. THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE REPORTS INCLUDING PICTURES FROM ADJUSTERS AT HONDACARE AND FROM STATE FARM INSURANCE. *TR

MY 2003 MINI COOPER S HAS 41,000 MILES. ON 2/2/09, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND I HAD A TOUGH TIME KEEPING THE CAR IN CONTROL. I WENT HOME, RE-STARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WAS FUNCTIONAL. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR ON 2/5/09, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES WERE REPLACED. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AFTER 60,000 MILES, JUST AFTER THE CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT MANY MINI AND BMW OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS FAILED CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO BE PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATED, EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER CHARGES $1100 TO FIX THE DEFECT. I FEEL LIKE THE AIRBAG SHOULD WORK FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR, OR AT LEAST UP TO 100,000 MILES. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HAD ANY OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT WOULD AFFECT THE AIRBAG. MY CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,00 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST BMW AND MINI COOPER AND I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX THIS DEFECT AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER OF THE CAR. THANK YOU. *TR

A YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, THE FRONT DRIVER'S WINDOW'S AUTOMATIC MOTOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, THEN WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. THE DEALER FIXED IT SINCE IT HAPPENED TO BE UNDER FULL WARRANTY. TWO YEARS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR CEASED WORKING AT ALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS MAKING A SCRATCHING SOUND AS IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY ROLLED UP /OR DOWN. I ONLY HAD A FEW MONTHS LEFT ON THE WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER WAS REQUIRED AGAIN TO REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER MINI OWNERS THAT HAD TO REPLACE AT LEAST ONE WINDOW MOTOR AS WELL, BUT AT THEIR OWN COST SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT. IF THIS IS A INCESSANT AND OBVIOUS DEFECT BY MINI COOPER, IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR ADDRESSED IN A FAIR CONSUMER MANNER. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED SOON AFTER STARTING. THE CAR HAD BEEN OUTSIDE ON A COLD DAY, BUT NOT UNUSUAL (~20 DEGREES F). IT FUNCTIONED AGAIN WHEN RE-STARTED. *TR

ENGINE NOISE ON COLD STARTS. MY CAR HAS MADE DIESEL LIKE NOISES ON COLD START UP FOR THE PAST YEAR. AT FIRST THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL. UPON INSISTING THEY ADVISED OF A BLEEDING PROCEDURE AND THEN OF A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE TENSIONER (THEY HAD TO HEAR IT BEFORE THEY COULD REPAIR IT). THE DEALER HAD IT FOR A WEEK AND SAID IT WAS ALL FIXED. THE NOISE CAME BACK THREE DAYS LATER. I TOOK IT IN A SECOND TIME AND THEY GOT BMW ENGINEER TO LOOK AT IT. THEY REPLACED A CHECK VALVE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TRAP OIL IN THE VANOS SYSTEM AND SAID ONCE AGAIN IT WAS FIXED. THE NOISE WAS BACK THREE DAYS LATER. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE NOISE. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MINI OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEY HAVE ASKED ME TO KEEP A LOG AS TO HOW I DRIVE AND WHEN IT HAPPENS WITH TEMPERATURE. THE ENGINE HAS OIL AND WATER ON DEMAND RATHER THAN ALL THE TIME LIKE REGULAR ENGINES. STARTING THIS UP WITH NO OIL IN THE HEAD IS BOUND TO CAUSE DAMAGE. *TR

MY 2003 MINI COOPER HAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE IT FELL TO PIECES AT 61,000 MILES AFTER IMPECCABLE ENGINE MAINTENANCE FOR NO APPARENT REASON THEN I FOUND ONLINE THAT MANY MINI OWNERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AT THE SAME TIME APPROXIMATELY 4 YRS AFTER BUYING THE MINI SCAM THAT THEY SELL THIS FAULTY CAR JUST GLAD IT DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR