MINI Complaints

I HAVE A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE OVERHEAD PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THERE IS AN ADULT SIZED PASSENGER RIDING IN THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND I HAVE WITNESSED IT ABOUT EIGHT TIMES BETWEEN 10/2/08 AND 11/26/08. WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, IT STAYS ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 21 DAYS IN THE SHOP AND THEIR DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER CANNOT IDENTIFY AN ERROR SO THE PROBLEM REMAINS UNRESOLVED. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY SYSTEM AND MAY CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY IF NOT ADDRESSED. *TR

APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO I WAS ON ORTEGA HIGHWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH MY CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT. AS I WAS MANEUVERING THE MINI ALONG THE CURVY ROAD THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. FORTUNATELY I HAD GOTTEN THROUGH THE WORST OF THE HAIR PINS AND WAS GOING SLOWER THAN THE SPEED LIMIT ETC. SUDDENLY THE STEERING BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. MY HUSBAND WAS INFORMED BY A MECHANIC THAT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING FAN. WE HAD IT REPLACED AND IT SEEMED OKAY. ON NOVEMBER 26TH I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR GOING TO MY SISTERS I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. I WAS FORTUNATE ONCE AGAIN AS THERE WAS NO ON COMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE IF THERE WAS I WOULD HAVE HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS FOR THIS ISSUE AND I HAD NEVER BEEN INFORMED OF POWER STEERING ISSUES BEING SO SUDDEN ON THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE A MASSIVE RECALL FOR THE 02-04 YEARS WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY GOOD IDEA. I GOGGLED THE ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH THESE YEARS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. I HAVE A TRUCK OLDER THAN IT THAT HAS NEVER HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING REPLACED. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT NOW DUE TO FINANCIAL ISSUES. THE PUMP ALONE IS BETWEEN 400-500 DOLLARS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GET THEM TO RECALL THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES! OR IS THAT WHAT EVERYONE IS WAITING FOR?!? *TR

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS 48,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I CANNOT CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE AND A HOST OF SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE COOPER. I THINK THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED FOR SAFETY ISSUES. THANKS, KAREN *TR

WE HAVE HAD A MINI COOPER SINCE JULY 2007 WITH GOOD YEAR EXCELLENCE RUN FLAT TIRES (195/55 R16 87V). WE RECENTLY NOTICED A BULGE IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS AND OUR MECHANIC'S RECOMMENDATION, WE REPLACED THE TIRE FOR $250.00. *TR

FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOW I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY COOLING FAN COMES ON EACH TIME I TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND THEN IT SHUTS OFF AFTER A MINUTE OR SO. SO I THOUGHT THAT THE FAN WAS JUST ACTING UP OR SOMETHING. HOWEVER, YESTERDAY I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS AT THE MAXIMUM (250 DEGREE F) AND THE INDICATOR RED LIGHT HAD COME ON. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AT ABOUT 50-60 MILES PER HOUR ON SIDE ROADS (SO I HAD BEEN STOPPING AT LIGHTS AT INTERVALS). THE WEATHER IS ACTUALLY UNSEASONABLY COOL (60-70 DEGREE F), AND I HAD BEEN CHANGING GEARS (I HAVE THE AUTOMATIC WITH SPORTS DRIVE). SO NATURALLY, WHEN I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE THE COOLING FAN CAME ON AGAIN AND DIDN'T TURN OFF FOR ANOTHER 3-5 MINUTES. SO ON THE WAY BACK, I DROVE AT ABOUT 30 MILES WITH MY HAZARD LIGHT ON AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREE-WAY AND PUT IT ON CRUISE CONTROL. BUT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STILL WENT UP TO ABOUT 3 QUARTERS OF THE WAY AND THE FAN KICKED ON AFTER I PARKED IT AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THE MANUAL SAYS TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE CAR AND LET THE ENGINE COOL DOWN IF THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES PAST THE HALF-WAY POINT. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER IN 2 DAYS FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A COOLING FAN PROBLEM. BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE AN ENGINE ISSUE. SO I AM PLANNING TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. *TR

MY 2002 MINI COOPER ELECTROHYDRAULIC POWER STEERING (EHPS) PUMP WILL NOT SHUT OFF CAUSING ASSOCIATED WIRING TO BECOME DANGEROUSLY HOT (SMELLS LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE). THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MINI COOPER AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP MY MINI FROM CATCHING FIRE. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY AS INOPERATIVE WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER. THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF AIRBAG PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A QUALIFYING CRASH FOR THE PASSENGER. *TR

AIRBAG COVER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS A DEFECT EDGE ON THE MINI EMBLEM WHICH COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL INJURY TO THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A DEPLOYMENT. *TR

BOTH DOOR HANDLES ARE INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER PER PHONE CALL DIAGNOSED "COMMON PROBLEM" AS THE BALLARD CABLE DISCONNECTING FROM THE LATCH. AFTER REMOVING THE DOOR PANEL IT WAS FOUND TO BE INTACT. PROBLEM IS YET TO BE DIAGNOSED. IT IS MY ASSUMPTION THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEM SINCE THE DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND THE DOORS DO NOT APPEAR TO TRY AND LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES THE SET SPEED OF 15 MPH. THIS IS A DEFECT OF GRAVE CONCERN SINCE THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE CANNOT IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR FIRE AND WOULD BE TOTALLY UNABLE TO EXIT IN THE EVENT OF AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *TR

VERY NOISY DRIVE TRAIN UPON INITIAL START-UP; MORE SIGNIFICANT WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. NOISE ABATES AS ENGINE WARMS. *TR