MINI Complaints

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO I FOUND A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD OF 2007 MINI COOPER S ON PASSENGER SIDE BELOW WIPER. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON SEPT. 10TH. ON SEPT. 16 I FOUND ANOTHER CRACK IN THE NEW GLASS IN APPROXIMATELY SAME SPOT! AFTER LOOKING ON INTERNET I FOUND THAT STRESS CRACKING OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. ANYWAY, THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS AN IMPACT CRACK AND ONLY A COINCIDENCE THAT IT OCCURRED IN SAME SPOT! AFTER ARGUING THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AT THEIR COST--AS A COURTESY. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND EVEN IF A SMALL PEBBLE HIT--THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT CRACK SO EASILY. *TR

THE ONLY EVENTS LEADING TO THIS PROBLEM WERE NORMAL, EVERYDAY DRIVING AND ROUTINE, FACTORY RECOMMENDED SERVICE. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO HAVE INITIATED AT THE COOLING FAN FOR THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP. WHEN THE FAN SEIZES, THE PUMP OVERHEATS CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE PUMP ELECTRONICS. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE PUMP TO RUN NONSTOP EVEN WITH THE IGNITION TURNED OFF AND THE KEY OUT. THIS IN TURN RUNS THE BATTERY DOWN AND CAN POSSIBLY LEAD TO A FIRE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE POWER STEERING PUMP COOLING FAN AS WELL AS THE BATTERY SINCE IT'S USABLE LIFE WAS DIMINISHED FROM THE EXCESSIVE DRAW. OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AND NONE OF THIS WAS OFFERED AS A WARRANTY ITEM. *TR

"PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT ON INTERMITTENTLY. I BRING TO DEALER FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES, BUT DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AND MY PROBLEM CONTINUE. *TR

BACK IN FEB 2008 THE STEERING ON MY 2002 MINI COOPER JUST WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. I WAS LEFT WITHOUT POWER STEERING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 101 FREEWAY, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS! I FIXED THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS VERY EXPENSIVE AS IT WAS THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM THAT FAILED AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH MINI, I NEVER HEARD BACK BUT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR. RECENTLY, SEPTEMBER 2008 THE TRANSMISSION IN THAT SAME CAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND FEEL IT MAY BE A LEMON. MINI IS UNWILLING TO HELP ME AS MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I FEEL AS THOUGH THESE PROBLEMS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY AS THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING AND I AM CONCERNED FOR ALL PRESENT AND FUTURE MINI COOPER DRIVERS. *TR

FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT. THE LIGHTS FOR THE FAN AND TEMPERATURE REMAIN ON BUT NO AIR BLOWS COLD OR HOT. SOMETIMES IT GOES BACK ON BY ITSELF AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING. SOMETIMES SLAPPING THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE MIDDLE COLUMN (WHERE THE CONTROLS AND RADIO ARE) MAKES IT COME BACK ON. AND SOMETIMES IT STAYS OFF FOR A DAY OR TWO BEFORE SPONTANEOUSLY COMING BACK TO LIFE. ITS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE A HARDCOVER BOOK WITH ME AT ALL TIMES TO DO THE SLAPPING. I LIVE IN AUSTIN AND THE CLOSEST DEALER IS IN SAN ANTONIO, NEARLY 90 MILES AWAY. THE TWO TIMES I DROVE THERE WITH THE PROBLEM, IT WORKED FOR THEM. I EVEN HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE DEALER THE PROBLEM WAS AN ISSUE BACK WHEN THE CAR HAD 34,000 MILES. WE NEVER KNOW WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WILL GO OUT. CONSIDERING THE TEMPERATURE IN AUSTIN HAS HIT 100 NEARLY 50 TIMES THIS SUMMER, DO YOU BLAME US FOR NOT WANTING TO DRIVE THE CAR. PLEASE OFFER US SUGGESTIONS TO HAVE MINI USA PAY FOR THIS. ITS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR 2 YEARS. THE 90 MINUTE DRIVE TO SAN ANTONIO IS HOT AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THE AC WILL MISBEHAVE ONCE WE GET THERE. GROUND BREAKING ON THE AUSTIN MINI DEALERSHIP IS ON HOLD SO WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE SAN ANTONIO DEALERSHIP. *TR

CLUTCH AND CABLES FAIL AT 100 000KM. RATTLING NOISE AT START UP. VERY LOUD HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. TRANSMISSION GONE AT 103 000KM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A BMW MINI COOPER S. THE AIR BAG COVER EMBLEM HAS A DEFECTED EDGE. IF THE AIR BAG WERE TO DEPLOY, IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE COVER THREE TIMES, BUT THE DEFECT IS STILL UNCORRECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,000.

2003 MINI COOPER, 66,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED. THE COST IS GOING TO BE 8,500.00. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2008 MINI COOPER FOR MY DAUGHTER. LAST NIGHT WHILE SHE WAS PUTTING THINGS IN THE TRUNK, HER LEG GLANCED THE TAILPIPE AND SHE RECEIVED A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BURN. ON LOOKING AT CARS IN A PARKING LOT, I SEE THAT THE MINI COOPER'S TAIL PIPES ARE VERY EXPOSED AND NOT EVEN SLANTED BACK...I SEE THIS AS A HUGE DANGER. *TR PIC RECEIVED 10/0708 *BF ADD PICTURE *121108 CW UPDATED 12/11/08

ON 9/3/08 I LEANED INTO THE REAR OF MY 2008 MINI COOPER TO RETRIEVE GROCERY BAGS AND MY BARE LEG (RIGHT LEG) CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TAIL PIPE OF THE VEHICLE. THE TAIL PIPE WAS HOT AS IN "LIKE A RED-HOT POKER" AND I RECEIVED AN EXTREMELY PAINFUL CRESCENT SHAPED BURN ON MY LOWER LEG FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE TAIL PIPE PROTRUDES BEYOND THE BUMPER BY AT LEAST AN INCH. I MEASURED IT AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE IT MEASURES 2 AND ONE-HALF INCHES BEYOND THE BUMPER AND ON THE LEFT SIDE IT STICKS OUT ONE AND ONE-HALF INCHES BEYOND THE BUMPER. ON MY MINI COOPER, I HAVE ONE TAIL PIPE WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I REQUIRED TREATMENT AT AN EMERGENCY ROOM LESS THAN 36 HOURS LATER WHEN I BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE WOUND MAY BECOME INFECTED. THE ATTENDING DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT WOUND WAS HEALING WELL AND THAT IT WAS NOT INFECTED. I WAS PRESCRIBED 1% SILVER SULFADIAZINE CREAM (TOPICAL) TO TEND THE WOUND. *TR UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB