MINI Complaints

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER WITH ABOUT 61000 MILES, AND HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. IT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION AS THE STEERING LOCKED AS I WAS DRIVING ON A LOS ANGELES FREEWAY AT A HIGH SPEED. THERE IS NO WARNING INDICATION, AND THERE IS DEFINITELY A POTENTIAL DANGER. *TR

COMPLAINT FOR DUNLOP RADIAL TUBELESS TIRES, 205145 R17 (84V) SP SPORT 01, RUN FLAT TIRES. I WAS WASHING MY 2007 MINI COOPER S (WITH APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES) AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD SEVERE BUBBLING OF THE SIDE WALL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPLACED, EXPLAINING THAT I HAD NOT HAD ANY UNUSUAL IMPACT ON THE TIRE AND THAT IT MUST BE DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNWILLING TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE TIRE, SAYING THAT I HAD TO GO DIRECTLY TO DUNLOP. I HAD THE TIRE REPLACED ON MARCH 13TH, 2008 BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE DRIVING IS A NECESSITY AND WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES IF I DID NOT REPLACE IT. IT WAS REPLACED AT ASSAEL BMW/MINI OF MONROVIA, CA. LESS THAN THREE WEEKS LATER, I NOTICED YET ANOTHER BUBBLE ON THE NEWLY REPLACED TIRE! AGAIN, THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL IMPACT UPON THE TIRE WALL, NO RUB MARKS, AND NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. AGAIN, BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES, I AM FORCED TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED, BUT AM FILING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT FOR EACH TIRE, COSTING APPROXIMATELY $387.00. IN ADDITION, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE HAD THREE ADDITIONAL DUNLOP BRAND RUN FLAT TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE OF SIDE WALL BALLOONING AT MY EXPENSE. I WOULD ADVISE THAT ALL OWNERS OF THE TIRES DESCRIBED ABOVE CAREFULLY CHECK THEIR TIRES FOR POSSIBLE BALLOONING, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT DUNLOP AND/OR THE DEALERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE. *TR

DURING START UP, LOUD VALVE TAPPING NOISE IS HEARD. NOISE PERSISTED DURING MULTIPLE SEGMENT OF THE TRIP WHERE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF FOR UP TO 30 MIN AND RESTARTED. SUBSEQUENT NOISE WAS NOT AS PROMINENT AS THE INITIAL START UP ON THE SAME DAY. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG DEACTIVATES ITSELF WHILE AN ADULT PASSENGER IS RIDING IN CAR. THE CAR DOES THIS AT RANDOM. DEALERSHIP HAS CHECKED THE CAR AND SAYS THAT IT IS WORKING PROPERLY. *TR

MY 2003 MINI COOPER USES A CVT TRANSMISSION SYSTEM AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AFTER ONLY 75,000 MILES. I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION ACTUALLY FAILED BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS THE TRANSMISSION COULD GO OUT AT ANY TIME. I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A TRANSMISSION TO GIVE OUT WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT AND ONLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A STRANGE SOUND. HAD I NOT TAKEN IT IN I COULD HAVE LOST THE TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER OWNERS OF VEHICLES LIKE MINE AND IT APPEARS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM USED IN THESE CARS IS UNRELIABLE (I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER STOPPED USING IT AFTER 2004 OR 2005). THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD WITH TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE ABOUT TO FAIL AT ANY TIME WHOSE OWNERS ARE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

VENT FAN IN MOTOR COMPARTMENT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE CAUSING DAMAGE TO VARIOUS ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND SMOKE DAMAGE. *TR

SUDDEN UNEXPECTED FAILURE. CVT TRANSMISSION (AUTOMATIC) IN 2003 MINI COOPER. FIRST ONE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD SELL ME ANOTHER CAR. THE CAR SOLD FOR $22K NEW, TRANSMISSION COSTS $8500 TO REPLACE. SO THAT'S $17000 WORTH OF TRANSMISSIONS 4 YEARS (ITS BEEN SITTING FOR THE LAST YEAR WHILE I STILL HAVE TO MAKE PAYMENTS). I DON'T THINK THEIR IDEA OF BUYING ANOTHER CAR TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION WAS A GOOD IDEA. *TR

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT, QUOTED PRICE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING $7,000 MINIMUM. DEALER REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

DANGEROUS LEVEL OF HEAT IN THE DRIVER'S FOOTWELL AFTER CAR IS DRIVER FOR A WHILE. *TR

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE CAR'S CENTER PILLAR AREA (DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE GAS PEDAL) REACHES AVERAGE TEMPERATURES OF 115-120 DEGREES. I HAVE BURNED MYSELF ON THIS AREA WHILE WEARING SHORTS, LEAVING A RED WELT. I'VE ALSO JERKED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN THE HOT SURFACE CATCHES ME BY SURPRISE. *TR