MINI Complaints

BRAND NEW MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE (1 WEEK OLD). I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY IN THE LEFT MOST LANE. WHILE I WAS CHECKING THE POSSIBILITY TO CHANGE TO THE RIGHT LANE, THE FREEWAY CURVED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE CAR ENTERED SLIGHTLY INTO THE SHOULDER LANE ON THE LEFT. THE SPEED WAS 65 MPH. THE MOMENT PART OF THE CAR ENTERED THE SHOULDER LANE, IT LOST CONTROL AND HIT THE SHOULDER. AS A RESULT, THE CAR FLIPPED OVER AND DRAGGED FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. AS A RESULT OF THIS CRASH, I INCURRED SEVERE EYE INJURY AND SIGNIFICANT HEAD INJURY IN ADDITION TO ROAD RASHES ON HEAD, HANDS AND FACE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *NM

THIS IS A FOLLOW-ON TO INVESTIGATION PE05053 ORIGINALLY OPENED ON 09/27/2005. I TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ON MY MY 2002 MINI COOPER. THE INCIDENTS OF INTERMITTENT AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATION STARTED ON 12 FEB 06 AND HAVE CONTINUED SINCE THAT TIME. THE LAMP ILLUMINATION IS INTERMITTENT AND NOT STEADY. SINCE I LIVE 220+ MILES FROM THE NEAREST BMW/MINI DEALER I HAVE NOT BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE OR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. NO CONSEQUENCES OTHER THAN THE MINOR ANNOYANCE OF THE ILLUMINATED LIGHT ON HAVE OCCURRED, ALTHOUGH I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE OR MORE AIRBAGS MAY NOT INFLATE IN CASE OF IMPACT OR CRASH. *JB

JUST DRIVING ALONG ON A STRAIGHT SMOOTH ROAD AT 40 MPH WHEN THE LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM BROKE CLEAN IN HALF NEARLY CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AS THE WHEEL ROTATED UP INTO THE FENDER WELL. SCOTTSDALE MINI INSISTS THAT THIS ARM SHOULD ONLY BREAK IF THE CAR WAS CRASHED AND THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE NEVER HIT ANY SIGNIFICANT POTHOLES OR OTHER ROAD HAZARDS. THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR CASES OF THIS FAILURE REPORTED ON THE INTERNET BUT MINI IS APPARENTLY RELUCTANT TO CLASSIFY IT AS A DESIGN FLAW. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR BROKE FROM THE STOCK AND FLOPPED ABOUT LOOSELY. ALTHOUGH THE PEDAL DID NOT COMPLETELY SEPARATE, THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ANCHORED STOCK THAT HOLDS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUSTAINED EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO ABUSE BY THE DRIVER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

ON 1/26/06 I TOOK MY CAR INTO TUFFY AUTO TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED, AT THE TIME THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD A CRACK IN IT. AT THAT TIME I CALLED MINI AND TOLD THEM THAT MY RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MINI THAT MY DRIVING WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS AND THAT IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN TOOK PICTURES OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WHILE IT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO MY CAR, THESE PICTURES SHOW THAT THERE WAS A SHEARING EFFECT ON THE REAR-MOST PART OF THE ARM AND THERE WAS NO BENDING ON THE ARM. I THEN HAD THE CAR TAKEN BY FLAT-BED TO MY MINI DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE REPLACING THE LOWER AND UPPER CONTROL ARM. MY PICTURES REFUTE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS BEING A DRIVERS FAULT AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO WARRANTY THE WORK.*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER MODEL S. THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASE AT 130 MILES THE VEHICLE STALLED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL OUT COMPLETELY, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH BRAKE PRESSURE APPLIED, THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND STRUCK A TREE. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, BUT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENGINE. *AK UPDATED 3/3/2006 - *NM

TWO-CAR CRASH AT AN INTERSECTION - AIRBAGS IN 2002 MINI COOPER S FAILED TO DEPLOY. CAR 1 (2002 MINI COOPER S) WAS DRIVING WEST ON TOTTEN POND RD. IN WALTHAM, MA AT APPROX. 30 MPH, APPROACHING GREEN LIGHT AT INTERSECTION OF TOTTEN POND RD/WINTER ST AND WYMAN ST. CAR 2 (2001 CHEVY VAN) WAS TRAVELING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON SAME ROAD (MPH UNKNOWN - APPROXIMATED AT 25 MPH) AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO WYMAN ST. IN FRONT OF CAR 1, STRIKING CAR 1 IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE QUARTER PANEL AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENTIRE DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR1 (FRONT AND REAR QUARTER PANELS, DRIVER'S DOOR AND TIRES). I WAS THE OCCUPANT OF CAR 1 AND BECAUSE I WAS NOT WEARING A SET BELT, I WAS THROWN INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND WINDOW, SHATTERING THE WINDOW COMPLETELY WITH MY HEAD AND WAS THEN THROWN INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT AFTER IMPACT. NONE OF THE SIX AIRBAGS IN THE 2002 MINI COOPER S DEPLOYED. AT A MINIMUM, FROM THE ANGLE OF THE ACCIDENT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT AIRBAG AND DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED FROM THE IMPACT. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND SUSTAINED MINOR HEAD INJURIES (MINOR CONCUSSION), MINOR CUTS TO MY HANDS AND BRUISING TO MY LEFT LEG. THE 2002 MINI COOPER S WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIM HAS BEEN FILED WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY (LIBERTY MUTUAL) AND THE DRIVER OF CAR 2'S INSURANCE COMPANY (AMICA MUTUAL) WILL BE NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT IS ON FILE WITH THE WALTHAM POLICE DEPT. IN WALTHAM, MA. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT WILL BE DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, UNTIL THE INSURANCE CLAIM IS PROCESSED. *JB

AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS LIT. WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I HAD THE DEALER (FLOW MINI, WINSTON-SALEM, NC) "RESET" IT ON AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. SERVICE EMPLOYEE TOLD ME THE LIT LIGHT WOULD NOT AFFECT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT/SAFETY. WITHIN DAYS (MILES) OF "RESETTING" IT, THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF WITHOUT TAKING IT TO THE DEALER. *JB

(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE - NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, CAR DRIVEN 40K+ MILES (2) FAILURE & CONSEQUENCE - BOTH BEARINGS IN THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO FAIL. DETAILS NOT EXACTLY AVAILABLE SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT THEM, BUT BEARINGS WOULD GRIND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THESE WOULD NOT IMPACT DRIVING SAFETY, IF NOT, WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE? (3) CORRECTIVE ACTION - DEALER REPLACED BOTH BEARINGS SINCE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (50K MILES). I INQUIRED WITH DEALER IF MINI HAS EITHER IMPROVED THE DESIGN OF THE REPLACEMENT BEARINGS OR IF THE ORIGINAL BEARINGS HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. DEALER STATED THAT NEITHER WAS THE CASE AND THAT IT ISN'T/WOULDN'T BE UNUSUAL FOR STEERING BEARINGS TO FAIL AFTER 40K MILES, WHICH BY TODAY'S STANDARDS IS COMPLETELY FALSE!. *JB

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATIC SUDDENLY STOPPED TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. CAR WAS ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD, ABOUT 4000 MILES ON CAR. I WAS ACTUALLY IN MOTION, AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING! I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. EML AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON ONCE THE CAR STOPPED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN WENT OFF, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS A FLUKE AND NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT (OTHERWISE I ASSUME THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON). THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS EXACTLY THE SAME SCENARIO AS THE FIRST. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MINI IS CALLING THIS "LIMP MODE", BUT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM MINI, OR ANYTHING INDICATING THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DID KNOW, BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ OF OTHERS WHO COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS!! YET MINI APPARENTLY DID NOT NOTIFY DEALERSHIPS, BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE I CALLED HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHICH I DESCRIBED, AND WASN'T GOING TO TAKE ME FOR SERVICE UNTIL 2 WEEKS LATER. I CALLED A SECOND DEALER WHO IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IT WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL. STILL I HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM MINI USA. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND IT WAS FIXED IN AN HOUR--THEY REPROGRAMMED THE DME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM MINI ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM! MAYBE THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY ME BECAUSE I HAD IT TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY, BUT HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, RATHER THAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I COULD BE DEAD NOW! WHY ISN'T MINI NOTIFYING OWNERS WHO PURCHASED THE 2005 AUTOMATICS!! WHY AREN'T THEY ISSUING A RECALL? ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED? *JB