MINI Complaints

"2003 MINI COOPER S AUTOMOBILE EXPERIENCES A NOTICEABLE AND SIGNIFICANT STUMBLE WHEN ENGAGING FIRST GEAR AND ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE STUMBLE IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A STALL CONDITION AND RESULTS IN UNRELIABLE THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE AT HIGHER RPM ENGAGEMENTS, IN HOTTER WEATHER, AND WITH THE AC ENGAGED. THE STUMBLE FEELS LIKE A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER AND THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, POWER IS RETURNED TO THE WHEELS. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ENGAGEMENT BUT IS CONSIDERABLY WORSE ON THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITH THE ENGINE OFF. THE PROBLEM IS LESS SEVERE WHEN TURNING THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE ENGAGING FIRST GEAR. THIS ISSUE RENDERS THE THROTTLE RESPONSE UNRELIABLE AND CAN STALL THE AUTOMOBILE AT UNEXPECTED TIMES. NO CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS TIME BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A REAR-END COLLISION DUE TO A STALL OR A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION DUE TO STALLING WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION IS PRESENT. ADDITIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO ENGINE MANAGEMENT AND THROTTLE RESPONSE OCCUR IN THE SAME AUTOMOBILE HAVE OCCURRED BUT THESE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT AND DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE. IN GENERAL, THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS SEEM TO OCCUR IN ON TEMPERATURE DAYS WITH AC ENGAGED AND INCLUDE A FULL LOSS OF POWER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHILE ENGAGING FIRST GEAR AND A NOTICEABLE SURGING DURING ACCELERATION AS IS THE DRIVER WAS PRESSING AND RELEASING THE GAS." I AM EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD ONLY LIKE TO ADD THAT A CAR HAD TO MOVE INTO THE MEDIAN BECAUSE MY MINI LOST POWER WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY. *JB

MY MINI COOPER JULY 2003 BUILD HAS WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS EITHER A "STUMBLE" OR A "HICCUP". BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY CUTS OUT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, CAUSING A PAUSE AND THAN RESUMIING WITH A JOLT. THIS PROBLEM IS BEING COMPLAINED ABOUT BY NUMEROUS MINI OWNERS FOR OVER 1 YEAR (SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SUBJECT AT HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERONLINE.COM/MOD...OPIC&TOPIC=9951 AND ALSO AT MINI2.COM YET THE MINI DEALERS CLAIM IGNORANCE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OR SAY THEY HAVE HEARD OF A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THE S BUT NOT ON THE COOPER. SOME MINI USA REPS (1-866-ASK-MINI) ADMIT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON BOTH THE COOPER AND THE COOPER S. OTHES CLAIM IGNORANCE. THEY GIVE PEOPLE DIFFERENT RESPONSES, BUT GENERALLY WHEN THEY DO ADMIT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THEY ALSO SAY THAT "ENGINEERING IS COLLECTING COMPLAINTS" OR "THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX" BUT THEY OFFER NO PROJECTED FIX DATE AT ALL. THEY DO TAKE SOME PEOPLE'S VIN NUMBER WHEN FILING THE COMPLAINT, BUT SAY THEY HAVE NO SYSTEM OF LETTING YOU KNOW IF OR WHEN A FIX IS TO BE EXPECTED. WE MINI OWNERS ARE FRUSTRATED OVER THIS ONGOING, ANNOYING, AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL DEFECT. MINI SHOULD BE PUT TO THE TASK OF REPAIRING THIS ISSUE OR TO STOP SELLING THE CAR PERIOD. THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THEY ARE SELLING CARS WHICH HAS THIS DEFECT WTIH NO FIX. THEY ARE STEALING (MISREPRESENTATION) AND ENDANGERING THE PUBLIC.

PURCHASED NEW VEHICLE (DELIVERY DATE BELOW). VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS LURCH AND POWER LOSS IN 1ST GEAR, PARTICULARY W/ AC RUNNING. THIS POSES SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK AS NORMAL ACCELERATION IS NOT AVAILABLE. MAUFACTURER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED PROBEM STATING IT IS IN THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE--CLAIMS NO FIX TO DATE DESPITE REPEATED COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR FIX.*AK

2003 MINI COOPER S. THERE IS A "STUMBLE" WHEN STARTING OFF IN FIRST GEAR. THE CAR SEEMS TO LOSE POWER AND LURCH MOMENTARILY. NO COMBINATION OF CLUTCH AND GAS PEDAL MOTION SEEMS TO FIX THIS. ISSUE HAS BEEN HEAVILY DOCUMENTED AND DISCUSSED ON MINI ENTHUSIAST FORUMS, SO IT IS NOT A DRIVER CLUTCH-USER ERROR. *JB

NEW MINI COOPER S AUTOMOBILE (PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 2003) EXPERIENCES A NOTICEABLE AND SIGNIFICANT STUMBLE WHEN ENGAGING FIRST GEAR AND ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE STUMBLE IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A STALL CONDITION AND RESULTS IN UNRELIABLE THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE AT HIGHER RPM ENGAGEMENTS, IN HOTTER WEATHER, AND WITH THE AC ENGAGED. THE STUMBLE FEELS LIKE A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER AND THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, POWER IS RETURNED TO THE WHEELS. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ENGAGEMENT BUT IS CONSIDERABLY WORSE ON THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITH THE ENGINE OFF. THE PROBLEM IS LESS SEVERE WHEN TURNING THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE ENGAGING FIRST GEAR. THIS ISSUE RENDERS THE THROTTLE RESPONSE UNRELIABLE AND CAN STALL THE AUTOMOBILE AT UNEXPECTED TIMES. NO CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS TIME BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A REAR-END COLLISION DUE TO A STALL OR A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION DUE TO STALLING WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION IS PRESENT. ADDITIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO ENGINE MANAGEMENT AND THROTTLE RESPONSE OCCUR IN THE SAME AUTOMOBILE HAVE OCCURRED BUT THESE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT AND DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE. IN GENERAL, THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS SEEM TO OCCUR IN ON TEMPERATURE DAYS WITH AC ENGAGED AND INCLUDE A FULL LOSS OF POWER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHILE ENGAGING FIRST GEAR AND A NOTICEABLE SURGING DURING ACCELERATION AS IS THE DRIVER WAS PRESSING AND RELEASING THE GAS. *JB

WINDSHIELD BULLSEYE PRODUCED BY VERY INSIGNIFICANT STONE FROM ROADWAY. WAS SHOCKED TO SEE DAMAGE RESULT FROM SUCH A MINOR IMPACT. APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS.*AK

MY 2003 MINI COOPER S STUMBLES AND BOGS DOWN WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR. WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD START AND LETTING CLUTCH OUT, THE CARS POWER CUTS OFF FOR A MOMENT AND THEN CUTS BACK IN. THIS WAS NOT A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR PRIOR TO MY DEALER UPGRADING THE SOFTWARE FOR THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. I'VE CONTACTED MINI USA (AKA BMW) AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NO FIX FOR IT. I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR HESITATES BADLY.*AK

WINDSHIELDS ARE FAILING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ON MINI COOPER AUTOMOBILES. I AM CURRENTLY ON MY 3RD WINDSHIELD IN AS MANY MONTHS - STRESS CRACKS APPEARED FROM THE ROOF PILLARS IN BOTH CASES. WE NEED A RESOLUTION TO THIS - EITHER BETTER GLASS OR STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS.*AK

INTERMITTENT COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER FOR 2-3 SECONDS WHEN STARTING FROM STANDSTILL.OCCURS UNDER VARIOUS CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND EITHER WITH COLD OR WARM ENGINE.EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE STREET OR INTERSECTION.*AK

MY 2002 MINI COOPER S HAS SOME ENGINE MANAGEMENT ISSUES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS IN TRAFFIC SITUATIONS THAT I FEEL ARE UNSAFE, AND HAVE YET TO BE RESOLVED OR DEFINITELY ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE MOST SEVERE ISSUE IS A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER ACCELERATION ON CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT. LOSS OF POWER IS USUALLY IN 1ST GEAR AN CAN LAST SEVERAL SECONDS. I BELEIVE THIS TO BE A PROBLEM NOT UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE.*AK