MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10490161December 26, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON PARKWAY. ENGINE MADE CLUNK AND LOST POWER. PULLED CAR ONTO SHOULDER AND STARTED WITH WHITE SMOKE UNDER HOOD, PROGRESSING TO BLACK SMOKE AND FLAME. EXITED CAR AT FIRST SIGN OF SMOKE. CAR BURNED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, MOVED INTO CABIN. FINAL DAMAGE WAS A TOTAL. FRONT END OF CAR IS COMPLETELY BURNED. FIRE IN CABIN MELTED DASHBOARD, MOVED ACROSS AND MELTED CEILING, AND MELTED FRONT WINDSHIELD. TOOK PICTURES OF FINAL DAMAGES AT GARAGE FOLLOWING INCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489584December 23, 2012
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR LIGHTS STAY ON AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED OR NOT. SEAT MAT SENSOR DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS FULLY AWARE OF. REPAIR COST IS IN EXCESS OF $1,300 FOR A VERY SIMPLE PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489498December 21, 2012
STEERING
POWERSTEERING UNIT FAILS AND STEERING BECOMES UNREPONSIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489722December 19, 2012
POWER TRAIN
2006 MINI-COOPER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, BUT THEY DID STATE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO GET ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO PAY 1/2 OF THE COST ON THE BILL, WHICH TOTALED $8,000. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489309December 19, 2012
ENGINE
MINI COOPERS YEARS 2008 AND 2009 HAVE A ISSUE WHICH I BELIEVE IS KNOWN BY MINI USA, BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO INITIATE A VOLUNTARY RECALL. THESE VEHICLES HAVE A TIMING CHAIN THAT CAN PREMATURELY FAIL (IN MY CASE AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES). IF THE TIMING CHAIN FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SLOWLY COME TO A FULL STOP. IN THE EVENT THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN IN A HIGHWAY, THIS STOP COULD CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT THAT POTENTIALLY CAN INVOLVE MANY VEHICLES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE, BECAUSE MOST MINI OWNERS WOULD NOT EXPECT A TIMING CHAIN TO FAIL SO PREMATURELY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489014December 17, 2012
ENGINE
HAD CAR IN DEALER SHOP FOR REPAIR OF FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER/GUIDE (SEE SEPARATE COMPLAINT). WAS TOLD ALSO HAD A LEAK IN TURBOCHARGE OIL INLET LINE THAT WILL COST OVER $1,000 OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR. THIS IS CLEARLY A COMMONLY REPORTED ISSUE AND A FIRE SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489017December 17, 2012
ENGINE
LOUD RATTLE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON COLD START UP. LOSS OF POWER ON ACCELERATION. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN GUIDES WITH REPAIR COST OF $2,300. HAVE PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO REPAIR IS COVERED. HOWEVER, THIS IS A HIGHLY REPORTED ISSUE AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED ENGINES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10489057December 17, 2012
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG WARNING LAMP TURNS ON AND REMAINS ON RANDOMLY. DIAGNOSTIC INDICATES PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS USED INFREQUENTLY AND LOOKS LIKE NEW. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN EITHER THE AIR BAG FAILING TO DEPLOY OR DEPLOYING WITH TOO GREAT OF FORCE. THE COST OF REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE AND YET THE ISSUE MAKES THE VEHICLE ALMOST UN SALEABLIMPOSSIBLE TO SELL WITHOUT THE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488666December 13, 2012
ENGINE
DRIVING VEHICLE HEARD SOME ENGINE NOISE AND OBSERVED RED OIL INDICATOR CAME ON. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED OIL LEVEL, APPEARED TO BE LOW.. I IMMEDIATELY PUT IN TWO QUARTS OF OIL ONLY TO SEE IT ALL SEEP OUT AND THROUGH BOTH FRONT WHEEL WELLS. APPEARED TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488695December 13, 2012
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER AIRBAG, FRONT SEAT, SENSOR HAS A FAULT OR SHORT IN IT. INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE ADULT PASSENGER IS IN SEAT, THE WARNING LIGHT TURNS ON, AND PASSENGER AIRBAG "OFF" WARNING LIGHT COMES ON--THUS SHUTTING OFF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. THIS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2005 AND 2006 MINI COOPERS AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IN THIS PAST MONTH THE FREQUENCY HAS INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 99% WHERE THE PASSENGER HAS NO SAFETY PROTECTION AS AIR BAG IS SHUT OFF. TO DATE MINI IS NOT WARRANTYING THIS DEFECT AND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I THINK A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED ASAP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488700December 13, 2012
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT ON CENTER DISPLAY AS WELL AS YELLOW AIRBAG OFF LIGHT ON OVERHEAD CONSOLE INTERMITTENTLY APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON. MINI WANT OVER $1500 TO REPLACE A SEAT BOTTOM PAD SENSOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488703December 13, 2012
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STARTED VEHICLE IN THE MORNING OF 11/14/2012. THE SHIFT INDICATOR ON THE DASH SHOWS EP MODE INSTEAD OF D,R,N,ETC. THE CAR SEEMED TO DRIVE FINE BUT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SHIFTER ELECTRONICS. THE CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHAT DRIVE MODE IS IN. PUTTING THE AUTO MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTO SPORTS MODE DOES NOT CHANGE THE SHIFT INDICATOR ON THE DASH. IN SPORTS MODES IT STILL SHOWED EP. IN EP MODE THE CAR DOES NOT REV BEYOND 3000RPM AND DRIVES ROUGH AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. THIS MAY BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT WITH A TRANSMISSION SENSOR, OR THE SHIFTER ELECTRONICS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488125December 12, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
I PARKED MY CAR IN A PARKING GARAGE AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES. I WALKED TO A DENTIST DOWN THE STREET FOR AN APPOINTMENT. WHILE AT THE DENTIST I GET A CALL THAT WENT TO MY VOICEMAIL THAT MY CAR (WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF) WAS ON FIRE AND WAS FILLING THE PARKING GARAGE WITH SMOKE. UPON RECEIVING THE MESSAGE I RUSHED HOME TO FIND THAT THE FIRE WAS ALREADY OUT, BUT THE SMELL OF SMOKE WAS STILL VERY STRONG. I NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE INDICATING LIGHTS OF THE CAR WERE ON AS IF THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND INSPECTED THE CAR TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE FLAMES HAD COME FROM BEHIND AND SLIGHTLY BELOW THE MOTOR. THERE WAS A METAL SHIELD THAT WAS BLACKENED BY THE FLAMES THAT I COULD NOT SEE AROUND SO I JACKED UP THE CAR AND REMOVED THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TO FURTHER INSPECT THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. AFTER DOING SO I COULD THEN CLEARLY SEE THAT THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP DUE TO THE SURROUNDING BURN MARKS. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAS YET TO BE ASSESSED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THEY TOWED THE CAR AND ARE INSPECTING THE CAR ON DEC 13, 2012. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10488052December 11, 2012
ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS BIG DECLINE IN PERFORMANCE. ALSO, THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MAKING A RATTLING SOUND LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. THE CAR JUST EXCEEDED ITS 50,000K MILE WARRANTY, OF COURSE. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. GOT A CALL TODAY SAYING THAT MY TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF ABOUT $2700! ALSO, THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A TUNE OF ABOUT $1300. I SPOKE WITH THE TECHNICIAN AND HE TELLS ME THAT HE SEES THESE PROBLEMS IN BMW/MINI ALL TOO FREQUENTLY ON VEHICLES WITH LOW MILEAGE. HE SAYS MINI KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT SO MINI DOESN'T EVEN MAKE THAT MODEL OF TIMING BELT ANYMORE. HE SAID THEY ALSO KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OIL SUPPLY LINE TO THE TURBO BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST WHICH COOKS THE OIL AND CLOGS THE LINE WHICH EVENTUALLY LEADS TO OIL STARVATION FOR THE TURBO. MINI RECOMMENDS OIL CHANGES AT 15,000 MILE INTERVALS WHICH COULD ALSO BE AN ISSUE BUT I'VE READ ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 5,000 MILES AND STILL HAD PROBLEMS. MINI HAS RECALLED THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP ONLY BECAUSE IT BECAME A SAFETY ISSUE. MY CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH A $5500 BILL FOR REPAIRS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487821December 10, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SON RETURNED FROM TOWN, A 10 MINUTE DRIVE, PARKED CAR IN GARAGE. NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE COMING FROM THE CAR. OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SMELL OF FIRE WAS OVERWHELMING. TOP OF STEERING FLUID PUMP APPEARED TO BE CHARRED. FAMILY AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR TO DEALER, SOME 35 MILES AWAY. AFTER STARTING CAR, ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL RETURNS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487911December 10, 2012
STEERING
ONE NIGHT I'M DRIVING JUST NORMALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, EVERYTHING WAS FINE, NO SIGNS OF ANY OTHER PARTS INCLUDED AND OUT OF NOWHERE MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487516December 6, 2012
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SIDE "AIR BAG" OFF LIGHT IS ON ALL OF THE TIME AND THUS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT BE DEPLOYED IN AN COLLISION. HAVE HAD SENSOR WORKED ON, SYSTEM FLASHED BY BMW, ETC TO RESOLVE ISSUE. BMW UNABLE TO RESOLVE WITHOUT EXTENSIVE COST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487581December 6, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING HAS FAILED ON 2004 MINI COPPER TWICE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IN 1.75 YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN ESPECIALLY AS A CITY DRIVER WHERE THE NEED EXISTS TO PARALLEL PARK, PARK IN PARKING DECKS, AND DRIVING AND TURNING ON NARROW STREETS WITH TRAFFIC. THERE IS NOT ALWAYS THE OPTION TO MAKE A WIDE TURN. MODEL YEARS 04 AND 05 HAVE THIS ISSUE AND MINI HAS NOT ADDRESSED. IN ADDITION THEY HAVE NOT MADE IT AN AFFORDABLE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487595December 6, 2012
ENGINE
AS WITH ALOT OF OTHER MINI COOPER S MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, MY TIMING CHAIN STARTED TO RATTLE, THE DEALER REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE, THE WATER PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AND THE LIST COULD CONTINUE. NOW THE CAR HAS 98,234 MILES ON IT AND IT IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH A BLOWN MOTOR FROM BAD #3 CYLINDER, LEAKING HEAD GASKET, AND VALVE ISSUES. THIS CAR HAS SEVERAL DESIGN FLAWS THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT OWN UP TO. FOR A CAR WITH A PRICE TAG OF OVER $32, 000 MADE FROM BMW, YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT ANY OF THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10487270December 4, 2012
STEERING
ON MY DRIVE TO WORK ON THE THIRD OF DECEMBER THE STEERING ASSIST WENT OUT WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND TRYING TO EXIT ONTO AN OFF-RAMP. THE TURN WAS VERY SHARP AND I NEARLY DIDN'T MAKE IT. THANK GOODNESS IT WAS A SLOW TIME IN THE DAY FOR IF IT WASN'T I MAY HAVE HIT SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY ISSUE AND HAVING READ THAT THIS COMPLAINT IS BECOMING WIDE SPREAD I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANYONE GET HURT. THE STEERING IS STILL AN ISSUE AND I MADE SURE TO TAKE PRECAUTION ON MY DRIVE HOME NOT TO TAKE ANY ROUTE THAT WOULD PRODUCE A SHARP TURN IN FEAR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT QUICK ENOUGH. THE STEERING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, AND I STRESS EXTREMELY AS IF YOU ARE WORKING AGAINST THE CAR TO TRY TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE AND THE CAR WILL NOT TAKE SHARP CORNERS AS IT ONCE DID, BUT RATHER MUST TAKE LONG SHALLOW TURNS, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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