MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10020945June 3, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CRACKED WINDHSIELD ON MINI COOPER S. ONE OF PROBABLY THOUSANDS SUFFERED BY MIN OWNERS OWING TO THE GLASS BEING TOO THIN AND THE WINDSHIELD TOO UPRIGHT. THIS IA A DESIGN AND SAFETY ISSUE. MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED MONDAY APRIL 14. A SMALL STONE MAY HAVE HIT IT, BUT THE CRACK DID NO BEGIN UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. RANDOM CRACKS DUE TO STONES AND ROCKS ARE TO BE EXPECTED FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT THE OCCURRENCE OF CRACKS ON THE MIJI COOPER S IS EPIDEMIC AND WIDELY KNOWN. THE COMPANY DENIES THIS IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE, BUT THE FREQUENCY OF THESE CRACKS, ADMITTED BY THE MINI COOPER DEALER NETWORK, IS WIDELY KNOWN TO BR A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, AND THERE IS NO POLICY TO REMEDY IT, OTHER THAN HAVING THE WINDHSILED REPLACED AT A COST EXCEEDING $600. THESE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE MEANT THAT HUNDRED IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OWNERS ROUTINELY ARE FORCED TO DRIVE THEIR CARS FOR LONG PERIODS WITH CRACKED WINDSHIELDS--A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020983June 3, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
MY MINI COOPER HAS DEVELOPED A HUGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER SAID THE CRACK WAS STARTED BY A CHIP FROM ROAD DEBRIS, HOWEVER CRACKED WINDSHIELDS ARE A WELL KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE MINI. MANY MINI OWNERS HAVE REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELDS 3 OR 4 TIMES. BEFORE I BUY A NEW WINDSHIELD I WOULD LIKE ASSURANCES FROM MINI USA THAT THE REPLACEMENT WON'T PROMPTLY CRACK, AS HAS HAPPENED WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020911June 2, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
MINI COOPER S 2002 HAD A CRACK START AND GROW UNTIL IT SPANNED THE WINDSHIELD. HAD TWO SUBSEQUENT ROCK CHIPS THAT GREW INTO MASSIVE CRACKS. THE WINDOW SEEMS TO CRACK TOO EASILY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020850June 1, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2002 MINI COOPER S DEVELOPED TWO CRACKS IN IT'S WINDSHIELD. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN SEPT OF 2002. THE FIRST CRACK DEVELOPED AFTER OWNING THE CAR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND MINI USA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. NOW A SECOND CRACK HAS DEVELOPED 3 MONTHS LATER. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020738May 30, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MINI COOPER 2003 STOP DEAD AT THE THE INTERSECTION FOR THE THIRD TIME.THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021814May 29, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOT THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE SIDE AIR BAG IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DEPLOY WITH NO REASON. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WERE CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR ACTIVATED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020525May 26, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE WE BROUGHT THE CAR HOME. MINI HAS ATTEMPTED FIX THE PROBLEMS UNSUCCESSFULLY 8 TIMES, CULMINATING WITH THE DEALER GETTING INTO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WHILE TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019159May 23, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I NEED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD ON THE MINI COOPER 2002. ONE WEEK AFTER I GOT MY CAR, I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN A CHIP APPEARED. I NEVER SAW OR HEARD ANYTHING HIT IT. I HAVE SINCE GOTTEN ABOUT 10 CHIPS IN MY WINDSHIELD. EVER SINCE I GOT THE CAR, MY WINDSHIELD HAS CREAKED AND MADE A LOT OF NOISE AS IF IT WERE SHIFTING AROUND. THIS SCARES ME SO MUCH! THEN, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON TO GET ONE CHIP FIXED WHEN THE WINDSHIELD CREAKED LOUDLY AND A CRACK WENT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. I HONESTLY AM AFRAID SOMETIMES THAT MY WINDSHIELD IS GOING TO FLY RIGHT OFF OF MY CAR!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020286May 21, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR LESS THE VEHICLE STALLED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019028May 20, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
STRESS FRACTURE OF WINDSHIELD ABSENT SPECIFIC IMPACT FROM OUTSIDE SOURCE. NUMEROUS POSTS ON INTERNET FORUMS, INCLUDING THE MANUFACTURER SPONSORED MINI OWNER'S SITE REVEAL AN INCREASING NUMBER OF WINDSHIELDS DEVELOPING APPARENT STRESS FRACTURES. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND THAT OF OTHERS IS THAT THE WINDSHIELD OF THE MINI HAS A PROPENSITY TO CRACK UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. DEALERS OFTEN DENY WARRANTY CLAIMS, POINTING TO THE SMALLEST OF IMPERFECTIONS AS "IMPACT SITES" AND PASSING REPLACEMENT COSTS ON TO OWNER'S COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE. THIS, DESPITE NO HISTORY OF SPECIFIC IMPACTS WITH ANY OBJECTS WHILE DRIVING. AGAIN IN MY PARTICULAR CASE, THE FRACTURE APPEARED OVERNIGHT WHILE THE CAR WAS GARAGED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018910May 19, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I OWN A MINI COOPERS 2002. I HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN JANUARY OF 2003. I AM SURE THIS WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY DEALER SAW OTHERWISE. MINI USA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS FLAW IN THEIR DESIGN. MY REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR SUCH A DEFECT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018769May 15, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2002 MINI COOPER S CRACKED WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. IT WAS FINE IN THE MORNING BUT THERE WAS AN 8" CRACK WHEN I HOPPED IN FOR THE DRIVE HOME. I'M GUESSING THE HEAT (90 DEGREES F, WINDOWS UP, SUN REFLECTOR ON DASH) CAUSED A CONTAMINANT WITHIN THE WINDOW TO CAUSE STRESS, WHICH IN TURN BECAME A CRACK. JUDGING FROM THE MINI COOPER MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF WINDSHIELDS CRACKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON, AND MINI USA HAS ISSUED A BULLETIN TO IT'S DEALERS TO WARN THEM OF DEFECTIVE FACTORY WINDSHIELD INSTALLATIONS. [TIS MESSAGE NUMBER: SI M51 02 03 SUBJECT: WINDSHIELD STRESS CRACK SURVEY SITUATION: THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR INSTALLATION OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS IMPROVED IN APRIL 2002, AND THESE IMPROVEMENTS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF STRESS CRACKED WINDSHIELDS.] *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018773May 15, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD CRACK. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS REPORTING SIMILAR CRACKS IN THEIR WINDSHIELDS. MINI HAS STATED THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE GLASS CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION IN PREVIOUS BUILDS AND CURRENTLY HAVE A SURVEY FOR THE DEALERS TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION ON ANY WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENTS CONDUCTED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SURVEY IS EXPLAINED IN THIS BULLETIN SI M 51 02 03. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ONLY INSPECT THOSE WINDSHIELDS THAT DO NOT HAVE EVIDENCE OF STONE DAMAGE. ON THE ATTACHED WEB SITES YOU WILL SEE AN OVER ABUNDANCE OF CRACKED WINDSHIELD POSTS THAT THE DEALERS ARE CALLING STONE DAMAGE RELATED. THEREBY INSURING THAT THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR DATA AND ALSO THAT THEY ARE NOT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE NO CHIPS BUT A LARGE NUMBER OF MARKS FROM DEBRIS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. I CALL THEM STRIKE MARKS. THE EASIEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE DAMAGE IS THAT IT IS SIMILAR TO A GLASS ETCHING PROCEDURE. THE LOCATION WHERE THE DEBRIS HAS STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD IS SLIGHTLY DISCOLORED, YET NO GLASS IS MISSING. IN MY OPINION THIS IS THE RESULT OF TWO ITEMS: THE WINDSHIELD IS VERY STEEP AND THE GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELD IS SUBSTANDARD; TOO SOFT AND TOO THIN. MINI USES THEIR WINDSHIELD AS A STRUCTURAL MEMBER IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE IT IS UNDER CONSTANT STRESS. I DO NOT THINK THESE STRIKE MARKS ARE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE A STRESS CRACK PER SE, BUT IF THAT WERE SO (AS MINI ARGUES), THEN MY RESPONSE IS: THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT JUST TOO SOFT, IT IS TOO WEAK. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF STRIKE MARKS ON A WINDSHIELD IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT A CRACK THAT MIGHT APPEAR FOR REASONS UNRELATED TO CHIPPING WILL EITHER CROSS A STRIKE MARK, OR WILL RUN ACROSS THE NEAREST STRIKE MARK. THESE STRIKE MARKS ARE A WEAKENED AREA AND WILL ATTRACT A CRACK. *JB THE FOLLOWING URLS ARE PROVIDED FOR YOUR ATTENTION: HTTP://MINICOOPERONLINE.COM HTTP://WWW.MINI2.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=21475 HTTPS://OL.MINIUSA.COM/OEMAINLOGIN.ASP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10017590April 25, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THERE WERE TWO CHIPS AND A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10016317April 22, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 MINI COOPER CVT. VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. BOGGS DOWN, LUNGES UPON ACCELERATION. POWER FAILURE. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON DASH WARN OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR SAME PROBLEMS. BOGGS DOWN AND LUNGES CORRECTED BY REPROGRAMMING ON FIRST SERVICE. AFTER FIRST SERVICE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN IN TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. RETURNED TO SERVICE DEPT. WHO WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE STALLING AFTER 400 MILES OF TEST DRIVING IT. CONTACTED MINI DIVISION OF BMW OF AMERICA. THEY SENT TECHNICAL SPECIALIST WHO CHECKED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NO APPARENT CAUSE. MINI REPRESENTATIVE IS CURRENTLY HAVING ELECTRICAL HARNESS REPLACED. VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE FOR 6 WEEKS AND COUNTING. MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10017183April 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLES REAR HATCH IS ELECTRONIC AND IF THE VEHICLES BATTERY DIED THERE WOULD BE NOT WAY TO INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10013797April 1, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WILDLY STUMBLES WHILE AUTO IS STOPPED. IT IS INTERMITTENT THERE IS ON CONSISTENCY TO THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012055March 19, 2003
AIR BAGS
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012057March 19, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE HEAD LIGHT FAILED TWICE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE AND THEN THE COMPUTER CHIP. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012071March 19, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN EXAMINED BY THE DEALER TWICE, HOWEVER THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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