MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10467771July 26, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHICH HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,916 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,960.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467773July 26, 2012
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE
MY WIFE AND I LIVE IN MUNICH, GERMANY, WHERE SHE WORKS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT. LAST WEDNESDAY, WHILE ON THE AUTOBAHN OUR CAR BEGAN TO MAKE SOUNDS AS IF IT WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE OR THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF FLUID BEING SPLASHED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. BECAUSE IT WAS A SUNNY DAY, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND I WAS PREPARING TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SOUND. BEFORE I COULD DO SO HOWEVER, I HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND SUDDENLY THE CAR BECAME FLOODED WITH A THICK WHITE/GRAY SMOKE FROM THE VENTS AND DASH. I PULLED OVER AS QUICKLY AS I COULD AND BY THE TIME I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, THE ENTIRE HOOD AND INSIDE CABIN WAS ENGULFED IN SMOKE. RATHER THAN POP THE HOOD, I FIRST RAN TO THE TRUNK AND GRABBED A REFLECTOR (WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW HERE) AND RAN 20-25 FEET BEHIND THE CAR TO PLACE IT ON THE GROUND, TO WARN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO SOONER HAD I DONE THIS, WHEN I HEAD AN EXPLOSION, QUICKLY TURNED AROUND AND SAW THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF OF THE MINI WAS NOW ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I COULD DO NOTHING BUT SIT AND WATCH, AS WITHIN MOMENTS THE FIRE HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE CAR AND SOON BECAME AN COMPLETE FIREBALL. GERMAN POLICE AND FIRE OFFICIALS SHOWED UP 15-20 MINUTES LATER AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS A CHARRED FRAME OF METAL. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT PHYSICALLY HURT BY THE EXPLOSION OR THE FIRE. HOWEVER, MENTALLY I HAVE REPLAYED THE EXPERIENCE A HUNDRED TIMES AND EACH TIME I ASK MYSELF, WHAT IF I HAD POPPED THE HOOD FIRST, OR WHAT IF I HAD TAKEN EVEN AN EXTRA 30 SECONDS IN PULLING THE CAR OVER? THINKING ABOUT IT JUST MAKES MY BLOOD RUN COLD AND FEELS ME WITH DREAD. WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN '08 IN VIRGINIA AND NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IT AND IT WAS EVEN IN THE SHOP EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHERE THE FLUIDS WERE ALL TOPPED OFF AND EVERYTHING WAS TOLD TO BE IN EXCELLENT RUNNING CONDITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467811July 26, 2012
STEERING
FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSING A LOSS OF COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 80,000+ INCIDENTS REPORTED WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. THE PUMP HAS SINCE BEEN RE-MANUFACTURED TO FIX THE ISSUES BUT MINI OF NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE SERIOUS SAFETY ASPECT OF THEIR FAILING PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467629July 25, 2012
STEERING
I RETURNED HOME AFTER DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND A MOTOR KEPT RUNNING. I RESTARTED THE CAR TO SEE IF A ELECTRICAL FAN HAD KEPT RUNNING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AGAIN, BUT THE NOISE OF A FAN OR PUMP WAS STILL HEARD. I LOOKED FOR A FUSE TO REMOVE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE ONE THAT STOPPED THE NOISE. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, SO THE WIRING WOULD NOT OVERHEAT. I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND THE NOISE STILL PERSISTED. I CALLED THE DEALER FERMIN MINI OF TAMPA BAY TO ASK WHAT THE NOISE COULD BE. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT STEERING PUMP AND FAN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467734July 25, 2012
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER THAT HAD NINE MONTH OLD PIRELLI EUFORI RUN FLAT TIRES ON ALL FOUR WHEEL THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. I USED THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL MONTHS AND NOTICED ABNORMAL HANDLING ON THE VEHIICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TIRE STORE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAS SPLIT DOWN THE CENTER GROOVE OF EACH TIRE (PHOTOS AVAILABLE). ON THE MOST BADLY DAMAGED TIRE, THE STEEL BELT WAS VISIBLE AND HAD NEARLY WORN THROUGH THE STEEL BELT. THE STORE MANAGER WARNED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE EXISTING SET OF TIRES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467218July 24, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP, SPEEDS DROPS TO MAXIMUM 30MPH CREATING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. FIRST OCCURRENCE MARCH 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "THROTTLE BODY", SECOND OCCURRENCE IN JULY 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "WIRING HARNESS". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467234July 24, 2012
AIR BAGS
THE SRS DETECTOR MAT FOR TURNING OFF THE AIRBAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN UNDERWEIGHT OCCUPANT IS EASILY BROKEN. WHEN BROKEN, SENSORS DISABLE THE AIRBAGS. THIS PART IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND I CAN NOT AFFORD IT ON A FIXED INCOME ($1600). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE MAT HAS ISSUES: 1) VERY PRONE TO FAILURE AND 2) INTEGRATED INTO THE SEAT CUSHION SO IT CAN NOT BE REPLACED ITSELF, IT MUST HAVE THE SEAT CUSHION REPLACED ALSO. MY MODEL IS A SPECIAL EDITION AND THERE ARE NO PARTS IN THE USA. 11 IN GERMANY AT A VERY HIGH PRICE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466979July 23, 2012
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EARLIER IN THE DAY I TOOK THE CAR ON A DAY TRIP TO LAKE TAHOE DRIVING A COMBINATION OF INTERSTATE AND MOUNTAIN PASS ROAD. 3 HOURS LATER, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO RUN AN ERRAND AND CAME HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED. 10-15 MINUTES LATER WE HEAR THE CAR ALARM GOING OFF. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS HIGH PITCHED WINING ALSO. WHEN I OPENED UP THE DOOR THE PUT IN NEUTRAL, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANELS WERE ALL ON WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION. OPENED THE GARAGE AND MOVED THE CAR TO THE DRIVEWAY AND AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I USED AN EXTINGUISHER UNDERNEATH WHERE ORANGE GLOW WAS VISIBLE. THE GLOW OF THE FLAMES WERE TOWARD THE BACK PART OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LOW. SAW NO VISIBLE FLAMES IN THE MAIN COMPARTMENT WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED OPEN WHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THEY USED A GARDEN HOSE TO COOL ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SUGGESTED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY WHICH I DID. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MINI DEALER IN RENO, NV. *TR UPDATED 8/8/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS THAT SEEMED TO HAVE CAUSED AND WERE DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT WERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING COOLING FAN, AND ELECTRICAL HARNESS ALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2005 MINI COOPER S. UPDATED 08/14/2012 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467037July 23, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING RACK, POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE FAN MIGHT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467129July 23, 2012
POWER TRAIN, STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CHATTERING NOISE AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS A MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND COOLING FAN WOULD HAVE TO ALSO BE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467166July 23, 2012
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MINI COOPER DRIVERS AROUND THE U.S. AND WORLD HAVE BEEN REPORTING A STRANGE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 2007+ MINI COOPER. FROM THE MISC DEALER REPAIR DETAILS IT APPEARS TO BE A ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM. IT ALSO APPEARS THE WITHOUT BEING FIXED THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AND POSSIBLE MOTOR DESTRUCTION. ON A GOOD NOTE BMW/MINI KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS HOWEVER IS FAILING TO COME UP WITH OR ACKNOWLEDGE A PERMANENT SOLUTION. HOW MANY CUSTOMERS ISSUES WILL IT TAKE BEFORE BMW/MINI WILL ISSUE A FULL RECALL? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466889July 21, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILED. CAR IS RACK AND PINION STEERING AND CAN BE DRIVEN WITHOUT THE PUMP BUT HAD I BEEN GOING AROUND A CURVE WHEN IT FAILED, THE INCREASED WHEEL EFFORT REQUIRED COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466897July 21, 2012
SEATS, AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AFTER ENGINE START ALONG WITH THE RED AIR BAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT. DOESN'T MATTER IF SEAT OCCUPIED OR NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO DISABLING AIR BAG. MINI DEALERS DENY THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR DESIGN PROBLEM YET THERE ARE OVER 40 COMPLAINTS ON THIS FORUM. REPAIR COSTS ARE SUBSTANTIAL TO REPLACE BOTTOM SEAT CUSHION. A MODIFICATION KIT OR RETROFIT TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SEAT MAT IS NEEDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466906July 21, 2012
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER AND WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT AND ENTER A SHOPPING CENTER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REALLY HARD, THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I FELT VERY UNSECURE AND IN DANGER. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTO PARTS SHOP AND CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS OK. I TURNED THE ENGINE ON AND DROVE AWAY AND THE POWER STEERING WHEEL WAS OK. 3 DAYS LATER I NOTICED A BUZZING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE, IT WOULD NOT STOP EVEN WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVED THE KEYS. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. I AM RELUCTANT TO ENTER THE FREEWAY, I FEEL THE CAR MIGHT FAIL AND I CAN GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466776July 20, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING PUMP IS WHINING AND ACCORDING TO DEALER IS GOING TO FAIL AT ANYTIME. UNFORTUNATELY THIS UNIT DOES NOT FAIL IN THE DRIVEWAY IT FAILS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HOPEFULLY I WILL BE DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS AS MY WIFE WILL NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND ALL OF US MINI DRIVERS IN THE US ARE WONDERING WHY WE DON'T HAVE A RECALL HERE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10467321July 19, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2010 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH TIMING CHAIN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ONE WEEK AFTER BEING SERVICED. THE FIRST NOTICEABLE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A LEAK. IT WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING A SEAL. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE WATER PUMP, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED, THE COMPUTER NOTED MISFIRE FAULTS AND IT WAS AT THAT POINT, THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED AND ALL ITS RELATED PARTS. THE TECHNICIAN NOTED CARBON BUILD-UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAN STAYS ON MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466675July 19, 2012
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
DEFECTIVE CVT TRANSMISSION! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WAS NO FAULT OF OURS THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT DUE TO THE WAY THIS TRANSMISSION WAS DESIGNED!!!!!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466500July 18, 2012
AIR BAGS
OUR 2006 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK'S PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR STAYS ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER. SOMETIMES WITH A PASSENGER, IT WILL GO ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. IF THE LIGHT IS ON WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IT WOULD BE LOGICAL TO ASSUME THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE-SPREAD AND DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10466513July 18, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INTERMITTENTLY AND RARELY, WHEN THE CAR FIRST STARTS, THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL, AND THERE IS NO APPARENT EFFECT ON THE WHEELS OF THE CAR. EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, I HAVE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED. RESTARTING THE IGNITION HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO REGAIN THE POWER STEERING. AFTER THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN 5 AND 10 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR, I REALIZED IT WAS A PATTERN AND DECIDED TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. I ALSO REALIZED THAT THE LOUDER-THAN-ORDINARY STEERING FAN NOISE MIGHT BE ANOTHER SYMPTOM OF PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. IN MID-SEPTEMBER 2011, THE CAR BATTERY DIED. THE STEERING FAN WAS VERY LOUD. I NOW WONDER IF THE BATTERY FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE STEERING FAN, ALTHOUGH NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP COMMENTED ON THE VERY LOUD FAN THAT WAS EXTREMELY NOTICEABLE WHEN THEY RESTARTED THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10465972July 17, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, AFTER 3+ HOURS OF DRIVING. AFTER COOLING DOWN FOR AN HOUR, POWER STEERING CAME BACK, BUT ONLY LASTED 5 MIN., AND WAS OUT FOR ANOTHER DAY. COMES AND GOES, DEPENDING ON HOW HOT THE WEATHER/ENGINE IS, BUT STAYS OUT LONGER AND ONLY WORKS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME NOW. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY AS CANADA HAS SOON! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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