MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10464484July 6, 2012
ENGINE
I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY 07' MINI COOPER S ENGINE'S TIMING CHAIN SINCE 2010. THE TENSIONER BRACKETS FOR THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAME WITH MY 07 MINI ARE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND BREAK EASILY, CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO SLIP AND DAMAGE MY ENGINE. IT HAS CURRENTLY COST ME 1500 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE REPAIR CAN ONLY BE A TEMPORARY FIX BECAUSE THE BRACKETS WERE SIMPLY REPLACED WITH THE SAME PLASTIC BRACKETS THAT BROKE PREVIOUSLY. I AM SIMPLY AWAITING THE DAY THEY BREAK AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE, AS I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS VERY SAME ISSUE ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND BMW NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEFECTED ENGINES. I SUGGEST A RECALL BE PLACED ON THE 07 - 10 MINI COOPERS, COOPER S, AND CONVERTIBLES, FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE TENSIONER BRACKETS FOR THE TIMING CHAIN BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF NOT DESTROY THE ENGINE COMPLETELY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464224July 5, 2012
STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
INTERMEDIATE POWER STEERING FAILURE , RAN OFF THE ROAD HIT A FENCE TO AVOID ON COMING CAR,THANK GOD I WAS NOT HURT ,WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, AFTER 8 HRS AT WORK GOT IN IT STEERING WAS WORKIN ALMOST TO MY DRIVE WENT OUT AGAIN NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN BUT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN LATELY COME DRIVE IT WILL SCARE YOUR PANTS OFF. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464225July 5, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ALL BULBS ARE GOOD BUT YET I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ARE TURNING SIGNALS TOP BRAKE LIGHT IS ALL I HAVE WHEN I TURN ON SIGNALS WINDOWS GO DOWN SUNROOF OPENS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464258July 5, 2012
STRUCTURE:BODY
HINGE ON REAR HATCH BEGAN BENDING UNTIL DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE AT ALL. FINALLY, THE HINGE FRACTURED AND THE WHOLE DOOR NEARLY FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE CONDITION BECAUSE THE HATCH WAS NOW HANGING OVER THE REAR BUMPER BY ONLY ONE HINGE. THESE EVENTS OCCURRED OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS AND WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464314July 5, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING HAS BEEN GOING IN AND OUT FOR 3 YEARS, GETTING WORSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464359July 5, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING IS LOSS IS RANDOM, ONCE STEERING IS LOST AFTER TURNING OFF AND CAR COOLS IT WORKS AGAIN. LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE UNIT'S DESIGN. HESITANT TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $800 (IN PARTS) TO REPLACE WHEN IT MAY NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND ISSUE RECALL DUE TO TREMENDOUS COMPLAINTS ON SIMILAR FAILURES AND NOT SOLUTION IS AVAILABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464185July 4, 2012
STEERING
I SLOWED DOWN FROM APPROXIMATELY 40MPH TO 35MPH AS I ENTERED A SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT FROM THE MAIN STREET WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP OR SHUT OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO A SAFE STOP BARELY MISSING PARKED CARS. SIMILAR SITUATIONS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND SPORADICALLY WITH NO RECOGNIZABLE PATTERN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. I MENTIONED THE STEERING LOSS AT THE SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SITUATIONS. THE MINI SERVICE AT THE DEALER NEVER MENTIONED ANY PROBLEMS TO ME SO I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST AN ELECTRONIC GLITCH. MOST RECENTLY THE BATTERY WAS RUN DOWN AND WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE. WHILE PURCHASING A NEW BATTERY THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS STUCK OR STAYING ON AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF THUS RUNNING DOWN THE NEW BATTERY. WHEN I RESEARCHED THE PRICE OF A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP ONLINE I FOUND SITES WITH COMPLAINTS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR, IF NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE PROBLEMS I HAD EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST WITH STEERING POWER LOSS. THE MINI DEALER THAT INSTALLED THE NEW POWER STEERING PUMP WAS NOT WILLING TO OBLIGE ME DUE TO MY MINI BEING 8,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE, AND I FEEL THAT MINI SHOULD REFUND ME THE MONEY SPENT REPLACING THIS DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464058July 3, 2012
STEERING
DRIVING AROUND A CORNER, POWER STEERING DROPPED OUT. RESTARTING SOLVED THE PROBLEM. HAS OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY SINCE THEN. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY THE PUMP CONTINUES AFTER THE CAR STOPS. SEEMS RELATED TO EA11005. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463906July 1, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
MY WIFE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING OF INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. I DRIVE HER CAR VERY LITTLE HOWEVER I RECENTLY HAD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN TO ME. ONE OF MY HOBBIES IS SPORT CAR RACING (MOST RECENTLY AT SUMMIT POINT RACEWAY IN WV) SO I DO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED HOWEVER IT IS SO INTERMITTENT IT IS OFTEN FORGOTTEN. IT WILL BE FINE FOR WEEKS THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THOUSANDS OF REPORTS IN THE UK AND CANADA ISSUED A RECALL. YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR STEERING JUST THE ASSIST. NEXT TIME YOU ARE ALONE ON A BACK ROAD WITH A CURVE TURN YOUR CAR OFF AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT THE DESCRIBED PROBLEM FEELS LIKE. LETS NOT HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT BEFORE BMW RESOLVES THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463641June 30, 2012
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING STOPPED OPERATING AS WE WERE MAKING A 90 DEGREE TURN AT AN INTERSECTION. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. WE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL, AND FOUND IT WAS IN THE PROPER RANGE. AFTER A SHORT WAIT WE RESTARTED THE CAN AND THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO BE OPERATING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463544June 29, 2012
ENGINE
MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR NEAR THE ENGINE WHEN I TURNED IT ON. THEN IT CONTINUED TO MAKE THE LOUD NOISE AS I DROVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND CAUSED THE GUIDE RAIL TO BREAK, WHICH FELL INTO THE OIL PAN. THE DEALER SAID I WAS LUCKY MY ENGINE DIDN'T LOOK UP WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS A $2100 FIX ON A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 53,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463614June 29, 2012
STEERING
POWER ASSIST PUMP FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463627June 29, 2012
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING, HOWEVER, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED US TODAY THAT THE CVT (TRANSMISSION) HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $7000. WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON LINE REGARDING MINI COOPER CVT POWER TRAINS IN 2002 - 2006 MINI'S AND THAT THERE ARE APPARENTLY CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW JERSEY AS MINI COOPER APPARENTLY IS REFUSING TO ISSUE A RECALL. IT DOES NOT SEEM WITHIN REASON THAT A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES SHOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION GO OUT. ALSO, IN THAT THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS AND CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS PENDING, THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT MINI COOPER SHOULD ADMIT THAT ITS CVT POWER TRAIN IS FAULTY AND ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS COMPLAINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463634June 29, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE I WAS DRIVING MINI 2003 (ODO: 74K) ON I-90 HIGHWAY AT 70MPH, SUDDENLY THE POWER STEERING WHEEL STOPPED WORKING ON JUNE 28, 2012. I BARELY MADE TO EXIT FROM THE HIGHWAY, AND GOT HOME. NEXT DAY, THE CAR WAS SENT TO THE BMW-MINI DEALERSHIP, AND ASSESSED THE FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP. THEY KNOW THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH MINI, BUT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY MANUFACTURERS. THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE PART. THE PART WAS REPLACED AND THE COST WAS $1,200. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463277June 27, 2012
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S TEMPERATURE STARTED TO INCREASE AND THE TEMPERATURE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 84,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463315June 27, 2012
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH AN OCCUPANT POSITIONED IN THE SEAT. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR EVEN WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE ILLUMINATION NO LONGER CONTINUED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463347June 27, 2012
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. IT FIRST BEGAN LOCKING WHEN I TURNED IT ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT SINCE IT UNLOCKED A MINUTE LATER. THEN A MONTH LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT STARTED TO HAPPEN ONCE A MONTH AND JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIME IT UNLOCKED. HOWEVER, AS OF LAST MONTH IT HAS JUST LOCKED AND WON'T UNLOCK. THE 2004 AND 2005 HAD RECALL ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I FEEL THAT 2006 HAS THE SAME ISSUE. IT SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED. HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE NOT USED THE 2004 OR 2005 PART ON THE STEERING WHEEL? THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT CAN CAUSE MAJOR CAR ACCIDENTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463217June 26, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY
I STOPPED AT A GROCERY STORE ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK AT APPROX. 6:30 PM ON 11/17/11. I PARKED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND LOCKED IT. WHEN I EXITED THE STORE APPROXIMATELY 13-15 MINUTES LATER, I FOUND THE CAR A SMOLDERING SHELL SURROUNDED BY FIREFIGHTERS. IT APPEARED TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY GONE UP IN FLAMES. FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT (CAR PERFORMED "NORMALLY" AND THERE WERE NO ALARM OR FLASH INDICATORS ON THE CONSOLE SUGGESTING A PROBLEM.) *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462862June 23, 2012
ENGINE
MINI COOPER 2007 - RATTLES WHEN COLD. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. FELT TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. I DID SOME RESEARCH. IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM AND CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE SEIZING DURING DRIVING. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MINI IS WELL AWARE OF. MY CAR ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. THE REPAIR WOULD COST ~$2500. IF I DON'T REPAIR IT, I WORRY ABOUT THE ENGINE FAILING WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY - OR WORSE, WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR DURING A DRIVE. MINI KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND HAS DIRECTED DEALERS SPECIFICALLY ON THIS PROBLEM. COUNTLESS ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. MINI SHOULD OFFER A RECALL AND FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT BEFORE ANYONE LOSES CONTROL OF A CAR WHILE DRIVING AND SOMEONE GETS HURT. UPDATED IVOQ 07/09/12. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462686June 22, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES, AND ON THE OTHER OCCASIONS WOULD WORK JUST FINE. A TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP REVEALED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED. THIS SEEMS LIKE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MOST OF THE 2004 MINI COOPERS, A DEFECTIVE PART WAS PUT INTO THE CAR WHILE MANUFACTING. MINI IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY OF IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP IS ASKING FOR $1200 TO REPLACE IT. DUE TO THE POWER PUMP FAILURE, THE TEMPARATURE RISES AND MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO A FEW HOSES AROUND THAT AREA. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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