MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10450376March 5, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE OIL LINES THAT SUPPLY THE TURBOCHARGER ARE LEAKING OIL AND IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE, STARVING THE TURBO OF COOLING OIL AND SPRAYING OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10450224March 4, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE DEVELOPED A KNOCKING, RATTLING SOUND WHICH GREW LOUDER OVER TIME. THE LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED A TIMING CHAIN GLIDE AND TENSIONER FAILURE. REPLACED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. WAS TOLD MINI REALIZED THE GLIDES WERE INFERIOR AND WAS NOW USING UPGRADED GLIDES IN THE REPLACEMENT KITS. WHEN ASKED IF THIS SHOULDN'T BE A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT SINCE IT COULD LEAD TO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE, WAS TOLD THIS WAS UP TO MINI-USA, NOT THE DEALER. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKS WHILE DRIVING, SEIZING THE ENGINE, AND LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10450162March 3, 2012
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DETECTOR IS FAULTY. WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING ON THE SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THIS WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT 44300 MILES. THE WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON ONCE AGAIN AT 67000 MILES AND HAS STAYED ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10450052March 2, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER WAS NOT PROPERLY SHIELDED AND THE HOOD DID NOT HAVE ANY INSULATION. AS A RESULT, THE HOOD WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22. UPDATED 03/14/12*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER PROVIDED ADDITIONAL HEAT SHIELDS. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT COMPLETELY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/10/10
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10450061March 2, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449949March 1, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER ABNORMALLY AND WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449988March 1, 2012
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 MINI, THE POWER STEERING FAILED MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT, THE POWER STEERING WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. RESEARCH SHOWS THE LIKELY REASON FOR THE PROBLEM IS A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. I AM ORDERING A NEW PUMP TO REPLACE THE FAILED PUMP. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH MINI FOR THIS YEAR MODEL. MINI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR INCLUDING LABOR AS THE PUMP APPEARS TO HAVE HAD ISSUES SINCE 2002. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449710February 29, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TENSIONER ALLOWED TIMING CHAIN TO SLAP THE CHAIN GUARD, SUCH THAT PIECES OF THE CHAIN GUARD EVENTUALLY GOT CAUGHT IN THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE CAR WAS OFF TIME AND OFF CAMBER. PIECES OF THE CHAIN GUARD WERE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE VALVE HOUSING. REPLACED TENSIONER AND WHOLE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY. 2ND TENSIONER LASTED ONLY 3 WEEKS. AM ON MY 3RD TENSIONER AND HOLDING MY BREATH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449740February 29, 2012
STEERING
WITH OUT ANY ADVICE, THE STEERING TURNS RIGID AND HARD TO MANIPULATE,I CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT LOOKS FINE AND CLEAN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449516February 28, 2012
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
BOTH THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHILE SEAT IS OCCUPIED INDICATING THE SYSTEM IS NOT OPERATIONAL AND MAY NOT FUNCTION IN A CRASH. INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALS MANY COMPLAINTS TO BMW CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM IN THE 2006 MINI. MANUFACTURER DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT DIAGNOSE WITHOUT A LARGE FEE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449520February 28, 2012
STEERING
WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 95 WHEN POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. PULLED OFF ROAD, CHECKED FLUID LEVELS AND COULDN'T FIND ANY OBVIOUS PROBLEMS. POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON WHEN RESTARTED CAR. POWER STEERING STAYED ON FOR REST OF DRIVE, BUT HAS GONE OUT SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. ALWAYS COMES BACK IF TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449534February 28, 2012
STEERING
VEHICLE DARTING AROUND ON ROAD LIKE STEERING STOPS THEN STARTS BACK UP,ACCELERATION DARTS LEFT , DECELERATION DARTS RIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449527February 28, 2012
STEERING
COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE DURING OVERTAKING ON TWO LANE ROAD. STEERING REQUIRED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT. BARELY MANAGED TO MOVE BACK TO RIGHT HAND LAND BEFORE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. POWER STEERING DID NOT RECOVER FOR ANOTHER 2.5 MINS OF DRIVING. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURNED CAR OFF, ON AGAIN, POWER STEERING RETURNED. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP NOW RUNS CONTINUOUSLY EVEN WHEN KEY IS TURNED OFF. INDICATIVE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP CONTROLLER FAILURE. I CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS THAT POWER STEERING MAY CUT OUT AT ANY TIME AGAIN, AND THAT IF THE PUMP CONTINUES RUNNING CONSTANTLY EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED IT MAY START A FIRE AT SOME POINT. I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE BATTERY TO PREVENT THE PUMP FROM RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449637February 28, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER TO BACK UP OR DRIVE. AFTER SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING CAR TWICE THE POWER STEERING IS WORKING AGAIN. CAR IS UNSAFE IF POWER STEERING FAILS AT ANY SPEED. COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449473February 27, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON 12/2/11 THERMOSTAT HOUSING SENSOR FAILED AND REPLACE ON 1/18/12 SECOND ONE FAILED. ON 2/27/12 NOTICED OIL LEAK. INFORMED THAT THE SOLENOID LEAKING TO ENGINE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449486February 27, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY TAKING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFORT THEN NORMAL TO JUST MOVE THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING WORKED NORMALLY BUT THE FAN ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES IN A PARKING LOT IT HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY TO THE POINT WHERE IT STRUGGLED TO START THE ENGINE. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY UNTIL I CAN GET IT SERVICED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449491February 27, 2012
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAYING THAT THE AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF HAS BEEN TURNING OFF AND ON FOR A WHILE. PROBABLY SEVERAL YEARS. IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE SEAT BELT SIGNAL WILL ACTIVATE EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT USUALLY HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER THE PASSENGER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO BUCKLE THE SEAT. THEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ON THE DASHBOARD WILL TURN ON AS WELL AS THE "AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF" SIGNAL. SOMETIMES BOTH STAY ON FOR A WHILE. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN AND IF THE AIRBAGS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR, WHICH IS FRIGHTENING TO ME. I HAD MY MECHANIC RUN DIAGNOSTICS AND HE FOUND THAT THERE'S A TSB FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM ON 2005 MINIS. IT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSOR MAT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR TO VERIFY WHETHER SUCH A KEY SAFETY COMPONENT OF THE CAR SHOULDN'T BE UNDER SOME EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD NO IT WASN'T. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE ISSUE IS TO REPLACE THE BOTTOM SEAT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH I WAS TOLD WOULD COST $650 + LABOR OF $400 OR SO. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF I ORDERED THE NEW SEAT AND HAD IT REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC AND THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT TAKE BACK THE SEAT. THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD BE COVERED IS IF I HAD THEM RUN THE DIAGNOSTIC FOR $95. I THINK IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME KEY SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THEIR CAR THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO THIS MODEL OR ELSE RECALLING THE ITEM. AND WHAT'S WORSE, THERE IS NO WAY TO BE ASSURED THAT EVEN WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON, THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL ACTUALLY DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449175February 24, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2008 MINI COOPER S (WITH 28,300 MILES) HAS EXPERIENCED DIESEL SOUNDING ENGINE PROBLEMS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I LOOKED THIS UP ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THIS WAS A TENSIONER OR TIMING BELT ISSUE WITH THE CAR. ALMOST 600 PEOPLE HAVE USED THIS SITE: HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERSPEED.COM/MINI-COOPER-COLD-START-KNOCKING-NOISE-ISSUE-2007/ TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A FORMAL REQUEST TO PLEASE REQUEST ACTION ON BMW'S PART TO RECTIFY THIS TIMING BELT SITUATION. THE OWNERS OF THESE CARS SHOULD NOT AND CAN NOT BE FORCED TO PAY FOR THIS ENGINE PROBLEM OF SUCH A NEW CAR. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED, AND BMW NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10449251February 24, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BEGAN OPERATING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,192.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10448882February 22, 2012
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY CAR WOULD NOT START ONE MORNING. I INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. AS SOON AS I CONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE WAS ACRID, LIKE SMOKE FROM AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SMOKE AS LONG AS THE BATTERY CABLES WERE CONNECTED. CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE,I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP AND PUMP COOLING FAN WERE DEFECTIVE. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT EITHER THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH EITHER THE POWER STEERING OR THE BATTERY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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