MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10269118May 18, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268846May 15, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, STRUCTURE
REAR HATCH HAS NO INSIDE RELEASE, ALTHOUGH SHOWN IN OWNER'S MANUAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268479May 12, 2009
AIR BAGS
"PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE AN ADULT PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267854May 6, 2009
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER. A DIAGNOSTIC HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,640.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267875May 6, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARMER, SAY 80+, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED LIGHT ILLUMINATES WITH A FULL GROWN ADULT SEATED AND BELTED. DEALER, OF COURSE, CANNOT RECREATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267660May 4, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO LOSE POWER; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267679May 4, 2009
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS DISABLED WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. IF PASSENGER SHIFTS IN SEAT, THE AIRBAG MAY OR MAY NOT ENABLE. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE FAULT LIES WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR MAT UNDER THE SEAT. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR SEVERAL BMW MODELS AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN OFFERED. FOR SEVERAL MINI MODELS, THE ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN OFFERED. SO FAR, THE 2005 MODEL HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267343April 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RADIATOR HOSE RUPTURES WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN TO THE POINT THAT THE FRONT TIRES TOUCH CURB (PERPENDICULAR) DURING PARKING MANEUVER. FRONT END IS TOO LOW TO ACCOMMODATE A STANDARD CURB. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267194April 29, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ON 4/9 I PURCHASE A 2009 MINI COOPER. ON 4/14 I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STARTED SURGING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED THE SERVICE ADVISER WHO SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE GAS CAP. I IGNORED HER RESPONSE BECAUSE IT ONLY CLICKS ONCE AND I KNOW THIS WAS COMPLETED PROPERLY AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. THERE FINDINGS WERE AS FOLLOWS; HOWEVER I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER POSTINGS ONLY FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. CAUSE: INTERROGATING FAULT MEMORY FOUND HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM TO LOW PERFORMED TEST PLANT ON DME CONTROL UNIT FOUND WORKING NORMAL, PERFORMED TEST WITH FUEL PRESSURE FAIL, WAS TO LOW OPEN HIGH PRESSURE PUMP, FOUND FUEL PRESSURE PUMP/SHAFT DEFECT, CRACK SPEND FREE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267190April 29, 2009
POWER TRAIN
I BOUGHT A 2003 MINI COOPER AND ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THE CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAS SPRUNG A LEAK. UPON INSPECTION OF THE HYDRAULICS, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH CONTROL ROD WAS MOVING IN A FUNNY WAY. HE SAYS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION TO SEE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM AND THAT REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION ALONE WILL COST ME 1000.00 DOLLARS WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AT THE MOMENT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT AND THE CLUTCH WENT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ALSO, I AM TOLD THAT IF THE CLUTCH DOES NEED TO BE REPLACED, IT WILL COST ME 1800.00 DOLLARS, WHICH AGAIN, I DO NOT HAVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267197April 29, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER PURCHASING A 2009 MINI COOPER THE OUTLET IN BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALERS EVALUATION WAS AS FOLLOWS: NEITHER THE FRONT OR THE REAR CIGARETTE OUTLETS ARE WORKING. CHECK AND ADVISE. CAUSE: CHECKED/FOUND 20 AMP FUSE BLOWN, INSPECTED OUTLETS, FOUND SOCKET/OUTLET IN CENTER CONSOLE SHORTED TO GROUND CORRECTION: R & R FRONT CENTER CONSOLE REPLACED SOCKET & ILLUMINATED RING. UPDATED IVOQ. 05/01/09. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267059April 28, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WILL NOT START, LEAVING YOU STRANDED. PUSHING IN CLUTCH THEN START BUTTON, AND NOTHING. FIRST TIME WAS 5 WEEKS AGO, TOWED TO DEALER, DID TESTS, FOUND NO PROBLEM. HAPPENED AGAIN ON 4/23/2009, GIGGLED DEAD MAN SWITCH ON CLUTCH PEDAL AND THEN STARTED. HAPPENED AGAIN 4/27/2009, TRIED GIGGLE THING, NOTHING THIS TIME. SAT OVERNIGHT, THEN STARTED. ONLY COMMON FACTOR HAS BEEN ON WARM SPRING DAYS AROUND 90 DEGREES. WILL BE TAKING BACK TO DEALER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267176April 28, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON (INDICATING AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/INOP.) AND AUTO MANUFACTURER HAS NO FIX, DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM. 2005 MINI COOPER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10266640April 24, 2009
STEERING
POWER STEERING UNIT STOPPED WORKING DRIVING NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS RESULTING IN VERY DIFFICULT DRIVING/HANDLING. CAR HAS 48,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED ON SCHEDULE. UNIT'S FLUIDS WERE NORMAL AND DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE A NORMAL COMMUTE. POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10266241April 21, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2008 MINI COOPER S HAS A TERRIBLE RATTLING NOISE OCCASIONALLY DURING STARTUP. THE PROBLEM CAN BE REPRODUCED 100% OF THE TIME UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: - START CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (BACK OUT OF GARAGE / WASH CAR) - RESTART CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (MOVE INTO GARAGE) - LEAVE CAR FOR 8 OR MORE HOURS - RESTART AND DRIVE AWAY. FOR THE FIRST 2 MINUTES THERE'S A TERRIBLE RATTLING SOUND. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10266021April 19, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 MINI COOPER BLEW OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CAR HAD JUST ABOUT 37,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERS SHOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10265668April 16, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ON MARCH 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM DINNER IN NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA WHEN I MADE A STOP AT THE LOCAL POST OFFICE. I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ERRANT BEHAVIOR WITH THE CAR. I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE TO MAIL A PACKAGE, PARKED THE CAR, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, LOCKED THE CAR WITH MY WIFE INSIDE THE AUTO, AND WENT IN. WHEN I RETURNED APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES LATER I FOUND MY WIFE IN THE CAR IN A GREAT STATE OF PANIC WITH SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY UNLOCKED THE DOORS WITH MY CAR KEY, MADE SURE THAT MY WIFE WAS OUT OF THE CAR, AND WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE BOTH WITNESSED A SMALL FIRE BURNING UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT QUICKLY ARRIVED, OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CONTACTED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MINI ON THE 13TH WHO INFORMED ME THAT SOMEONE FROM BMW WOULD BE CONTACTING ME REGARDING THE CAR. I TOWED THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE AND TOWED IT TO BOB SMITH BMW IN CALABASAS ON SATURDAY THE 14TH. BOB SMITH BMW HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A RENTAL CAR IN THE INTERIM. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM BMW FROM A STEVE KOSSAR ON MARCH 17TH, WHO REQUESTED THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. WHEN I SPOKE WITH SUSAN AT BOB SMITH BMW LATER THAT WEEK I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL PARTS. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA WOULD BE ASSIGNING AN ENGINEER WRITE A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE MINI AND THAT BOB SMITH BMW WOULD NOT RELEASE THE CAR TO ME UNTIL THEY RECEIVED WORD FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA THAT THE CAR WAS SOUND. SINCE THEN I HAVE PLACED TWO PHONE CALLS TO MR. KOSSAR AT BMW ON APRIL 1 AND APRIL 7 AND LEFT MESSAGES ASKING FOR A STATUS REPORT ON THE CAR. TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY AND NO WORD ON THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10264856April 9, 2009
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ABUSIVE OPERATION OF THE CLUTCH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IS NOT COVERED IN THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 11,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10264037April 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
SPONTANEOUS ENGINE BAY FIRE IN 2003 MINI COOPER WITH 60,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN NORMALLY TO WORK, TURNED OFF, PARKED, LOCKED AND LEFT. UNATTENDED CAR CAUGHT FIRE SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. SEATTLE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL, BUT FIRE SELF-EXTINGUISHED WITHIN 10 MINUTES. SOOT COVERED ENGINE BAY AND ACRID SMOKE PERMEATED VEHICLE. INSPECTION REVEALED MELTED CONNECTION BETWEEN WIRING HARNESS AND POWER STEERING PUMP, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF PUMP, COOLING FAN, WIRING AND OTHER PARTS. INTERNET COMMUNITIES OF MINI OWNERS CONTAIN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SUDDEN ENGINE BAY FIRES IN 2002 AND 2003 MINI COOPERS CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL SHORTS LINKED TO FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMPS OR FANS. FREQUENTLY THESE FIRES OCCUR AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SWITCHED OFF. THEY ALWAYS RESULT IN MODERATE VEHICLE DAMAGE AND MAJOR REPAIR COSTS (MINE IS ESTIMATED @ $1,600). OCCASIONALLY THEY RESULT IN TOTAL VEHICLE LOSS AND / OR ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. HAD THIS FIRE OCCURRED IN MY HOME GARAGE AT NIGHT THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC; IF THIS KIND OF INCIDENT (SUDDEN POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE + ELECTRIC FIRE) WERE TO OCCUR ON A FREEWAY AT SPEED IT COULD EASILY RESULT IN FATALITIES. BMW / MINI USA HAS REPORTEDLY QUIETLY REIMBURSED INDIVIDUAL OWNERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED SPONTANEOUS FIRES, BUT HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEM -- WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. AS I DISCOVERED WHILE RESEARCHING MY INCIDENT, IF YOU GOOGLE "MINI COOPER FIRE" OR "MINI POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE" YOU GET A RASH OF THESE REPORTS. APPARENTLY NHTSA INVESTIGATED MINI ENGINE BAY FIRES IN 2006-2008 AND DISMISSED THE PROBLEM, ALLUDING ONLY TO THE CHANCE OF SOME "LOCALIZED SMOLDERING." THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE -- MY MINI WAS BILLOWING ACRID BLACK SMOKE AND COULD EASILY HAVE BURNED OUT, TAKING OTHER CARS ON THE PARKING DECK WITH IT. SHOCKING THAT THIS MAJOR, DANGEROUS VEHICLE DEFECT HAS BEEN IGNORED. I AM ONE OF MANY VICTIMS. PLEASE REOPEN THIS INVESTIGATION INTO MINI FIRES. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10263621March 30, 2009
STEERING
CAR POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND VERY SCARY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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