MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#11527250June 15, 2023
AIR BAGS, SEATS
Since November 20, 2022, my low milage 2010 MINI has Passenger Airbag Warning light in the roof near the mirror and dashboard. The OBD II scanner show that "ACSM/MRS: Seat-occupancy detector, passenger." I contacted dealer Herb Chambers MINI of Boston. I was told no recall for my car. After I searched on internet, I am aware that a lot of customers have same Passenger Airbag issue. They can't afford the high repair cost so that they have to look for alternative solutions beyond recalls, such as Passenger Occupancy Sensor Bypass, modifying system parameters on car computer by themself. All these solutions are obviously potential dangerous for MINI cooper customers. I request that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate MINI cooper Passenger Airbag issue and ask MINI USA to recall defective parts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11526526June 12, 2023
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a round quarter sized image was displayed in the in the center of the customer display screen and while the backup camera was activated the image caused a visibility hazard to the driver. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed of the Manufacturer’s Extended Service Campaign regarding the failure however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11526625June 12, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Mini coopers have faulty transmission problems, and well mine today it's transmission went out when I had my AC on, the car stalled in the middle of the highway in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic and refused to budge, like seriously this is highly dangerous on the interstate
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11526341June 10, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Can't use turn signals and can't lower windows to use hand signals, almost got rear ended.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11526299June 9, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am writing about the air recirculation system in the Mini Cooper SE (and possibly other Minis). From Mini (by email) they state that "To prevent window condensation, recirculated-air mode for your MINI switches off automatically after a certain amount of time, depending on the outside temperature. There is no setting to keep recirculated-air mode on indefinitely." I found this to be a mild inconvenience when bad smells occur (following a garbage truck) or when the pollen count was high. However, given the recent instance of the Wild Fires in Canada causing unsafe breathing conditions outside - this "feature," as they state it, is actually a major safety hazard. Without the ability to stop outside air from coming into the compartment, it becomes hard to breathe and is unsafe to drive in events where the air quality is compromised. I would like to file a formal complaint about the safety issue this creates: without the ability of the driver to keep the air recirculation button engaged, it can be unsafe in certain situations. And the alternative, which they claim to be correcting for (trying to prevent condensation on the window) can easily be handled by the driver. Thank you for your time reviewing this issue. Kurt
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11524779June 1, 2023
PARKING BRAKE
The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the parking brake engaged, and the vehicle came to a stop. The contact manually pulled the parking brake lever several times until the parking brake released. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11524794June 1, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car just randomly caught on fire while off in my driveway. Noticed a weird sound outside looked out and noticed the windshield wipers were going even though the car was off and I hadn't driven it. Opened the door to bellows of smoke coming out. fire department was called and had to rip it apart to get to the fire which was under the steering wheel in the left side
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11524398May 30, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Coop S Hardtop. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the vehicle alarm activated inadvertently and the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that he lifted the hood open and noticed fire coming from underneath the engine. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11522261May 16, 2023
TIRES
The contact owns a 2022 Mini Cooper equipped with Pirelli Tires, Tire Line: P-Zero Run Flat, Tire Size: 205/40/R18, DOT Number: 19307460B. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that the both front side tires had three sidewall bubbles, and the front passenger’s side tire had two sidewall bubbles. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 8,025. The VIN was unavailable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11521556May 11, 2023
AIR BAGS
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS DISABLED IS ON, EVEN IF PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE WARNING WAS INTERMITTENT STARTING IN 2015 AND THE CONTINUOUS SINCE 2022. OUR MECHANIC TELLS US THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM NO LONGER RECOGNIZES THE PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG SENSOR. THEREFORE, THE AIRBAGS ARE BEING DISABLED FOR BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11521218May 9, 2023
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
Lights come on & off for airbags and or seat belts - randomly - unknown as to why - or if they are working - sometimes stay on - for 2 weeks - then go off and not on for quite awhile (weeks) brought up as to -why? with no resolution except may need repair? Does not seem to make sense - no accidents or even close to an accident ever occurring- local driving - car maintained.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520964May 8, 2023
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
The contact owns a 2010 Mini Cooper Clubman. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear liftgate spontaneously opened. Additionally, the contact stated that while parked, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520811May 7, 2023
ENGINE
Timing Chain and tensioner rattle. Known recall issue but not showing recall
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520725May 6, 2023
AIR BAGS
Unknown. I purchased a used 2009 mini cooper in 2013. The airbag light went on for the passenger front side shortly after. I took it to be looked at and was told it would cost around 1,000 to be replaced. I couldn't afford that and felt that since it was never in an accident it must be defective. I contacted Mini cooper via email and phone calls and was told that since there wasn't any recalls, they couldn't do anything. I have always been uneasy driving with passengers, including my grandson in the car. I honestly expected Mini cooper to replace the airbag, but here we are, hoping nothing happens to the safety of my passengers... please reply with any information for me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520101May 2, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal sound. The contact stated that after the vehicle warmed up, the abnormal sound stopped. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11519932May 1, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to express my concerns about the safety of the 2011 Mini Cooper, specifically regarding the Car Access System (CAS) module. There is a widespread issue with the CAS module failing, which can result in the vehicle not starting or even stalling while driving. This poses a serious safety risk to drivers and passengers, as a sudden stall or loss of power can lead to accidents, injuries, or death. Furthermore, there is currently a backorder of the part, and it is not clear if there are any parts available which do not have this single point of failure. This means that even if a vehicle owner experiences this issue, there is no clear resolution to the problem, and the vehicle remains unsafe to drive. This has been diagnosed by an automotive repair shop, and I have discussed this issue with the Mini Cooper dealer, Mini Cooper/BMW manufacturing, BMW/Mini Assistance, and the auto repair shop. Both the dealer and the auto shop have both reported over a dozen cars with the same issue that have all been rendered non-functional. Average time to allegedly fix the problem is anywhere between 4 months and 1 year, but there does not seem to be resolution. The Mini Cooper dealer said there likely will be a recall at some point, but given the company’s history of failing to address safety issues such as these and issuing recalls in a timely manner, we have taken reporting this issue into our own hands. I believe that this issue warrants an investigation by the NHTSA and that a recall may be necessary to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers of the 2011 Mini Cooper. I urge you to take action on this matter and investigate this issue further. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11519216April 27, 2023
STEERING
The car completely lost steering in traffic. I brought it back to the Mini dealership, they informed me this is a known issue for Mini Coopers equipped with the click-and-play system, and they needed to re-wire the click-and-play to fix it. However Mini decided this should not be a recall. I strongly disagree with Mini's assessment considering losing steering on the road could cause severe accidents.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517933April 19, 2023
ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
The contact owns a 2015 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for a routine oil change, the mechanic also determined that the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced and an unknown engine software needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516980April 13, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
1. (Lighting) The front lights of the car kept turning off and on. We would always go to the repair shop every time the lights began to malfunction. (Engine) the oil was sticky which was not normal and the water entered inside. (Brakes) When you turned on the car, noises came from the brakes which were concerning and risky to drive in. 2. This car was risky to drive due to the problems with the oil and brakes. 3. Yes, this problem has already been confirmed by a dealer. 4. No. 5. No.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516631April 12, 2023
STEERING
The vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed me that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure is NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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