MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10472689August 27, 2012
POWER TRAIN
MINI COOPER TRANSMISSION FAIL. THE CAR DOES NOT GO BETWEEN 20 TO 50 MPH. IT HAS NO POWER AND THAT CAN BE DANGERS WHEN I AM GETTING INTO THE HIGHWAY AND CARS ARE GOING AT A HIGH SPEED. ON TOP OF IT MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. LUCKY I GOT IT STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM THE CAR NEED TO BE RECALL AND GET IT FAXED BECAUSE SOMEONE CAN DIE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472457August 25, 2012
POWER TRAIN
MY MINI COOPER S 2006 HAS BEEN RANDOMLY BANGING INTO GEAR AND WAS DIAGNOSED BY NORTHWEST MINI AS NEEDING A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR $8361.00 (BEFORE TAX). PROBLEM CAUSES CAR TO LOOSE ACCELERATION AND POWER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472127August 24, 2012
STEERING
DROVE 2003 MINI TO WORK 11.5 MILES. AS I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO THE PARKING GARAGE THE STEERING WENT OUT AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR PREVIOUS INDICATION THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472129August 24, 2012
STEERING
I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACT DATES AS THIS PART HAS BEEN BAD FOR SO LONG. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHINES VERY LOUDLY. A COUPLE TIMES THE POWER HAS GONE OUT AND THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE PROBLEM IS VERY INTERMITTENT AND ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS EACH TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472382August 24, 2012
AIR BAGS
I TOOK MY 2002 MINI COOPER S IN FOR A VIRGINIA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND IT FAILED THE INSPECTION BECAUSE THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER AND WIRING TO THE SEAT BELT AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WERE FAULTY. THE DEALER IS CHARGING ME $1,000 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION PE05053 RESULTING IN BMW ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FAULTY WIRING AND SEAT BELT TENSIONER. AND IT STATES THAT THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ILLUMINATE THE AIRBAG LIGHT BUT DOES NOT EXCEED A LIMIT TO SET THE AIRBAG OFF. MY PROBLEM IS IF THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED I CANNOT PASS VIRGINIA'S STRICT SAFETY INSPECTION AND IF IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY BMW WHY ARE THEY NOT RECALLING ALL VEHICLES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT WAY UNDER THE 150,0000 MILE WARRANTY AND I AM RIGHT AT THE TEN YEAR MARK.BMW TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL AND THAT THERE IS ONLY A BULLETIN TELLING THE MECHANICS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE TO BE AWARE OF. BMW WOULD NOT REPAIR THIS UNDER A WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472412August 24, 2012
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED SMALL FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A BLANKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE OIL RETURN LINE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE TURBO CHARGER HAD BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN THEN STATED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER AND THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE FIRE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STALLING AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,800.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472035August 23, 2012
STEERING
JUST GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY CAUSE THE STEERING STARTED TO GET VERY DIFFICULT. AFTER WE LOOKED IN THE MANUAL AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS WE HEADED TOWARDS OUR DESTINATION ABOUT 10 OR SO MINS. LATER. STEERING WAS FINE AFTER THAT, THEN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, THANKFULLY WE WERE ON A LOCAL ROAD AND IT LASTED ABOUT 3 MINS. THEN STEERING BECAME NORMAL AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471914August 22, 2012
VISIBILITY/WIPER
THERE IS A" LINE" CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND BEGINNING @ 4 INCHES FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDOW AND EXTENDING LEFT TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD.. NO HEAD, OR ICE HAIL OR BODY HIT THE WINDOW, TO CAUSE THE BREAK.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471850August 22, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING/STEERING PUMP SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILING, FIRST NOTICED IN A CROWDED PARKING LOT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471676August 21, 2012
ENGINE
ON 3/6/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 4,743) MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE DRIVING IN OUR 2012 MINI COUNTRYMAN S AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH REDUCED POWER ON THE FREEWAY AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER WAS RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO US. ON 5/15/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 9,318) THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND THE CAR AGAIN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VALVTRONIC ACUTATOR. ON 7/27/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 13,140) THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN (ENGINE WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH LOSS OF POWER AND MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY 100 MILES FROM THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLES COMPUTER WAS RESET. I REPORTED THESE SERIES OF INCIDENTS TO MINI USA CUSTOMER CARE AS I DO NOT BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE FOR FEAR OF HAVING MY WIFE AND KIDS STRANDED AGAIN AND HAVE REQUESTED A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE OR REFUND. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471741August 21, 2012
ENGINE
KNOCKING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND RUNNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE WRONG FUEL ADDED TO IT, OR LOW OIL WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I CORRECTED THOSE TWO ISSUES, BUT IT STILL MAKES THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM VERY AFRAID IT WILL SEIZE. I BELIEVE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471776August 21, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,207. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471482August 20, 2012
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
AFTER COMPLAINING REPEATEDLY TO THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT A RATTLING NOISE FROM OUR VEHICLE ENGINE AT START UP, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED OUR ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS "NORMAL" ENGINE NOISE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. NOW THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKEN, BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED FROM THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE. THERE IS A PETITION ONLINE (CURRENTLY OVER 800 SIGNATURES) FROM MINI OWNERS CLAIMING TO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT LOW MILEAGE AND SIMILAR EXPERIENCES DEALING WITH MINI OF NORTH AMERICA IGNORING THE ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERSPEED.COM/MINI-COOPER-COLD-START-KNOCKING-NOISE-ISSUE-2007/. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471527August 20, 2012
AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TO SACRAMENTO, CA FROM ALAMEDA, CA, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, MY RED DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE ROOF-MOUNTED YELLOW PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT BOTH CAME ON. THE ROOF-MOUNTED YELLOW LIGHT THEN WENT OUT AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES, BUT THE RED DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON EVERY TIME THE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471626August 20, 2012
ENGINE
THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE PREPARING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY. THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING TO TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND IT JUST QUIT AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THE HIGHWAY WAS ON A SLOPE AND TO PREVENT FROM BLOCKING THE HIGHWAY AND RISK INJURY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A FIRE STATION ALONG THE HIGHWAY AND FROM THERE PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN WHICH BROKE WITH NO WARNING. THE REPAIR WILL COST ABOUT $4000. THE FACT THAT IT BROKE AS I WAS ENTERING A HIGHWAY AND WITH NO ON-COMING TRAFFIC WAS VERY LUCKY. THERE IS NO WARNING FOR THE ENGINE TO STOP. THIS SEEMS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2007 MINIS AND AS THESE CARS AGE THE LIKELY HOOD OF THE PROBLEM OCCURRING INCREASES. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS AN ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE AND WITHOUT NOTICE. IT WAS OVER 100F THE DAY MY ENGINE QUIT, I WAS OVER 90MILES AWAY FROM HOME IN A SPARSELY POPULATED RURAL AREA WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE. IF IT HAD HAPPENED 15 MILES IN EITHER DIRECTION IT COULD HAVE BEEN HOURS BEFORE ANYONE FOUND ME AND MY CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471636August 20, 2012
STEERING
THE FIRST TIME MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING THE TURN. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN ANOTHER TIME WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS FORTUNATE THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. TODAY, 8/20/2012 IS THE MOST RECENT DAY THAT IT WENT OUT. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN I NOTICED IT WAS OUT. I HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT IF I TURN OFF MY CAR IT COMES BACK ON. LUCKILY I HAD TO STOP BEFORE GETTING ONTO THE FREEWAY SO I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL MY CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10470861August 16, 2012
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES SYSTEM IS EITHER OFF OR INOPERATIVE - IT DOES NOT MATTER IF SOMEONE IS SITTING ON THE SEAT OR NOT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. AFTER REVIEWING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MINI FORUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT COVER. SINCE I RARELY CARRY PASSENGERS, THIS CONDITION IS DEFINITELY NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. AS IT STANDS, I HAVE NO WAY TO ASCERTAIN IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO ANYONE RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OR EVEN THE DRIVER. A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE OR EVEN AN OLDER VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10470899August 16, 2012
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 42,000. UPDATED 08/29/12*LJ UPDATED 08/29/12
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471158August 16, 2012
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES SYSTEM IS EITHER OFF OR INOPERATIVE - IT DOES NOT MATTER IF SOMEONE IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT OR NOT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. AFTER REVIEWING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MINI FORUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT COVER. SINCE I RARELY CARRY PASSENGERS, THIS CONDITION IS DEFINITELY NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. AS IT STANDS, I HAVE NO WAY TO ASCERTAIN IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO ANYONE RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OR EVEN THE DRIVER. A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE OR EVEN AN OLDER VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE. MINI CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFERED NO HELP DUE TO CAR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. INDEPENDENT SHOP IS DOING THE REPAIR FOR $1210.00 DUE TO LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MINI. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471061August 15, 2012
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THEN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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