MINI Cooper Complaints
4,588 consumer complaints on file.
- #10419531August 15, 2011STEERING
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. IT BEGAN TO RUN ALL THE TIME EVEN WITH THE KEY OFF. PLEASE NOTE LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AGO I FILED CLAIM # 10411560 PREDICTING THAT AFTER THE FAN HAD FAILED THE PUMP WOULD FAIL IN A SHORT TIME. IT DID. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10419208August 12, 2011EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK; POTENTIALLY EXPOSING THE XENON LIGHTBULBS. FAILURE OF HEADLIGHT(S) WHILE DRIVING COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON AN UNFAMILIAR ROADWAY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10419257August 12, 2011STEERING
WHILE CRUISING 60MPH I WAS APPROACHING THE CURVED RAMP FROM I-26 TO THE COOPER RIVER BRIDGE IN CHARLESTON SC. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I HAD TO "MAN HANDLE" THE STEERING WHEEL TO ENTER THE LEFT CURVE. PART WAY THRU THE CURVE, THE POWER STEERING STARTED AGAIN AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN A SEVERE TURN TO THE LEFT. JUST ABOUT LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY SWERVED TO AVOID ME. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STOPPED AT THE MINI DEALER IN CHARLESTON, SERVICE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. SPOKE WITH THE PARTS GUY AND WAS TOLD IT IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE MINI, THEY HAVE THEM IN STOCK AND MAY USUALLY GET ANOTHER DELIVERY EVERYDAY. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE MANUFACTURE STEP TO THE PLATE AND REMEDY THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418988August 11, 2011STEERING
IT WAS SO SCARY TO NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE TURNS ON FREEWAY! ON MY WAY BACK FROM WORK SAN FRANCISCO, I STARTED EXPERIENCING VERY STIFF POWER STEERING HALF WAY AND THE SITUATION GOT WORSE AND WORSE. TO THE END I ALMOST COULDN'T MAKE TURNS. I BARELY CAN FINALLY PARK THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE AND I WAS HORRIFIED BY THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT. BROUGHT THE CAR TO GET CHECKED AND IT TURNED OUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN I CAN AFFORD BUT CAN I NOT TO GET THAT REPAIRED? I NEEDED THE CAR TO GO TO WORK ETC. MINI COOPER SHOULD RECALL THIS POWER STEERING PUMP. IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418492August 11, 2011STEERING
2005 MINI COOPER HAS POWER STEERING PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. SEEMINGLY RESOLVES SPONTANEOUSLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418520August 11, 2011STEERING
BACKING OUT OF PARKING PLACE, CAR IS DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE POWER STEERING YET DUE TO COST. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418621August 11, 2011STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I OWN A 2003 MINI COOPER AUTOMATIC AND I'VE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE COOLING FAN REPLACED TWICE, AND NOW, ONLY A YEAR LATER AFTER MY 2ND REPLACEMENT AND A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS LATER, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. THE CARE ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS COSTLY AND A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR BY MINI OR BMW. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418325August 10, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THERE WERE THREE VEHICLES PARKED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE CONTACTS VEHICLE THAT SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE PARKING GARAGE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418963August 10, 2011STEERING
I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE FOR WORK IN THE MORNING. AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ONTO THE STREET, I DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REALLY HARD TO TURN. CONSEQUENTLY I ENDED UP ALL THE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, AND IT TOOK GREAT EFFORT TO GET THE CAR INTO THE DIRECTION I INTENDED. FORTUNATELY THERE WASN'T ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET, OTHERWISE IT COULD BE DANGEROUS... I STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET, CHECKED THAT EVERYTHING ELSE WAS OK EXCEPT POWER STEERING. SINCE I ONLY NEEDED TO TAKE LOCAL STREETS, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WORK - IT JUST FELT LIKE MY VERY FIRST CAR THAT WAS MANUAL AND WITHOUT POWER STEERING!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418447August 10, 2011STEERING
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, ON A WINDY ROAD WHEN MY CAR LOST IT'S POWER STEERING. THE GARAGE HAS TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, FAN AND STEERING RACK FOR A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT $3,000! I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT RUN OFF THE ROAD. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418144August 9, 2011STEERING
AFTER CAR WAS SITTING FOR 4 HOURS THE POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK; I MUSCLED THE CAR HOME AND WHEN I STARTED IT TO TAKE TO MY MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY IT WAS WORKING AGAIN; I REVIEWED THIS ON LINE AND DISCOVERED THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS (MINI COOPER, 56,000 MILES, '03. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418149August 9, 2011STEERING
2003 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING BOX FAILURE ONLY 70,000 MILES. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418302August 9, 2011STEERING
ON MULTIPLE INCIDENTS, THERE IS NO INDICATION LEADING UP TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING TO THE POINT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN OR MANEUVER. PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR DURING INITIAL STARTUP OF THE CAR, OR AFTER 15 MINS OF DRIVING, OR AFTER 2-3 HOURS OF DRIVING. SO FAR, ON ALL OCCURRENCES, ONCE THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON THEN POWER STEERING RESUMES. TOOK MY CAR TO MINI OF STEVENS CREEK ON 8/8/11 AND WAS QUOTED $180 FOR DIAGNOSTICS, $848 FOR PARTS, $253 FOR LABOR. MINI HAS DECLINED TO HONOR A NO-COST REPLACEMENT. I NEED TO FIND MORE REASONABLE PRICE FOR REPAIR AS I CANNOT AFFORD THE QUOTED $1300 AT THE MOMENT. I HAVE YET TO HAVE THIS POWER STEERING PROBLEM FIXED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10418010August 8, 2011STEERING
REPEATED POWER STEERING FAILURE. HAVE REPLACED PUMP (AS WELL AS BELTS, FLUIDS, ETC.) NEW PUMP FIXED PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. NOW IT JUST STOPS WORKING AGAIN! NO COMPUTER CODE SHOWING PROBLEM. MAY WORK FINE ON START THEN JUST GO OUT A ANY POINT. MAY STAY OUT. MAY BE FINE AFTER RESTART. NO POWER STEERING WITHOUT NOTICE IS DANGEROUS! CAR HAS 90K MILES. SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM! THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY AT ALL SPEEDS, AT ALL DRIVING TIMES, AT MANY VARYING CIRCUMSTANCES (WET/DRY, HOT/NOT HOT, ENGINE COLD/ENGINE WARM, STRAIGHT ROADS/CURVY ROADS). DATE BELOW IS TODAY'S DATE, BUT THIS BEGAN HAPPENING 2 MONTHS AFTER BOUGHT CAR USED. DEALER HAS MADE NUMEROUS GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TO REPAIR, BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING. IT IS A DEFECT AND A DANGEROUS ONE!!!!! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10417851August 7, 2011STEERING
POWER-ASSISTED STEERING FAILS ON 2004 COOPER MINI. VEHICLE NOT DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY. SHUTTING VEHICLE OFF, THEN RESTARTING, WILL OCCASIONALLY RESTORE POWER STEERING BUT ONLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. POWER-ASSISTED STEERING WORKS WHEN FIRST STARTED FOR THE DAY, BUT QUITS ENTIRELY WITHIN 30 - 45 MIN. LATER. DRIVING WITHOUT POWER-ASSISTED STEERING IS POSSIBLE BUT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. *TT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10417739August 6, 2011STEERING
THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S FAILED, LEADING TO EXTREMELY DIFFICULT OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. CAR WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT FAILURE NOT COVERED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10417195August 5, 2011POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER WITH 87,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE TOTAL CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT TOOK PLACE LAST FRIDAY 07/29/11. I WAS ENTERING INTO A LARGE INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR STARTED BUCKING AND RATTLING. I JUST MADE IT INTO A HESS STATION PARKING LOT (THANK GOODNESS THERE WAS ONE THERE) WHEN IT WOULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRANS WAS DEAD AND I WAS GOING TO NEED A NEW ONE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE AREN'T ANY REBUILT OPTIONS AND THE NEW TRANS IS GOING TO COST ME $5000 + $1200 FOR LABOR. I HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF RESEARCH ON THESE CVT TRANSMISSIONS AND APPARENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM AND BMW/MINI HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I THINK IT IS A DISGRACE THAT THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND COST PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP!!!! *TT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10416826August 3, 2011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED SHE NOTICED THAT THE WIRES WERE MELTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RELAY AND POWER STEERING PUMP BOTH FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,000. .UPDATED 09/19/11 *BF THE CONTROL HARNESS AND POWER SUPPLY HARNESS CONNECTOR MELTED ON THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10417473August 3, 2011STEERING
CONTINUOUS RELAPSING/REMITTING PROBLEM. POWER STEERING HAS BEEN GOING OUT NEARLY ONCE A WEEK FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. 90% OF THE TIME THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK ON AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10416727August 2, 2011STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2005 MINI COOPER S - ENGINE FIRE A FEW DAYS AGO (7/27/2011) MY 2005 MINI COOPER S CAUGHT FIRE IN THE LOWER REAR ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT. IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE (ABOUT 6 MILES) THREE HOURS PRIOR WITH NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. THE CAR IGNITION WAS OFF AND THERE WAS NO KEY PRESENT IN OR NEAR THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, A CO-WORKER SPOTTED THE CAR BILLOWING SMOKE FROM BENEATH THE HOOD AND WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE OR SURROUNDING PROPERTY. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE CAR AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTRICAL FIRE - THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERHEATING AND EVENTUAL IGNITION OF AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS CAUSED BY A SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE VEHICLE (WARNING SYSTEM) OR BY THE VEHICLES PERFORMANCE THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE PUMP OR HANDLING. IT FAILED COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING! WHILE PARKED AND UNATTENDED! THANKFULLY, THE CAR WAS NOT PARKED IN MY GARAGE AT NIGHT WHERE THE FIRE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY GOTTEN A LOT WORSE BEFORE BEING DISCOVERED AND COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN DEVASTATING TO MY PROPERTY AND FAMILY. AS IT STANDS THE CAR IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST OF NEARLY 1000.00, POSSIBLY MORE AS WE DO NOT YET KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE VEHICLE BY THE PUMPS FAILURE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND ONLY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND WAS RECENTLY MECHANICALLY INSPECTED LAST MARCH. NO ISSUES WERE FOUND WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF IT'S LAST MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION. *KB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0