MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10444112January 17, 2012
AIR BAGS
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MINI SERVICE WANTS APPROXIMATELY $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10444125January 17, 2012
STEERING
AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS IN THE MORNING I PARKED MY CAR IN MY SPOT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. WHEN I WALKED AWAY THE CAR WAS SILENT. TWO HOURS LATER MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY CAR (WHICH HAD BEEN OFF AND PARKED FOR TWO HOURS) WAS MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE. I WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK IT OUT, AND DETERMINED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM MY CAR WHILE IT WAS OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR, WHICH WAS DRIVING WELL AT THE TIME, TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMEND THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE MINI DEALERSHIP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE MINI DEALERSHIP THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR BACK. I WAS TOLD THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP WAS FAILING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING FAN TO KEEP RUNNING WHILE THE CAR WAS OFF. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS TIME TO TIME, AND IF I HAD CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR IT MAY OF CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TECHNICAL WORDS ON THE WORK ORDER FROM THE MINI MECHANIC WERE, "SCANNED CAR FOR FAULTS, AFTER CHECKING CARS FAULT MEMORY IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CURRENT FAULT FOR AN OPEN CIRCUIT ON THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP." BOTH THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10444278January 17, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE PRODUCES LOUD METALLIC SOUNDS FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ON COLD START. MINI USA HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THIS IS OKAY, HOWEVER NOW AT 25000 MILES THE NOISE IS CONSTANT AND LOUD. READING DATA FROM OTHER MINI OWNERS THIS PROBLEM IS NOW EXTREMELY COMMON ON ALL MINI COOPERS WITH THE 1.6L PRODUCED AFTER 2007. MINI HAS QUIETLY REPLACED NUMEROUS BELT TENSIONERS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ADMIT THIS IS A LARGE ISSUE OVER THE ENTIRE FLEET OF VEHICLES. ISSUE RESULTS IN A $3-4K LABOR BILL TO REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10444308January 17, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I USE MY MINI COOPER THE NIGHT BEFORE PARKING IT AT AROUND 10:00PM THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 22ND, 2011. THE NEXT MORNING WENT TO WORK AS USUAL BY MASS TRANSIT. AT AROUND 8:00AM I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR TELLING ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MY BUILDING HAD SEEN THE CAR SMOKING AND BY THE TIME HE CAME BACK TO GRAB AN EXTINGUISHER THE CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OF IN SHORT TIME AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSURED THE FIRE WAS OFF SPREADING FIRE RETARDANT, A POWDER TALC LIKE OVER THE AREA THAT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS OVER THE RIGHT SIDE GRILLE BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD. THE ESTIMATE OF RECORD PREPARED BY GEICO ADJUSTER DESCRIBES DAMAGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, DASH PAD CROSSMEMBER, SUPERCHARGER, AIR GRILLE AND MUCH MORE PARTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TOTAL LOSS BY GEICO AND CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO TRY TO SETTLE BUT HAVEN'T BECAUSE THE ESTIMATE THEY GAVE ME FOR THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS VERY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT I PAID FOR IT AND THE LOW MILEAGE OF IT. THIS IS TERRIBLE SINCE I HAVE NOT FINISH PAYING THE CAR, I'M SHOCKED A CAR CAN CATCH FIRE BY ITSELF I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME WITH THE PROBLEM OF MINI COOPERS CATCHING WHILE PARKED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET TODAY JAN 17TH, 2012. OR GUIDE ME IF THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DO SOMETHING REGARDING THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THE MODEL OR YEAR MY CAR WAS MADE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10444313January 17, 2012
STEERING
COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND A STREET CORNER! I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 15 MPH(NOT VERY FAST) AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AND TOOK ME BY SURPRISE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443945January 16, 2012
AIR BAGS, SEATS
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY AIRBAG SENSOR HAS FAILED. CONSEQUENTLY THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF EVEN IF THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PREVIOUS MINI'S AND BMW'S AND WARRANTS A SAFETY RECALL. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND PREVIOUS OLDER MODEL MINI'S AND BMW'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443852January 15, 2012
STEERING
LENT CAR TO BOYFRIEND TO DRIVE ME TO BOSTON (100 MILE ONE WAY). ON THE WAY HOME HE STOPPED AT A STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM THE HOUSE. WHEN HE CAME BACK OUT OF THE STORE ( WAS IN STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES) THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED. IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO STEER THROUGH CONCRETE FOR HIM. A FEW DAYS LATER HE TRIED THE CAR AND IT ALL WORKED FINE AGAIN. BASED ON PRIOR COMPLAINTS FILED, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ISSUE WILL REOCCUR WHEN I AM DRIVING CAUSING OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS, OR THAT IT MAY CATCH FIRE (BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED FOR SIMILAR ISSUES) AND THAT I WILL BE FACING THE COST OF REPLACING THE POWER STEERING UNIT (WHICH DOES NOT SOUND LIKE IT HAS BEEN REENGINEERED SINCE THIS ISSUE BECAME KNOWN).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443888January 15, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED COLD IN THE MORNING WITH AN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF AROUND 37DEGREES F. THERE IS A RATTLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO A DIESEL ENGINE RATTLE BUT LOUDER. COULD BE A TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM THAT WILL DESTROY THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY. BMW NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443818January 14, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
LOUD RATTLE AT COLD START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443764January 13, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND TO REPLACE THE PUMP AS WELL AS THE BATTERY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442888January 9, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11005 (STEERING STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443236January 9, 2012
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
I PARKED MY MINI CLUBMAN S AND WENT INSIDE A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT FOR ONLY 10 MINUTES, WHEN I RETURNED TO MY MINI, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I RELEASED THE HOOD LATCH AND TRIED WITHOUT SUCCESS TO OPEN THE HOOD. A NEARBY WITNESS CALLED OUT TO ME AS HE RAN TO ASSIST WITH AN EXTINGUISHER REALIZING MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND STOOD HELPLESSLY WATCHING AS MY 4-MONTH OLD CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN MINUTES. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS DISPLAYED...IF MY DOG, WHO TRAVELS WITH ME QUITE OFTEN HAD BEEN IN THE CAR AS I WENT INSIDE, I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW I WOULD BE FEELING RIGHT NOW...LOSING THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT, AND NOW, I REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE I WAS NOT TO LOSE MORE, CONSIDERING THE FACT I PARKED THE MINI IN MY GARAGE EVERY NIGHT AS I RETURNED HOME FROM WORK. THE FIRE IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION, SO I CANNOT NAME THE FAILED COMPONENTS AS REQUESTED ABOVE, BUT I WILL UPDATE THIS INFORMATION ONCE THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10443238January 9, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE THE S (TURBO) MODEL. WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE (LESS THAN 40 DEGREES) AND THE ENGINE IS COLD (SITTING OVERNIGHT) IT SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE AT START UP. THE FIRST 60 SECONDS OF IDLE IS AWFUL. THE ENGINE CLATTERS LIKE A DIESEL AND THERE IS A BUZZ AS WELL. LIKE A LOOSE HEAT SHIELD OR SOMETHING. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND TRUCKS IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE SOUND LIKE THIS AT IDLE WHEN IT'S COLD. THE ENGINE OIL IS FULL AND I HAVE SYNTHETIC OIL IN IT. SO OIL VISCOSITY CANNOT BE AN ISSUE. I AM WORRIED THAT ENGINE DAMAGE IS BEING DONE AND I AM GOING TO GET STUCK WITH AN ENGINE OR CYLINDER HEAD REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE, THE ENGINE BEGINS TO QUIET DOWN AND THEN SMOOTHES OUT. BUT THOSE START UPS!! ABSOLUTELY GOD AWFUL. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION STARTED ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN MINI COOPER FORUMS ONLINE AND THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND COMPLAINED ABOUT ISSUE. BMW HAS APPARENTLY TRIED A NUMBER OF FIXES TO NO AVAIL, BUT SOMETHING HAS TO BE WRONG. SOMETHING IS JUST NOT ENGINEERED CORRECTLY. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN THE SPRING OF 2011 AND THE TEMPERATURES WERE WARM ENOUGH THAT THE COLD START CLATTERING WASN'T TOO BAD. BUT BY OCTOBER WHEN THE MORNING LOWS WERE COLDER, THE PROBLEM REALLY BEGAN TO SHOW UP. NOTHING HAS BROKEN YET BUT IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS READY TO LET LOOSE. HELP! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442658January 6, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE TO NORMAL STEERING WHEEL OPERATION, RESULTING IN DRIVER HAVING TO TAKE UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN STEERING CORRECTION TO AVOID RUNNING OFF THE ROAD OR COLLIDING WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442660January 6, 2012
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING MY MINI COOPER S ON THE FREEWAY GOING INTO A TURN, THE WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WITH NO NOTICE. I COULD NOT MAKE THE TURN ALL THE WAY AND THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRES AND FENDER HIT THE CURB ON THE FREEWAY. I FOUGHT THE CAR OFF THE FREEWAY AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 MINS WHILE I CALLED MINI. THE DEALER SAID THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. AFTER A WAIT OF 15 MINS THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE JUST FINE. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TESTED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SAID THAT IT WAS GOOD AT THAT TIME. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM WITH JUST GIVING OUT AT RANDOM TIMES UNLESS I SPENT $4000 AND HAD ALL THE COMPONENTS REPLACED EVEN THOUGH IT TESTED GOOD AT THE TIME. THEY REPLACED ALL THE BUSHINGS AND STRUTS IN THE FRONT AT THAT TIME FOR $2000. THEY TOLD ME NOT TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING UNLESS IT TOTALLY STOPPED WORKING. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS 5000 MILES LATER ON A ROUND ABOUT AT 35 MPH. THE STEERING HAD JUST FAILED AGAIN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN THE DEALER TESTS THE SYSTEM AFTER A FAILURE AND CLAIMS THAT IT IS GOOD, AND THEN IT FAILS AGAIN WITH NO WARNING. I THINK THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVE ALL THE SYSTEMS UPGRADED TO NOT FAIL AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND IF THEY DO FAIL TO BE ABLE TO TRACK SUCH A FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442683January 6, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING FROZE UP AS WE TURNED A CORNER AND THEN DIED OUT COMPLETELY. IT HAS NEVER RETURNED. VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING A COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442480January 5, 2012
STEERING
I HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE TO WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. STARTED VEHICLE AFTER WORK AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. DROVE THE VEHICLE 34 MILES AND PARKED IT FOR 30 MINUTES. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN WORKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442504January 5, 2012
AIR BAGS
PASSANGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED-. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442531January 5, 2012
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING 2005 MINI COOPER, I WENT AROUND A CORNER AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND WHEN I TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE POWER STEERING HAD QUIT WORKING. IT ALMOST PUT ME IN THE DITCH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. JUST THANKFUL OF NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442451January 4, 2012
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING PUMP IN MY 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING 1 TO 5 TIMES PER WEEK. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY PATTERN TO IT, IT HAS HAPPENED AT COLD START, AFTER WARM START, HOT/COLD/WET/DRY WEATHER, LEVEL/SLOPED PARKING, WHILE DRIVING & STATIONARY, ETC. I'VE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT AS AN ANNOYANCE, UNTIL I RECENTLY HAD A VERY FRIGHTENING FAILURE THAT VERY NEARLY HAD *FATAL* CONSEQUENCES. I WAS DRIVING ROUGHLY 25 MPH, THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, WHEN A YOUNG CHILD (I ESTIMATE 4-5 YEARS OLD) RAN INTO THE STREET FROM BETWEEN TWO PARKED CARS 5 OR 6 CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF ME. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES (ABS FULLY ENGAGED) AND ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE INTO THE ONCOMING [EMPTY] LANE AT AVOID... BUT MY STEERING PUMP WAS OUT AND I COULD NOT ALTER MY COURSE SUFFICIENTLY. I CAME TO A STOP WITH THE CHILD BARELY THREE FEET OFF MY FRONT BUMPER! SO NO DAMAGE OR INJURY, BUT... THIS FAILURE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH WORSE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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