MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10482365October 26, 2012
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP REMAINED IN CONTINUOUS OPERATED ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH POSED A FIRE HAZARD. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DISCONNECTED. THERE WAS A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11005 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482180October 25, 2012
ENGINE
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APP. 60 MPH, DOWNSHIFTED TO PASS AND EML LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER TO CAR WAS GREATLY REDUCED. FOUND OUT IT WAS A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION DAMPENER. NOTIFIED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. QUITE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR ALSO. CONTACTED MINI OF USA AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD TO BE DIAGNOSED BY A MINI DEALER FOR ANY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE, BUT WAS NOT GUARANTEED THAT ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482187October 25, 2012
STEERING
WHILE TAKING A CORNING MY POWER STEER ABRUPTLY VANISHED ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH. VERY DANGEROUS. HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH MANY OTHER MINIS AROUND THE SAME AGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482196October 25, 2012
STEERING
LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. CAR DID NOT HIT OR COME IN CONTACT WITH ANYTHING WHEN POWER STEERING WAS LOST. FULL POWER STEERING AND FAN HAD TO BE REPLACED AS A RESULT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482038October 24, 2012
ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY; ENGINE ROUGH ON START UP; SOUNDS LIKE RATTLING CHAINS WHEN SHIFTING; MINI SAID OUR OIL WAS TOO LOW SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYING OUR TIMING CHAIN; TECH WAS AMAZED THAT THE CHAIN GUIDES WERE SHORN OFF AS WELL; MINI DOES NOT HAVE A CHECK OIL INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE; WE CHANGE OUR OIL EVERY 5000 MILES EVEN THOUGH MINI RECOMMENDS EVERY 15000. SO, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN ON A 5 YEAR OLD CAR WITH LESS THAN 44,000 MILES. COMPLAINED TO MINI CORPORATION AND PROCEEDED WITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION EXPERT. MINI DENIED OUR CLAIM BECAUSE OUR OIL WAS LOW AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. REPAIR COST $1,950.83 AND WE ARE STILL MAKING A CAR PAYMENT ON THIS NEWER VEHICLE. RESEARCHED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AS TALKING WITH 3 ACQUAINTANCES WHO OWN A MINI. WE ARE FORTUNATE WE CAUGHT THIS ISSUE BEFORE WE HAD TO REPLACE OUR ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, BMW/MINI FINDS OIL USAGE AT 1 QUART PER 1000 MILES AS ACCEPTABLE. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY NEED TO INSTALL A CHECK OIL INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE AND CHANGE THEIR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FROM 15000 TO 3000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10481497October 23, 2012
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP STOP FUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING. SUDDEN LOST OF POWER STEERING. DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS IS THE SECOND PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. THE FIRST PUMP STOP WORKING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482000October 23, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE REGAINED POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE POWER STEERING CONTINUED TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10482022October 23, 2012
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BACKED OUT DURING MORNING COMMUTE AND THE CAR LOST ITS OIL AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT MINI SHOULD ADDRESS WITH A RECALL! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10481370October 22, 2012
POWER TRAIN
THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2005 MINI HAD BEEN SLIPPING BUT WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT FIXED. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO VARIOUS LOCAL SHOPPING PLAZAS APPLYING FOR JOBS. SHE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MAXIMUM SPEED ONE COULD DRIVE WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A WHIRRING SOUND AND SMOKE. SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND SAFELY PARKED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR HOME AND IT NOW SITS IN OUR GARAGE WHILE WE CONTINUE TO PAY FOR IT AND INSURE IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10481465October 22, 2012
ENGINE
TRAVELING WITH NO WARNING, THERMOMETER LIGHT CAME ON, TURNED YELLOW TO RED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, PULLED OVER AND CALLED DEALERSHIP, ADVISED THERE WAS RECALL ON WATER PUMP FOR OVERHEATING, HAD CAR TOWED IMMEDIATELY; DEALERSHIP REPLACED RECALLED WATER PUMP (EXTERIOR), BUT PAID $600.00 FOR THERMOSTAT; LEFT DEALERSHIP AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 30 MINUTES,HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN; NOW CAR RAN HOT AGAIN, NO ANTIFREEZE IN CAR, REFILLED AND LIGHT WENT OFF, 1.5 DAYS LATER SAME OCCURRENCE BUT ENGINE SMOKING,VERY BADLY, TOWED AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP, NOW STATES IT IS WATER PUMP #2 (INTERIOR) , AND TIMING CHANGE WHICH WAS ALREADY SUPPOSEDLY PERFORMED ON CAR, NOW STATING I MUST PAY FOR WATER PUMP, TENSIONER ON TIMING CHANGE, VALVE SENSOR, AND VALVE COVER GASKETS ANOTHER $1000.00, ALL OF WHICH PERTAIN TO THE SAME OCCURRENCES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I CALLED MINI COOPER CALL CENTER AND THEY ONLY REFER YOU BACK TO DEALERSHIP, STATING THEY HAVE NO TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST ME, THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL ITEMS. WOW I THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM ONLY BELONGED TO A SAAB I PREVIOUSLY OWNED AND ELIMINATED FOR SAME REASONS.. ! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10481261October 20, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12-4-10: THE POWER STEERING PUMP KEPT RUNNING AFTER THE CAR WAS OFF AND DRAINED THE BATTERY IN 2 HOURS. SEPT., 2012: TWO INCIDENTS OF POWER STEERING LOSS WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME I HAD NO POWER STEERING WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE, STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED. SECOND TIME I LOST POWER STEERING BRIEFLY WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING FAN HAD SEIZED AND REPLACED IT. WHEN HE TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. HE REPLACED THE PUMP AS WELL AND THE PROBLEMS WERE CORRECTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480802October 17, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING GOES OUT SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN AND STEER. HAS HAPPENED 3X IN TWO DAYS. HAPPENED ONE TIME A YEAR OR MORE AGO AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THIS IS NOW NO FLUKE. WHEN I RESTART THE VEHICLE (SO FAR) IT HAS COME BACK, BUT I CANNOT RELIABLY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THIS WAY. CANADA ORDERED A RECALL ON THIS SAME ISSUE AND MINI IS FIXING AND EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 200,000KM. SEEMS ONLY FAIR THAT US DRIVERS GET THE SAME TREATMENT. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NOT ONE WE CAN AFFORD TO LET GO UNSOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480806October 17, 2012
ENGINE
I WAS TRAVELING ON NJ TURNPIKE AND MY VEHICLE BLEW UP. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. WATER PUMP ALSO BROKE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480651October 16, 2012
STEERING
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BACK FROM COLLEGE AND THE POWER ON THE STEERING WENT OUT ON HER. IT STARTED COMING BACK ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND SHE WAS ABLE TO STEER IT SLOWLY BACK HOME FROM THERE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480652October 16, 2012
ENGINE
THIS ALL STARTED LATE 2009 OR EARLY 2010 WHEN I STARTED MY MINI AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A DIESEL INSTEAD OF A GAS ENGINE, AFTER THE CAR RAN A FEW MINUTES THE RATTLING SOUND DISSIPATED. I CONTINUED TO HEAR THIS DAILY DURING COLD STARTS SO I CONTACTED A MINI DEALER WHO INSTRUCTED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN THE WORKS FOR FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE YET SO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT SINCE IF OTHER THINGS FAIL IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE TENSIONERS WERE REPLACED AND EVERYTHING SOUNDED NORMAL AGAIN. THEN I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING POSSIBLE FIRES IN THE WATER COOLER FOR TURBO? BEFORE I COULD GET THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2012 I NOTICED A VERY LOUD METALLIC RATTLE AND EXTREME LOSS OF POWER AT 2,000RPM COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ASSUMED IT WAS THE RECALL CAUSING THE ISSUE. I TOOK THE MINI IN FOR THE RECALL OCT 13, 2012 AND MENTIONED THE LOUD RATTLE NOISE-POWER ISSUE, AFTER HAVING MY CAR TWO DAYS THE DEALER INFORMS ME THAT THE TENSIONERS/TIMING CHAIN IS OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS AND CREATING THE EXTREME NOISE AND POWER LOSS. DEALER IS REQUESTING $2500.00 TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN/IS AN ISSUE WITH MINI CARS. I WRITING YOU BECAUSE THIS SITUATION WAS SCARY WHEN I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN FAST FLOWING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS OR CROSSING TRAFFIC AND THE POWER WOULD CUT OUT AT 2,000RPM LEAVING ME SHORT SHIFTING AND STRUGGLING NOT TO CAUSE A WRECK. IT REALLY NEEDS INVESTIGATED SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND SAFETY CONCERNS. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480659October 16, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. UPON TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING VEHICLE POWER STEERING WORKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME - FOLLOWED BY INTERMITTENT FAILURES/NORMAL OPERATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480697October 16, 2012
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS NA 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE GAS SETTING AND FUEL PUMP WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,821.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480715October 16, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY POWER STEERING FAN CONTINUES TO RUN EVEN AFTER THE CARE IS TURNED OFF. IT COMPLETELY DRAINED MY BATTERY SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND I LEARNED THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN ARE DEFECTIVE. ALSO INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480633October 15, 2012
STEERING
HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES WAS GOING WEST ON A BUSY FOUR LANE CITY STREET, PREPARING TO TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I COULD HARDLY TURN THE MINI INTO THE SIDE STREET AND CAME CLOSE TO HITTING ANOTHER CAR TURNING BESIDE ME. WAS ABLE TO PARK AND AN HOUR LATER TRIED TO DRIVE HOME, POWER STEERING WORKED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THEN QUITE AGAIN. DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT IT WAS CLOSE SEVERAL TIMES. IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO STEER THE CAR AT SLOW SPEEDS AND I AM 6'2 AND 205 POUNDS A WOMAN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT IN ALL PROBABILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10480021October 13, 2012
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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