MINI Cooper Complaints

4,588 consumer complaints on file.

#10355008September 11, 2010
STEERING
2004 MINI COOPER. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AT HIGH SPEED WHILE DRIVING ON WINDY ROAD AT NIGHT. WAS ABLE TO OVER CORRECT AND SLOW VEHICLE SAFELY. HAD IT BEEN MY DAUGHTER DRIVING SHE MAY HAVE CRASHED. PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND NO ENGINE LIGHTS. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WITH NEW MODEL CARS WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES. SHOULD BE A RECALL TO BMW FOR THIS!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354556September 8, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED WITH NORMAL FUNCTIONING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE PROGRESSED TO WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION AT ANY SPEED BEING TRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354416September 8, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WAS TRAVEL AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH, WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY DOWN TO 15 MPH. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF, BUT I COULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 15 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC FLOW WAS SPACED SO I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS MALFUNCTION WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS SAID TO GONE INTO "LIMP MODE". THE ELECTRONIC BELT WAS REPLACED THAT APPARENTLY CONTROLS THE VEHICLE FUNCTION AT A COST OF $3400.00. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354139September 7, 2010
STEERING
I NOTICED A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353692September 3, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I APPROACH MY EXIT AND AS I COME TO A STOP ON THE EXIT RAMP, THE CAR STALLS AND DIES. CAR WILL NOT RESTART. VEHICLE IS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP. AFTER INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP, I AM TOLD THE VACUUM PUMP HAS FAILED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. SUGGESTED REPAIR IS ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353809September 3, 2010
STEERING
I STARTED MY CAR AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS, TO FIND THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THE CAR WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE - BUT I HAD TO MOVE IT TO AVOID IT BEING TOWED. WHILE ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, THIS UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, OR IN A DENSELY POPULATED AREA REQUIRING QUICK STEERING REACTIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM. SEE THIS THREAD ON THE MINI NORTH AMERICAN MOTORING DISCUSSION PAGES: HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/STOCK-PROBLEMS-ISSUES/74213-THE-GREAT-POWER-STEERING-PUMP-FAILURE-PROBLEMS-THREAD-22.HTML. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353563September 2, 2010
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING FUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED IN ORDER FOR THE POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION PROPERLY THE VEHICLE HAD TO COOL DOWN AND THAT COULD TAKE HOURS. THE VEHICLE ALSO BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING HER YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL AND THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND WOULD LIKE FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 01/20/11 *BF UPDATED 03/28/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353223September 1, 2010
STEERING
COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN WARM CAR IS STARTED. NOT A PROBLEM WHEN CAR IS COLD. REQUIRES APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS FOR CAR TO COOL BEFORE CAR CAN BE STARTED AND SAFELY DRIVEN WITH POWER STEERING RESTORED. WILL BE REPLACING WITH OEM POWER STEERING PUMP. NEW PUMP IS APPROX $600 AND LABOR IS APPROX $150 AT INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. DEALER ESTIMATE IS APPROX $1300. OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WILL NOT DRIVE CAR DUE TO FEAR THAT POWER STEERING WILL BE LOST WHILE DRIVING THOUGH THIS HAS NOT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10352921August 31, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ON 2005 MINI COOPER S WITH 13,000 MILES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. MINI DIAGNOSED REASON AS FAILURE OF THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE $1100 REPAIR. MINI WILL NOT FIX BECAUSE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MINI DID NOT STATE WHETHER THE AIRBAG WILL OR WILL NOT FUNCTION. PASSENGER SEAT HAS RARELY BEEN USED. MINI DENIES RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10353116August 31, 2010
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A MINI COOPER 2009 WHICH TODAY MARKS A YEAR OF PURCHASE, FOR ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS HAS BEEN LEADING THE WARRANTY SERVICE DUE TO FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAG PASSENGER AND THE CAR TURNS OFF WHILE USING. UNFORTUNATELY TO GET THE CAR TO SERVICE NEVER CAN DIAGNOSE THE FAULT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351891August 26, 2010
STRUCTURE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351935August 26, 2010
STEERING
2002 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. PUMP HAD STOPPED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR PREVIOUSLY. NOW, PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10351380August 23, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THE WALL NEXT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE POINT IT CAN BURN YOUR FOOT. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE AC HEATER COMPONENTS WHEN DRIVING AND RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE MINI COOPER DEALER DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. THE ONLY FIX THEY HAD WAS A TWO INCH INSULATED TUBE FOR THE COIL PIPE. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO OTHER SOLUTION. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN MYSELF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350833August 20, 2010
STEERING
2004 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING FAILURE AFTER <50,000 MILES VERY HARD TO STEER. HAD TO REPLACE THE PUMP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350635August 19, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS REACHING OVER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN THE TRUNK WHEN HER LEG WAS BURNED BY THE MUFFLER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE BRACKETS WHICH HELD THE MUFFLER IN PLACE HAD RUSTED, ALLOWING THE MUFFLER TO HANG. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS EMISSIONS WITHOUT REPAIRING THE MUFFLER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE MUFFLER BRACKETS REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10350520August 19, 2010
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE GOING UP HILL ON A CURVY TWO LANE ROAD. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FORCED ME TO GO INTO THE OTHER LANE, WHERE FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE PRESENT. IF I WAS GOING DOWN HILL ON THE SAME ROAD I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY GONE AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE HILL OR OFF THE SIDE OF THE CLIFF IF NOT HITTING AN ON COMING CAR FIRST. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME OVER $1000 TO CHANGE THE ELECTRO/HYDRAULIC STEERING PUMP. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH MANY MINIS ACCORDING TO FORUM POSTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350222August 18, 2010
VISIBILITY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2008 MINI COOPER S. THE VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE FAILURE WITH NO NOTICE. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 287 IN NJ WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NOTICE THE CAR LOST TOTAL POWER. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, ALL GAUGES DROPPED TO ZERO, NO POWER WHATSOEVER FROM THE ENGINE, NO WAY TO OPEN WINDOWS OR DOOR LOCKS AS THEIR WAS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE - THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO NOTICE. ONE MOMENT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THE NEXT I HAD COMPLETE AND TOTAL MECHANICAL, ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE RENDERING THE CAR DISABLED AND WITHOUT POWER IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF INTERSTATE 287 SOUTH IN MORRISTOWN NJ. VEHICLE BROUGHT TO MINI DEALER; VEHICLE THERE FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS-SUPPOSEDLY "FIXED". THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WITHIN 100 MILES OF THAT FIRST SERVICE. VEHICLE BROUGHT TO MINI DEALER AGAIN. HAPPENED A THIRD TIME FOR THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHILE HE DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM PRINCETON TO PA. VEHICLE WAS AT MINI FOR ANOTHER 2 AND ONE HALF WEEKS. NOW THEY SAY IT IS FIXED AND I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT THEY ARE CORRECT. THIS PROBLEM IS WITHOUT WARNING AND LEAVES THE VEHICLE PERMANENTLY DISABLED IN A TOTAL AND COMPLETE WAY THAT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH FOR THE OCCUPANTS. MINI CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS ABHORRENT. THEY WOULD NOT RETURN CALLS AND STALLED TIME AND AGAIN WHEN ASKED TO REPURCHASE THIS VEHICLE WHICH IS CLEARLY UNSAFE. THEY WILL DO NOTHING. THE NHTSA MUST INVESTIGATE. THE ONLY PART THEY TELL ME IS WRONG IS THE FOOTWELL MODULE BUT WILL BE NO MORE SPECIFIC. MINI MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DEFECT AND FAILURE; THIS IS OF VERY SERIOUS NATURE. AGAIN, THE CAR COMPLETELY FAILS-EVERYTHING-ENGINE, ELECTRICAL, ALL POWER YOU CAN NOT OPEN DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS OR THE REAR HATCH. THE ENGINE LOSSES ALL POWER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10350141August 17, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY TURNED ON AND OFF DURING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE CAR THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE TEN MONTHS AGO. THE ACTUAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP OCCURRED ON 8/16/2010 WHEN THE RELAY WITHIN THE UNIT FAILED AND WOULD NOT TURN THE PUMP OFF EVEN WHEN THE CARS ENGINE WAS OFF. THE RESULT WAS A DRAINED BATTERY AND THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE JUMP STARTED BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING PUMP TURNED ON AND CONTINUED TO DRAIN POWER AS SOON AS IT WAS CONNECTED TO POWER EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS DOWN AND ALL THREE OCCURRENCES WERE WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH. ALSO WHEN THE CAR IS OFF THE COOLING FAN IS ALSO OFF AND THE PUMP HEATS UP TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS A VERY REAL RISK OF ENGINE FIRE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE COOLING FAN REPLACED. THE WORK IS NOT YET COMPLETED BUT THE ESTIMATED COST IS 1,700 USD. THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MINI COOPERS AS THE NUMBER OF FORUMS DEVOTED TO AND PERSONS REPORTING THIS ISSUE ON THE FORUMS ARE ASTOUNDING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10349309August 14, 2010
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON 2002 MINI COOPER S HAS REPEATEDLY SEIZED UP WHEN DRIVING OVER A COURSE OF A FEW MONTHS AND NOW IT WONT TURN OFF WHEN THE CAR IS OFF SO THE BATTERY DRAINS OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10349357August 14, 2010
STEERING
PULLED INTO A BOOKSTORE CAME BACK 30MIN LATER, TRIED TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. MY WIFE ISN'T QUITE STRONG ENOUGH - SO I HAD TO DRIVE IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. VERY SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING, COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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