We found the following complaints for MINI COOPER (2008)
Read complaints for MINI COOPER (2008)
The weight sensor in the front passenger seat that determines whether to deactivate the airbag when a child is seated, or if the seat is unoccupied, is broken. This has caused the frontal airbag to become permanently deactivated at all times.there has been a recall of other cars for this issue, but bmw refuses to include my vehicle despite it being the same year and experiencing the identical problem.
I took my 2008 mini cooper in for its annual safety check and it did not pass. Thefront seat passenger airbag sensor is faulty, it does not detect that there is in fact a person occupying the seat. I feel that this is a safety issue that mini cooper should be responsible for. This is not a normal wear and tear issue, again, it's a safety issue. The part to replace this sensor ranges from $1200-$1400 depending on the retailer. The cost of this part is outrageous. The labor has been estimated to be 2-4 hours depending on whether or not the seat needs to be completely re-upholstered. I strongly feel that there should be a recall on this faulty sensor and that mini cooper should be responsible for ensuring that their vehicle is safe.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. While driving, the passenger air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. The contact was concerned that the air bag might not deploy in the event of a crash. The vehicle was taken to mini of bedford (located at 209 s river rd, bedford, nh 03110, (833) 785-4497) where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor needed to be reprogrammed. The contact also was informed by the technician that the passenger seat would need to be replaced if they removed it to reprogram the air bag sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and provided a case number. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
Air bag and seat belt warning light on. The dealership said it will cost $2600 to replace the parts. This is a serious safety issue, not wear or tear.existing recalls for air bags have not included my vehicle make/model.
Passenger seat airbag occupant sensor/mat failed causing airbag light to be on and for airbags not to deploy incase of a accident . Mini did not recall this issues but put a warranty extension for 10years for this defectthey are aware about. This has expired for many vehicles including mine . This is safety issue that's a potential risk of injury or death incase of a accident and the fact that mini cooper does not recall this matter is inhuman . Please help with this matter.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. When shifting into first gear, the vehicle easily switched into the reverse position. The contact was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 46,000.
Airbag sensor fails to pass the vehicle's internal safety check and a warning light is displayed. This light indicates that there is a fault with the airbag, and it will not deploy if involved in a wreck while this light is on. For the past 9 months, this sensor has been coming on intermittently at first, and now it stays on constantly while the vehicle is in operation. A safety recall was issued for this problem for other models/years of the mini cooper, but when i look up my vin it shows no recall. In online searches, i see many other owners of this same make/model of mini cooper who have the same issue. This is a serious safety issue, one that should be covered by the manufacturer, not an expense i should have to incur.
Passenger airbag sensor malfunctioning with airbag light on and not certain what will happen if airbag needs to deploy. This seems to be a widespread problem based on internet search. Mini recalled first generation models for this issue but did not include the second generation vehicles (mine).
Passenger side air bag sensor mat faulty.same issue as other mini coopers that have been recalled.was told i have to replace entire seat.$1,000.was told there is a nation wide back order for the seat.this repair should be covered by mini (bmw).
Srs computer and sensors are failing.no accident, no flooding just failing sensors and computer.mini claims this is a "maintenance" item, yet there is no documented maintenance protocol for these items.vehicle has less than 100k miles and air bag system components are failing.hence we don't know if the system will work or not and the vehicle will not pass our state inspection.
I purchased my 2008 mini cooper brand new from mini of the woodlands in texas.about a year ago, the passenger airbag warning light started illuminating randomly, which disables the passenger airbag while it is illuminated.this happened more and more frequently, until it stays illuminated most of the time now.i brought it to mini if the woodlands for evaluation, and was told that the seat sensor had gone bad, and it would cost $1,900 to replace it.i find this failure to be a little odd, considering that my mini's passenger seat has almost never had anyone in it!also, sliding the seat forward/backward seems to affect the frequency & duration of the sensor failures; though the overall frequency & duration continues to increase.from what i've seen online, and heard from other repair facilities, mini's passenger seat occupancy sensor affects far more model years than those for which bmw has already announced recalls.i'd even be happy if mini could just circumvent the passenger seat sensor, and have the airbag deploy in an accident whether or not there's anyone in the passenger seat.that's a far better option than having it deactivated whether or not there's a passenger in the car!but mini of the woodlands told me that there's no way they can do that.
I want to know when recall 15v-205 is going to be implemented. My car is affected by this recall and i was notified by mini usa in june. My airbag light has been on for 5 months and mini says it still does not have the parts to fix the problem. I consider this to be a reasonable period of ime.
Passenger side air bag, when a person is sitting in the seat, the air bag sensor indicates the air bag is not on.
Air bag warning light on speedometer is on. I have had it reset and it comes back on. The failure code is "93b1 head airbag, front passenger." what has failed has not been determined yet. The vehicle mileage is 112,000 miles. This warning came on while the vehicle was stationary, parked.when the code is reset, it will stay off for awhile and then return.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact started the vehicle and the front passenger's side air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who confirmed that the air bag sensor would need to be replaced. The manufacturer and dealer were notified and they were unable to provide an expected date for the part to become available. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000. The vin was unavailable.
Recently purchased a used 2008 mini cooper. Passenger side airbag sensor warning light is on and always stays on. This is a known defect that mini has covered under warranty/recall. I took vehicle to bmw/mini dealer in birmingham, al and was informed that this particular recall expired in 2018, or with vehicles with more than 120,000 miles. Mine has 123,000 mi. Also called mini customer service and received the same information. Many videos exist on internet/youtube about this particular defect and how to bypass problem by installing a part that bypasses the sensor or by using a scan tool to erase the code to remove the warning light. Neither of these solutions seem safe. I am concerned that the car's passenger airbag would fail to deploy in the event of a collision. Here is a video that explains the problem and a possible unsafe fix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdlmtyguipm&t=615s
Passenger side air bag light started by intermittenly turning on> now its is on all the time. Same issue as other mini coopers that have been recalled. Was told i have to replace the sensor seat mat. This repair should be covered by mini (bmw).
Airbag sensor mat does not recognize whether a person is sitting on the passenger side thereby not activating the airbag; this has been happening on & off for months; passenger airbag light comes on immediately despite occupancy while parked and during driving (all conditions-highway, city street, turning; etc. Started approximately from 75k miles; now constant from 85k on
Takata recall??the seat occupancy sensor malfunctions - 3 warning lights - always on.took mini into dealership for this problem on 9/17/15.they diagnosed:j# 1 511mzotherdiaggeneral diagnosisvehicle needs right seat weight sensor replaced.part needs to be ordered - $1493.47 part cost - customer advised.neither bmw/mini corporate or the dealership can say when the replacement part will be available - nor can they guarantee occupant safety - airbags may not deploy there is an accident. The mileage on the mini is 26,959.when is this vehicle to be included in the recall? and when will the parts be available to fix it?
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag deactivated warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 64,000 and the current mileage was 69,000.
My air bag warning light is always on. The machanic said i need to replace the whole passenger seat to replace the airbag sensor. A new seat will cost $1500 and labor will cost $500. I was not in an accident.
My car only has 47,000 miles on it and has the same passenger side airbag issue. It started off at times having the problem, now is on all the time. Mini wants $125 to diagnose the problem, which seems evident. Also paid $425 to fix electrical wiring that corroded and $1,700 2 months earlier this year when wheel sensor went bad and 3 lights went off in the car.
Faulty seat occupancy detector in passenger seat. There has been a recall on this in several models, but they do not currently include this model/year. Failure of the seat sensor prevents deployment of the passenger airbag and can only be fixed by replacing the entire seat (expensive). No user-specific actions have caused this defect, it's a well known problem. The issue was originally diagnosed in 2014, re-diagnosed 1/3/2016. The best resolution we have been offered is 10% off repair costs.
Full-grown adult passengers (weighing in excess of 120 pounds) sitting in the passenger seat causes the passenger-side airbag light to illuminate, which states, "passenger-side airbag disabled".
Passenger side head air bag warning light on and cannot be reset.this is a safety issue, but the dealership (where i purchased the car new) will not warranty or refer to manufacturer, but will charge over $1,200.00 to replace the airbag and/or sensor not knowing if it is actually defective.the car (not even six years old with less than 47k miles) should not have this potentially serious safety problem.other recalls for air bags have not included my vehicle make/model...yet.
Air bag malfunction light went on and stayed on. It did go off when a passenger sat in the seat. Sensor switch had to be replaced, a costly job. Seat was replaced. The only way i recognized the error was when there was no passenger. I feel that if i always drove with a passenger i would not have known of the malfunction.this problem is not unknown to the manufacturer as it has been discussed on websites and when mentioned to non mini repair shops, they were aware of it.
Air bag sensor goes off at random times. There is a current recall for 2005-2008 mini coopers, but not all makes. The 2005-2006 models are the mini cooper, mini cooper s, mini cooper convertible and mini cooper convertible s. The recall is extended through 2008 models but those models only include the convertible and the convertible s. The 2007-2008 mini cooper and mini cooper s are also having this air bag issue, as numerous people have mentioned on various mini forums, and should be included in the recall. ..updated 09/03/15
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that the air bag warning light sporadically illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. The vin was not available.
8;30 am three car intersection accident. Traffic light controlled 4 way intersection, auto traveling south bound ran red light and collided with two cars traveling east bound through intersection at approx 35 mph.. 1st car impacted toyota mini van drivers side. Force of accident so severethat it forced mini van into my auto. The mini van impacted my mini primarily into my drivers side door. All three vehicles had to be towed from scene of accident. My mini coopers drivers side door demolished. Force of impact so great the it bent the frame underneath the drivers door 3-4 inches according to the repair facility it was towed to. Vip auto body. The window that was approx 1/3 open shattered the window. I sustained injuries to neck, back,shoulder and right side of head which hit the door panel upon impact. I have done extensive research since this accident and there are several air bags and side door impact bag curtains in the mini cooper and none of them deployed. There is an actual sensor in the middle of each door to activate the air bags, obviously the one in the drivers side door was not working. This car supposedly has a 5 star crash rating according to mini usa and my original window sticker. I contacted mini usa the day after the accident, and they instructed me not to have any repairs done until one of there tech's came out to inspect the mini and do a diagnostic check of the air bag system. I did so. The tech came out 5 days later, and a week after that the results came in and mini usa said everything was working properly as far as the air bags. Liars. Anyone with any common sense can see that the air bags should have deployed with the force of this impact. They just don't want to take any responsibility for this accident. My mini cooper was deemed a total loss. Any investigation into this accident would be very appreciated maybe even saving a life in the future ....updated 04/23/15
I have contacted mini usa over the past 3 years on our passenger seat belt warning coming on and not going off. I have researched and found that multiple mini owners from 2006 on up andbmw owners have had the same problem. In 2006 mini did a recall and also did a recall on the bmw models but are now playing games and have offered to drop the 1600 fee to 800 dollars. I'm upset to think that they feel my safety is not their concern.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v1205000 (air bags);however, the closest dealer was eighty miles away.the contact stated that the manufacturer offered to pay for the part to do the repair, but the contact would be responsible for payment of the labor for the repair. The contact stated that the recall notice stated that the recall repair would be made free of charge. The contact had not experienced a failure.
My airbag light came on so i scheduled an appointment with mini dealer.they informed me that the passenger side oc3 mat sensor needed replaced. They informed me that there is no recall for it and my car is no longer under warranty.the cost to replace is going to be $1,454.52.after looking online at various forums, i have found hundreds of others who are experiencing the same problem at random mileages, anywhere from 30,000 - 150,000 miles.if this sensor, which is a major safety issue, keeps failing on hundreds of vehicles, this part should be recalled and fixed at the manufactures expense.how can they expect a customer to pay over $1,400 to replace a sensor that is just going to fail again in a short time, not to mention putting lives at risk?this issue has been going on for several years now without correction. Please recall this part.
My 2008 mini cooper was in accident in jan 2016.the (passenger) light came on and it was immediately take to autobody shop.the passenger airbag warning light was evaluated and added to repairs.the seat map sensor is the chief problem.the car is undrivable. The dealership in sterling indicated that it would take 15-30 day to received the part. The part was delayed until march 24,2016.three days prior to delivery it was updated to jul 13, 2016.at this point my rental car from the insurance company ran out. I contacted customer care but was not able to receive a date nor assistance about my part and lost of vehicle. After conversation with liberty mutual, auto shop and dealership, we were told that the vehicle was safe to drive without a passenger in the seat.no resolution has been made,many individuals ( consumer, insurancecompany and auto shop) involved in the situation statedit was not safe nor could loss be guaranteed.as of the 4/18/2016, the part has been put on indefinite back order.currently there is no known time frame return of vehicle.i am without transportation and iwill need to purchase another car.additionally i have heard from other repair facilities, mini's passenger seat occupancy sensor affects far more model years than those for which bmw has already announced recalls. I am also aware that more than 60 mini owners are waiting on this part as well.
Passenger airbag disabled light illuminates with fullgrown adult (weighing more than 160 pounds) properly seated while wearing seatbelt.car has been to dealer twice before to address this issue and next visit will be the third time reporting this problem for repair.
Air bag warning light on speedometer is on. I have had it reset and it comes back on. The failure code is "93b1 head airbag, front passenger." what has failed has not been determined yet. The vehicle mileage is 112,000 miles. This warning came on while the vehicle was stationary, parked.when the code is reset, it will stay off for awhile and then return.
Passenger side air bag, when a person is sitting in the seat, the air bag sensor indicates the air bag is not on.
Passenger side air bag, when a person is sitting in the seat, the air bag sensor indicates the air bag is not on.
My car only has 47,000 miles on it and has the same passenger side airbag issue. It started off at times having the problem, now is on all the time. Mini wants $125 to diagnose the problem, which seems evident. Also paid $425 to fix electrical wiring that corroded and $1,700 2 months earlier this year when wheel sensor went bad and 3 lights went off in the car.
I was driving around and i began loosing power to my car, so i stopped and then i couldn't get it started again. I was in the process of calling a tow company when i popped the hood and when i lifted it up i could smell gasoline and noticed a cloud of fumes so i backed up and it caught fire so i called 911 and now my cars virtually gone. I come across some mini cooper owners club forum and its apparently happened to other people and also on youtube. Or it seems like it was the same thing since they caught fire in the engine first too. I called mini and they are going to have me tow it there so they can diagnose it to determine what happened.
Airbag sensor mat does not recognize whether a person is sitting on the passenger side thereby not activating the airbag; this has been happening on & off for months; passenger airbag light comes on immediately despite occupancy while parked and during driving (all conditions-highway, city street, turning; etc. Started approximately from 75k miles; now constant from 85k on
The sensors on this car were no good. It did not inform me that there wasn't any oil or coolant i'm the car. I only had the car for two weeks after we discovered the dealership did not inspect or service the car like they promised. On 9/10, the car turned off while i was driving and wouldn't turn back on. Two mechanics have told me the car is no good and i am not at fault for the defects. The entire time the car was in my possession, the sensors did not warn me about any services the car needed. I have been going back and forward with the dealership about the defects. I returned the car, asked for a full refund, and they have yet to do anything to honor my wishes.
My 2008 mini cooper speedometer is off by approximately 6 miles an hour. So that if i am actually driving at 50 mph the speedometer will show 56 mph. Additionally, if i drive 100 miles, the odometer will actually show as if i drove 106 miles. This is both a safety issue as the instrumentation is wrong, as well as a fraud issue as the car loses value because of the perceived additional miles driven and would be out of warranty sooner because of the perceived mileage amount. Also, if this were a lease and i went over the amount allotted by said lease, mini would penalize the drive per the mileage. Bmw/mini has told me that they are aware of the issue and say its not a problem as they give alot of leeway for the accuracy of the speedometer.
Dear nhtsa, i nearly lost my life 3wks back, my car is filled with aftermarket prdt. My cars computer is failed also, which won't alert or record any incident. I tried talking to miniusa&carmax, they wont listen. I have an heart condition now coz of the near death experience. I developed a low high bp 80/103 & fast heartbeat, which i am taking med. After the incident. I wrote letters&posted on their facebook page no response. I need help!i used to be a proud owner of 2008 mini cooper! now my car turned into a death trap! its nothing but a nightmare, so far 3 times car was turned off in the middle of the road & freeway, when it happened i applied my (all three times) break which went to the floor, didn't work, bought the car from carmax with a warranty (extended), also the car has 53,100 miles only!called carmax burbank office no response, then called carmax office of the president after a great deal got response from a rep. Now the car is with universal city mini of noho! cars break sys. Is an after market prod. My car computer/dash display check engine light or signal comes on every 3-4 months, when it does, the light will stay on for a day or two, then it disappears, when i mentioned this to mini dealership, car key records all the activities of the cars engine and incidents, when the rep. At dealership downloaded the car key, he couldn't find a single incident, then i showed him the pic i took.. He was surprised... " this car is nothing but a lemon" poorly handled by carmax and mini. This car will kill someone, if you let it drive. Please save my life and others. Ltrs were sent to carmax&mini usa ceo's tom folliard ceo of carmax,[xxx] and [xxx].none of them, even bothered to reply, respond or tried to reach out to resolve this matter:[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Engine has developed the "death rattle" at low rev and low temperature ,indicating a failing, defective timing chain and tensione
The sensors on this car were no good. It did not inform me that there wasn't any oil or coolant i'm the car. I only had the car for two weeks after we discovered the dealership did not inspect or service the car like they promised. On 9/10, the car turned off while i was driving and wouldn't turn back on. Two mechanics have told me the car is no good and i am not at fault for the defects. The entire time the car was in my possession, the sensors did not warn me about any services the car needed. I have been going back and forward with the dealership about the defects. I returned the car, asked for a full refund, and they have yet to do anything to honor my wishes.
Purchased from carmax (11/18/17), never informed of class action lawsuit involving the timing chain with this vehicle. After only 4 months and only a few hundred miles, the problems began.first trip to mechanic, the engine valve cover was found to be cracked.replaced for just over $700.less than 10 months later and well under 2000 miles,i was in transit to work, on the highway off ramp and the mini shut down completely, would not start back up.had to be pushed off the road. Towed back to auto mechanic and another $200 to find the guide to timing chain broke off, causing engine failure.mini was towed back to carmax to find the engine needs replaced, but will have to be replaced with the same type of engine, which can cause the same problem to happen again and again.senior team at carmax is currently evaluating my case.possible buy back of vehicle, still awaiting a verdict.
Stretched timing chain seems to be a common issue with this model, but recall is only on the type s models.
While traveling on the highway in dickson, tn my 2008 mini cooper lost all power without warning. I was able to make it to the side of the highway. This was during an ice storm. We had to wait hours on the side of a highway with no heat, and vehicles struggling to stay on the road, until a tow truck driver from aaa was able to pick us up, saying how lucky we were to have not been hit. When bringing the vehicle to a certified mini dealership i was told that it was due to low oil level. The incident occured in february, my oil was changed on december. Upon repair from my independent mechanic, the cause of failure was determined to be a catastrophic engine failure due to a faulty timing chain that collapsed.i have been made aware that mini cooper is aware of the timing chain defect, and in fact sent out a service bulletin but has done nothing to fix this problem. On behalf of current mini drivers and potential buyers i urge you to look at this issue in hopes of preventing potential injuries or deaths.
"tamara recall" timing chain.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that the contact's daughter inadvertently bumped into the exhaust pipe located on the rear driver's side of the vehicle. As a result, she sustained a second degree burn to the right leg which required medical treatment. The manufacturer was notified regarding the incident and the contact was informed that the vin was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 12v008000 (engine, engine cooling). The local dealer was not informed of the incident. The failure mileage was 129,000.
Letter from senator nelson on behalf of constituent re 2008 mini cooper (attn: josiah manzo) document is hard to read.the consumer stated the timing chain. As a result, the engine to fail.
While sitting at a red light the engine shut off and would not start, car had to be towed.a few days later it was found that the timing chain had broke.with only 69,000 miles it is unheard of that a timing chain breaks.the repair cost was $5159.60.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle's temperature started to increase and the temperature warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the thermostat was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileages were 84,000.
Timing chain tensioner failure. I had to replace chain, tensioners and crank gear on my 2008 mini with 81,000 miles.
Low mileage 2008 vehicle began making loud noises from engine compartment. Diagnosed as timing chain/tensioner failure. Appears to a common problem with this model. Estimated repair cost over $2000.mechanics say not "if" but "when" this will happen to all 2008 mcs. I believe this should be repaired on a recall. Vehicle cannot be driven safely until repaired; delay will result in total engine failure.
Thermostat housing developed a leak resulting in loss of coolant, engine overheated and warped the head and bent valves.
Was driving on hwy, at 55 oil supply lineto turboleaking oil order replacement line oil line has defective rubber seals after heating up fail co was aware of this should be recalled i may repair with factory pcs that did not work co should recall do to fire possibility oil pours out of engine on to muffers very unhappy.
Dear [xxx],i am writing to you in regards to my mini cooper vin# [xxx]. Firstly, i am aware of two recall notices, id# [xxx] and id #[xxx]. I believe i should have been notified of these recalls but to date have not received a letter. Several times i indicated the sensory warning came on with engine malfunction.this concerns me, because since i purchased this vehicle, i have had catastrophic failures before 45,000miles. I have brought it to the mini service center for these failures, including: replacing spark plugs, faulty coil pack, faulty latch, brake replacement, catalytic converter failure, on-board computer replacement, total replacement of the transmission and currently, the solenoid valve replacement which is not yet fixed. I have enclosed copies of my invoices for these problems and service visits. [xxx], the technician at mini of camarillo, stated this last problem (the solenoid valve) apparently is related to the vanos although the engine light came on/off with caution message engine malfunction catalytic converter. I took it out for a test drive with him it still had the same exact jolt thrashing back and forth motion hard enough it is felt on the seat. [xxx] at mini of camarillo informed me in order to repair the ignition coil and replace the spark plugs previously replaced at the calabasas service center i have to pay a substantial amount of money in order to fix this current problem. I don't understand this since the time i brought the vehicle on may 24th the car still shakes violently while exiting out of the freeway and on frequent stops. These continued mechanical problems with my mini cooper have required it to remain unrepaired and out of service at the mini service center now for a week to be mechanically safe to drive.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The dealer informed me my oil feed lines to the turbo were leaking and would need to be replaced soon. After doing some research found the couplings that attaches these lines to the turbo are defective. There are hundreds of complaints about this issue. The dealer says there is not a recall and will cost approx: $1500.00. The dealer installed a turbo shield to help with the heat that is causing the line to prematurely fail. With so many effective shouldn't mini be fixing this issue.
Mini coopers years 2008 and 2009 have a issue which i believe is known by mini usa, but they have failed to initiate a voluntary recall.these vehicles have a timing chain that can prematurely fail (in my case at approximately 25,000 miles).if the timing chain fails while the vehicle is being driven, it will cause the vehicle to slowly come to a full stop.in the event the vehicle is being driven in a highway, this stop could cause a severe accident that potentially can involve many vehicles.this is a very serious issue, because most mini owners would not expect a timing chain to fail so prematurely.
The car starts very rough especially in colder weather. I was told by a mini dealership that could have been due to lack of oil, which is not the case as the oil was just changed.also when in traffic coming to a stop the car will drop idle and stall out.the car will stall in neutral or with clutch fully pressed in.researching online and watching some videos, it seems much like the timing tension/chain issues known but not yet having much done with them.it would be nice if bmw/mini would sort out the issue especially if its a design flaw.kinda disappointed as its not that old and has fewer then 50k miles on the engine.
Sound of the engine rattle noise when stars in the morning.
At 55000 miles started to hear engine rattle and rough running at idle. Took to dealer for service and they said the engine has multiple oil leaks, a faulty camshaft adjustment solenoid and faulty timing belt. The timing belt has caused the oil leaks and faulty solenoid. This will cause catastrophic engine failure.mini will not cover even though this has been reported and is an obvious defect.
On 15 aug 2015 i purchased a 2008 mini cooper 2d hatc with 122,629 miles for $6,325 with no warranty in stanford, nc from karas auto sales, inc. On 27 oct 2015 the mini cooper broke down while driving and pulled it over beside the road. The wrecker service took the mini to a mechanic. The mechanic stated the timing chain had broke and there was major engine damage and the repair bill will be from 8k to 10k in repair cost. Mini had approximately 125k miles on it. I've heard of a lot of complaints with those minis with those same issues happening anywhere from 30k miles to over 100k miles from 2007-2010 models. Nothing else has been spent on the car for repair. I'm not wasting anymore money on that junk mini cooper. It's to late for the lemon law to be applied. Can anything get done so that i can implement a lawsuit and receive any money for that from bmw or and the dealer or is it a waste of time? thank you in advance.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the engine failed. The contact stated that the air condition was on and began to blow out warm air. The contact also stated that the engine began to shake so he pulled the vehicle over. Upon looking under the hood, the contact noticed that there was oil spilled everywhere. The check engine light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for an inspection and they stated that the engine had catastrophically failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and they stated that the vehicle was under warranty. The failure mileage was 26,000. The vin was unavailable.
Timing chain defective.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. When shifting into first gear, the vehicle easily switched into the reverse position. The contact was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 46,000.
I purchased my 2008 mini cooper 3 years ago and it's currently around 78k my car was diagnosed with timing chain stretched and possibly engine damage. However mini cooper usa doesn't want to reimburse the money i'd pay out of pocket myself.
Cvt transmission sticking in 2nd gear.
Engine make a knocking sound when cold and gets laughter
The contact own a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that she started the engine and before she could shift into gear, the engine made a loud tapping noise before it stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,000. Updated 10/18/16*ljupdated 10/27/16.
Car has had issues with cvt transmission. Yesterday i was told that it needed to be replaced. At urging of other mini owners in the same situation, i am reporting problem to your agency in hopes to have bmw recall the cars and replace the faulty transmissions.
I purchased a new 2008 mini cooper from autohaus west/mini of st louis. The mini cooper was designed, manufactured, assembled, distributed and sold by bmw of north america, bmw (u.s.) holding corp., and bayerische motoren werke aktiengellschaft.i experienced a progressive failure of the timing chain, timing chain tensioner and related tensioner rail, guiderail and support rail.the timing chain had previously been represented to have a useful life equal to the life of the car.the timing chain is located within the engine, consists of a metal chain, and is not subject to adjustment or routine maintenance.i experienced a progressive failure of the timing chain as follows:(a) death rattle or diesel noise from engine upon start up & at low speeds, (b) rough idling after highway driving, (c) power loss & engine stalls on highway exit ramps, (d) power loss & engine stalls on highway, & (e) catastrophic engine failure.the mini cooper was serviced by autohaus west on three separate occasions with repairs//replacement of spark plugs, battery, igniter coils, thermostat cover and other items totaling over $3,000.autohaus west failed to identify the timing change as a problem.autohaus west, bmw of north america, llc, bmw (u.s.) holding corp., and bayerische motoren werke aktiengellschafthave known about the timing chain tensioner defect since 2007 and have failed to warn consumers, issue a recall or provide extended warranty coverage.the loss of power & engine stalls are serious safety hazards & will eventually lead to accidents, injuries & even death.technical service bulletin m110207 was issued in january, 2008.however, it is not widely known to consumers and fails to give consumers adequate warning. Bmw settled class action re n14 engine used in mini cooper s.however, it has ignored same problem with n12 engine used in mini cooper.same issues.
Timing chain tensioner failure on 2008 mini cooper leading to large oil leak under pressure.loss of all engine oil, oil spraying onto hot exhaust system, engine oil pressure loss and oil warning light.could easily lead to complete catastrophic engine failure/seizure at highway speeds and accident.
My wife and i live in munich, germany, where she works for the us government.last wednesday, while on the autobahn our car began to make sounds as if it was driving through a puddle or that there was some sort of fluid being splashed on the undercarriage of the car.because it was a sunny day, i knew something was wrong and i was preparing to pull the car over to investigate the cause of the sound.before i could do so however, i heard a popping sound and suddenly the car became flooded with a thick white/gray smoke from the vents and dash.i pulled over as quickly as i could and by the time i got out of the car, the entire hood and inside cabin was engulfed in smoke.rather than pop the hood, i first ran to the trunk and grabbed a reflector (which is required by law here) and ran 20-25 feet behind the car to place it on the ground, to warn oncoming traffic.no sooner had i done this, when i head an explosion, quickly turned around and saw that the entire front half of the mini was now engulfed in flames.i could do nothing but sit and watch, as within moments the fire had spread throughout the rest of the car and soon became an complete fireball.german police and fire officials showed up 15-20 minutes later and by the time the fire was extinguished, all that was left was a charred frame of metal.fortunately i was not physically hurt by the explosion or the fire.however, mentally i have replayed the experience a hundred times and each time i ask myself, what if i had popped the hood first, or what if i had taken even an extra 30 seconds in pulling the car over?thinking about it just makes my blood run cold and feels me with dread.we purchased the car in '08 in virginia and never had any issues with it and it was even in the shop earlier this year, where the fluids were all topped off and everything was told to be in excellent running condition.
In the spring 2014 i purchased a 2008 mini cooper 2d hatch with around 98,0000 miles for $14,000 with warranty in ivrington, njfrom springfield auto group auto sales. In january 2015 i had a tune up done and the mechanic reported to me after doing a engine diagnostic test that there was a problem with my immediately reported the problem to my warranty company that was provided through my the car loan company credit acceptance. The warranty company refused to pay for engine to be dropped out of the car to find out what the problem was. They advise me that i would have to pay for the engine to be dropped out of the car tobeand checked out before they pay for anything. In october 2015 the mini cooper engine finally broke down while driving i had to pulled it over while driving up route 280. The wrecker service took the mini to a mechanic. The mechanic stated the timing chain had broke and there was major engine damage and the repair bill will be from 2k torebuild the engine and 8k for a new one and i still own 11k to bank for the car. The car has approximately 106k miles on it. I've heard of a lot of complaints with those minis with those same issues happening anywhere from 30k miles to over 100k miles from 2007-2010 models. Nothing else has been spent on the car for repair. I'm not wasting anymore money on that junk mini cooper. It's to late for the lemon law to be applied. Can anything get done so that i can implement a lawsuit and receive any money for that from bmw or and the dealer or is it a waste of time? thank you in advance.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle lost all power and all the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that something was loose in the engine and that the engine needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
"death rattle" noise coming from engine compartment as reported by many others on online forums. Now engine is throwing codes indicating crankshaft out of position. Obvious related issue to a defective timing belt or tensioner. Told by dealership not a covered repair, although i've read that similar repair has been covered by manufacturer for others and for other models. As this vehicle is being driven by my young daughter, out of state, i am very concerned about a complete engine failure whilst she is on the highways in the mountains where she lives, with the potential for tragic consequences.please consider this issue as a serious potential life safety issue, as a failure at highways speeds could certainly endanger not only my daughter, but the lives of others on the highway.thank you.
In september, 2013, my 2008 mini cooper hardtop, with the n12 engine, had the timing chain fail under operation.this caused the engine to stop, at highway speed, affecting steering, braking and all ability to maneuver the vehicle out of traffic.two vehicles barely avoided my disabled vehicle.i contacted mini usa and they refused to acknowledge the factory defect in the timing-chain tensioner that causes the timing chain to fail.i paid over $8000 for a replacement n12 engine.with less than 10,000 miles on the replacement engine, in july, 2016, the timing chain failed again.this time the vehicle was crossing a bridge and there was no place to try to pull off.the situation was very dangerous and left my family vulnerable to oncoming traffic.i contacted mini usa again, and although they have admitted to the timing chain defect on their n14 engine, in the s series vehicle, they still refuse to issue a recall for the n12 engines in which the timing chain failures are more numerous.this defect causes the vehicle to becomeinoperable at speed which is unsafe in the extreme.mini usa needs to issue a safety recall for every vehicle equipped with the n12 engines.
I took the vehicle to the mini dealership after i heard a noise from the engine and the engine light came on. From online descriptions, i suspected it was the timing chain tensioner.i contacted mini corporation and opened a report.the check engine light came on about a week later and i took the car to the dealership. I was told by the dealership that the timing chain tensioner needed replaced.it was a $3500 fix.the dealership contacted mini to see if they would cover the repair and they refused saying the vehicle had too many miles.they changed the oil and the check engine light went off.about two weeks later my son was at a red light, stopped and the cars stalled.we had it flat-bedded to a repair shop.the timing chain had snapped and the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of $5700. I just saw where mini issued a recall for the timing chain tensioner and i contacted them but they have not replied.
Timing chain & tensionermy vehicle only has 85,000 miles and i have had to spend $3500.00 to change the timing chain that is supposed to be maintenance free, and last ten years as per the owners manual and service manual.car stopped suddenly on the new jersey turnpike, very dangerous situation.this is not right that i had to pay out of pocket for a car that only has 85,000 miles, and was serviced regularly.huge safety issue
At less than 33,000 miles the engine began making a loud cranking noise.oil was very recently changed, but checked the level anyway and found it was down about 2 quarts.added oil and engine noise was reduced.drove a few hundred more miles and engine noise returned.oil was again low.took car to our mechanic and they diagnosed timing chain tensioner problems.the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance.the critical timing chain failure can lead to premature engine failure. This is a safety issue because the failing timing chain can also cause the motor to fail.our mechanic in consultant with the mini dealer indicates that the only way to ensure this problem does not lead to engine failure is to replace the current engine with a new one that has the timing chain issues resolved.we have no choice but to have this repair done and it will cost approximately $7000 as the vehicle is not under warranty.this issue has been widely reported in other complaints in this database as well as across many mini owner forums.it appears that a recall order should be issued.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle began to stall without warning. The contact pulled into a left turn lane as the vehicle completely failed. The vehicle was towed to mini of the woodlands (16675 i-45, conroe, tx 77385, (936) 344-1258) where it was diagnosed that the dme (engine computer) failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Timing chain failure (which led to class action lawsuit) caused engine failure while driving on highway. Car stopped accelerating. 18 year old daughter was driving. Owners that were not aware of this lawsuit or did not vehicle at the time still affected by this defective part putting drivers in danger yet company has never issued recall.
I was driving around and i began loosing power to my car, so i stopped and then i couldn't get it started again. I was in the process of calling a tow company when i popped the hood and when i lifted it up i could smell gasoline and noticed a cloud of fumes so i backed up and it caught fire so i called 911 and now my cars virtually gone. I come across some mini cooper owners club forum and its apparently happened to other people and also on youtube. Or it seems like it was the same thing since they caught fire in the engine first too. I called mini and they are going to have me tow it there so they can diagnose it to determine what happened.
Shortly after the temperature light came on, smoke started coming out of the exhaust. I pulled over almost immediately on the side of the busy highway i was on. However, in just that short time, smoke was already coming out of the front of the car and out of the car vents. At least one bystander said he saw a fire before i shut off the engine. He called the fire department and paramedics for fear that i might be injured.please note that this was not a mini cooper s.i am requesting that you expand your current investigation of mini engine fires to include the standard model (mini cooper).
The critical timing chain failure can lead to premature engine failure. This is a safety issue because the failing timing chain can also cause the motor to fail. This in turn leads to a lack of power/acceleration/movement endangering the driver and other drivers. Currently bmw/mini has acknowledged this issue however has failed to repair or replace the defected item outside of the warranty period. This issue also does not appear to be an issue from certain date or assembly line. It has been affecting a wide range of mini cooper s and john cooper works models with a date range between 2007-current.mini cooper drivers around the u.s. And world have been reporting a strange knocking/rubbing noise coming from the engine compartment for the year 2007+ mini cooper.from the misc dealer repair details it appears to be a issue with the timing chain and tensioner system.it also appears the without being fixed the car will eventually have a timing chain failure and possible motor destruction.on a good note bmw/mini know what the problem is however is failing to come up with or acknowledge a permanent solution.how many customers issues will it take before bmw/mini will issue a full recall?we all hope not many more.i am in the second generation mini group myself.every morning i cross my fingers in hope that when i push the start button the sound of engineering failure doesn't sing from under my hood!
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact was driving 65 mph when the vehicle began to make a rattling sound and stopped accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the tensioner gave way and caused the timing chain to stretch. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were 70,000.updated 4/4/11
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that when driving approximately 45 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and they advised him that he needed a new engine due to the vaccuum pump failing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 64,000.
2008 mini cooper - my temp light came on/yellow and thinking just low and added more coolant.but it keep giving me the light signal.i didn't see any hole or is not dripping any coolant. On 01/06/12 i called mini cooper of loveland colorado to take my car in for service because my temperature light came on to yellow and then red.i was told by the mini cooper dealership, i have a hole in my coolant pipe and no one knows why.so, on the way home, my car starting to smoke bad and my car stopped running.it over heated.the last people touched my car was 6 months ago to get my oil changed from the mini cooper dealership.what's weird about it, how and why did i get a hole and why my car over heated? please i need help with this because now, it's costing me over 2500 to get my problem fix.
The oil lines that supply the turbocharger are leaking oil and it continues to get worse, starving the turbo of cooling oil and spraying oil all over the engine.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper which was purchased inaugust 2008. He stated that the vehicle would not start. The check engine light illuminated on the instrument control panel. Previously, the vehicle began stalling and losing power. He also observed smoke emitting from the engine compartment and smelled oil burning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a loss in pressure and one of the four cylinders had failed. They also found a dilapidated timing chain and possible emissions failures. The dealer was not sure what caused the failures to occur. The dealer also confirmed that the vehicle was burning oil excessively and the fuel injectors had failed. The contact was awaiting repairs to date. The contact assumed all repairs were to be made under warranty. The failure and current mileages were 29,335.
In early december 2008 my wife was putting items in the back of the mini cooper and her leg touched the exhaust, pipe burning her leg. We took it to theservice center and the service advisor informed us that there was nothing that they could do. On a recent visit to the service center the new service advisor informed us that there was a recall but not for this model. We are concerned from a safety stand point.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper sport.while removing groceries from the rear of the vehicle, the contact burned her leg on the exhaust pipe, which was located in the middle rear of the vehicle.the dealer gave her the number to the manufacturer, and they stated that they would get back with her.since that time, the dealer stated that nothing else could be done due to the design of the exhaust system.she was advised to not get too close to the exhaust.the failure and current mileages were 1,400. Updated 08/04/08.*ljthe consumer statedthe design itself was flawed. The consumer stated the issue could easily be rectified by making the exhaust pipe shorter.updated08/06/08
On 9/3/08 i leaned into the rear of my 2008 mini cooper to retrieve grocery bags and my bare leg (right leg) came into contact with the tail pipe of the vehicle.the tail pipe was hot as in "like a red-hot poker" and i received an extremely painful crescent shaped burn on my lower leg from the tail pipe. The tail pipe protrudes beyond the bumper by at least an inch. I measured it and on the right side it measures 2 and one-half inches beyond the bumper and on the left side it sticks out one and one-half inches beyond the bumper. On my mini cooper, i have one tail pipe which is on the right side of the rear of the vehicle. I required treatment at an emergency room less than 36 hours later when i became concerned that the wound may become infected.the attending doctor told me that wound was healing well and that it was not infected.i was prescribed 1% silver sulfadiazine cream (topical) to tend the wound. Updated 09/26/08.
Tailpipe burned leg while getting items out of trunk of 2008 mini cooper 2 door sedan.
Ltr from congressman maurice d. Hinchey on behalf of constituent, who suffered a leg burn from the tailpipe of her 2008 mini cooper. *nj
Dear nhtsa, i nearly lost my life 3wks back, my car is filled with aftermarket prdt. My cars computer is failed also, which won't alert or record any incident. I tried talking to miniusa&carmax, they wont listen. I have an heart condition now coz of the near death experience. I developed a low high bp 80/103 & fast heartbeat, which i am taking med. After the incident. I wrote letters&posted on their facebook page no response. I need help!i used to be a proud owner of 2008 mini cooper! now my car turned into a death trap! its nothing but a nightmare, so far 3 times car was turned off in the middle of the road & freeway, when it happened i applied my (all three times) break which went to the floor, didn't work, bought the car from carmax with a warranty (extended), also the car has 53,100 miles only!called carmax burbank office no response, then called carmax office of the president after a great deal got response from a rep. Now the car is with universal city mini of noho! cars break sys. Is an after market prod. My car computer/dash display check engine light or signal comes on every 3-4 months, when it does, the light will stay on for a day or two, then it disappears, when i mentioned this to mini dealership, car key records all the activities of the cars engine and incidents, when the rep. At dealership downloaded the car key, he couldn't find a single incident, then i showed him the pic i took.. He was surprised... " this car is nothing but a lemon" poorly handled by carmax and mini. This car will kill someone, if you let it drive. Please save my life and others. Ltrs were sent to carmax&mini usa ceo's tom folliard ceo of carmax,[xxx] and [xxx].none of them, even bothered to reply, respond or tried to reach out to resolve this matter:[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Sound of the engine rattle noise when stars in the morning.
I was driving around and i began loosing power to my car, so i stopped and then i couldn't get it started again. I was in the process of calling a tow company when i popped the hood and when i lifted it up i could smell gasoline and noticed a cloud of fumes so i backed up and it caught fire so i called 911 and now my cars virtually gone. I come across some mini cooper owners club forum and its apparently happened to other people and also on youtube. Or it seems like it was the same thing since they caught fire in the engine first too. I called mini and they are going to have me tow it there so they can diagnose it to determine what happened.
When pressing the break, the engine revs.i turned on the car and pressed the break. The engine revved. When i pressed the brake again it revved up to 7000 rpm. I turned off the car.i did this several times and it continued to happen. I was afraid to put the car in gear.while driving down the road a month ago the mini engine rpm raised and the car went faster even though i was not pressing the gas.i was able to stop it.
While driving i noticed the smell of gasoline that became increasingly stronger.after i arrived home i began looking for the source of the gasoline smell.what i found was thehigh pressure fuel line that supplies fuel to the injector rail was leaking.the way the hose was routed on the back of the engine, allowed the hose to rest on a retaining clip for another hose. The retaining clip had worn a groove into the high pressure line and gasoline was spraying across the back of the engine and down onto the engine exhaust.
Cvt transmission stuck in first gear while driving on a highway and would not go more than 30mph and cars had to swerve from behind me in order to prevent an accident.the dealer wants to replace the transmission for $8,000.00 which is ridiculous. I could have been killed on highway along with my daughter..
Stretched timing chain seems to be a common issue with this model, but recall is only on the type s models.
Here in oregon the electric vehicles are severely restricted to 20 miles per hour and one can not get a license to drive them on the streets. In light of global warming this is a disgrace. People will not buy vehicles that are so severely restricted yet the government is bragging about how much it is doing for the country. I intend to keep looking for proper agencies to respond to this serious breach of trust to the citizens of this nation.i request a response in regards to what steps you can take and what help you might need from me.thank you,bruce burnsps: i had to choose a vehicle and zap car was not on the list so please substitute zap car for cooper (mini).
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. When shifting into first gear, the vehicle easily switched into the reverse position. The contact was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 46,000.
Sound of the engine rattle noise when stars in the morning.
Cvt transmission belt broke while driving and the car came to a. Stop .i could have been crushed by a big truck that was behind luckily hewas able to swerve around me
Car has had issues with cvt transmission. Yesterday i was told that it needed to be replaced. At urging of other mini owners in the same situation, i am reporting problem to your agency in hopes to have bmw recall the cars and replace the faulty transmissions.
I purchased a new 2008 mini cooper from autohaus west/mini of st louis. The mini cooper was designed, manufactured, assembled, distributed and sold by bmw of north america, bmw (u.s.) holding corp., and bayerische motoren werke aktiengellschaft.i experienced a progressive failure of the timing chain, timing chain tensioner and related tensioner rail, guiderail and support rail.the timing chain had previously been represented to have a useful life equal to the life of the car.the timing chain is located within the engine, consists of a metal chain, and is not subject to adjustment or routine maintenance.i experienced a progressive failure of the timing chain as follows:(a) death rattle or diesel noise from engine upon start up & at low speeds, (b) rough idling after highway driving, (c) power loss & engine stalls on highway exit ramps, (d) power loss & engine stalls on highway, & (e) catastrophic engine failure.the mini cooper was serviced by autohaus west on three separate occasions with repairs//replacement of spark plugs, battery, igniter coils, thermostat cover and other items totaling over $3,000.autohaus west failed to identify the timing change as a problem.autohaus west, bmw of north america, llc, bmw (u.s.) holding corp., and bayerische motoren werke aktiengellschafthave known about the timing chain tensioner defect since 2007 and have failed to warn consumers, issue a recall or provide extended warranty coverage.the loss of power & engine stalls are serious safety hazards & will eventually lead to accidents, injuries & even death.technical service bulletin m110207 was issued in january, 2008.however, it is not widely known to consumers and fails to give consumers adequate warning. Bmw settled class action re n14 engine used in mini cooper s.however, it has ignored same problem with n12 engine used in mini cooper.same issues.
Dear [xxx],i am writing to you in regards to my mini cooper vin# [xxx]. Firstly, i am aware of two recall notices, id# [xxx] and id #[xxx]. I believe i should have been notified of these recalls but to date have not received a letter. Several times i indicated the sensory warning came on with engine malfunction.this concerns me, because since i purchased this vehicle, i have had catastrophic failures before 45,000miles. I have brought it to the mini service center for these failures, including: replacing spark plugs, faulty coil pack, faulty latch, brake replacement, catalytic converter failure, on-board computer replacement, total replacement of the transmission and currently, the solenoid valve replacement which is not yet fixed. I have enclosed copies of my invoices for these problems and service visits. [xxx], the technician at mini of camarillo, stated this last problem (the solenoid valve) apparently is related to the vanos although the engine light came on/off with caution message engine malfunction catalytic converter. I took it out for a test drive with him it still had the same exact jolt thrashing back and forth motion hard enough it is felt on the seat. [xxx] at mini of camarillo informed me in order to repair the ignition coil and replace the spark plugs previously replaced at the calabasas service center i have to pay a substantial amount of money in order to fix this current problem. I don't understand this since the time i brought the vehicle on may 24th the car still shakes violently while exiting out of the freeway and on frequent stops. These continued mechanical problems with my mini cooper have required it to remain unrepaired and out of service at the mini service center now for a week to be mechanically safe to drive.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The critical timing chain failure can lead to premature engine failure. This is a safety issue because the failing timing chain can also cause the motor to fail. This in turn leads to a lack of power/acceleration/movement endangering the driver and other drivers. Currently bmw/mini has acknowledged this issue however has failed to repair or replace the defected item outside of the warranty period. This issue also does not appear to be an issue from certain date or assembly line. It has been affecting a wide range of mini cooper s and john cooper works models with a date range between 2007-current.mini cooper drivers around the u.s. And world have been reporting a strange knocking/rubbing noise coming from the engine compartment for the year 2007+ mini cooper.from the misc dealer repair details it appears to be a issue with the timing chain and tensioner system.it also appears the without being fixed the car will eventually have a timing chain failure and possible motor destruction.on a good note bmw/mini know what the problem is however is failing to come up with or acknowledge a permanent solution.how many customers issues will it take before bmw/mini will issue a full recall?we all hope not many more.i am in the second generation mini group myself.every morning i cross my fingers in hope that when i push the start button the sound of engineering failure doesn't sing from under my hood!
The contact owns a 2008 bmw mini cooper.while driving approximately 35 mph, the transmission monitor light illuminated on the instrument control panel.the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced the monitor.immediately after the repair, the failure recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer.the technician performed the same repair.three days later, the failure recurred again and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer a third time.the vehicle has been at the dealer for the past two weeks because the cause of the failure cannot be determined.he called the manufacturer and is waiting for a response.the failure and current mileages were 539.
Recently purchased a used 2008 mini cooper. Passenger side airbag sensor warning light is on and always stays on. This is a known defect that mini has covered under warranty/recall. I took vehicle to bmw/mini dealer in birmingham, al and was informed that this particular recall expired in 2018, or with vehicles with more than 120,000 miles. Mine has 123,000 mi. Also called mini customer service and received the same information. Many videos exist on internet/youtube about this particular defect and how to bypass problem by installing a part that bypasses the sensor or by using a scan tool to erase the code to remove the warning light. Neither of these solutions seem safe. I am concerned that the car's passenger airbag would fail to deploy in the event of a collision. Here is a video that explains the problem and a possible unsafe fix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdlmtyguipm&t=615s
Air bag and seat belt warning light on. The dealership said it will cost $2600 to replace the parts. This is a serious safety issue, not wear or tear.existing recalls for air bags have not included my vehicle make/model.
Srs computer and sensors are failing.no accident, no flooding just failing sensors and computer.mini claims this is a "maintenance" item, yet there is no documented maintenance protocol for these items.vehicle has less than 100k miles and air bag system components are failing.hence we don't know if the system will work or not and the vehicle will not pass our state inspection.
My 2008 mini cooper was in accident in jan 2016.the (passenger) light came on and it was immediately take to autobody shop.the passenger airbag warning light was evaluated and added to repairs.the seat map sensor is the chief problem.the car is undrivable. The dealership in sterling indicated that it would take 15-30 day to received the part. The part was delayed until march 24,2016.three days prior to delivery it was updated to jul 13, 2016.at this point my rental car from the insurance company ran out. I contacted customer care but was not able to receive a date nor assistance about my part and lost of vehicle. After conversation with liberty mutual, auto shop and dealership, we were told that the vehicle was safe to drive without a passenger in the seat.no resolution has been made,many individuals ( consumer, insurancecompany and auto shop) involved in the situation statedit was not safe nor could loss be guaranteed.as of the 4/18/2016, the part has been put on indefinite back order.currently there is no known time frame return of vehicle.i am without transportation and iwill need to purchase another car.additionally i have heard from other repair facilities, mini's passenger seat occupancy sensor affects far more model years than those for which bmw has already announced recalls. I am also aware that more than 60 mini owners are waiting on this part as well.
My air bag warning light is always on. The machanic said i need to replace the whole passenger seat to replace the airbag sensor. A new seat will cost $1500 and labor will cost $500. I was not in an accident.
Airbag sensor mat does not recognize whether a person is sitting on the passenger side thereby not activating the airbag; this has been happening on & off for months; passenger airbag light comes on immediately despite occupancy while parked and during driving (all conditions-highway, city street, turning; etc. Started approximately from 75k miles; now constant from 85k on
The weight sensor in the front passenger seat that determines whether to deactivate the airbag when a child is seated, or if the seat is unoccupied, is broken. This has caused the frontal airbag to become permanently deactivated at all times.there has been a recall of other cars for this issue, but bmw refuses to include my vehicle despite it being the same year and experiencing the identical problem.
Faulty seat occupancy detector in passenger seat. There has been a recall on this in several models, but they do not currently include this model/year. Failure of the seat sensor prevents deployment of the passenger airbag and can only be fixed by replacing the entire seat (expensive). No user-specific actions have caused this defect, it's a well known problem. The issue was originally diagnosed in 2014, re-diagnosed 1/3/2016. The best resolution we have been offered is 10% off repair costs.
When pressing the break, the engine revs.i turned on the car and pressed the break. The engine revved. When i pressed the brake again it revved up to 7000 rpm. I turned off the car.i did this several times and it continued to happen. I was afraid to put the car in gear.while driving down the road a month ago the mini engine rpm raised and the car went faster even though i was not pressing the gas.i was able to stop it.
Dear nhtsa, i nearly lost my life 3wks back, my car is filled with aftermarket prdt. My cars computer is failed also, which won't alert or record any incident. I tried talking to miniusa&carmax, they wont listen. I have an heart condition now coz of the near death experience. I developed a low high bp 80/103 & fast heartbeat, which i am taking med. After the incident. I wrote letters&posted on their facebook page no response. I need help!i used to be a proud owner of 2008 mini cooper! now my car turned into a death trap! its nothing but a nightmare, so far 3 times car was turned off in the middle of the road & freeway, when it happened i applied my (all three times) break which went to the floor, didn't work, bought the car from carmax with a warranty (extended), also the car has 53,100 miles only!called carmax burbank office no response, then called carmax office of the president after a great deal got response from a rep. Now the car is with universal city mini of noho! cars break sys. Is an after market prod. My car computer/dash display check engine light or signal comes on every 3-4 months, when it does, the light will stay on for a day or two, then it disappears, when i mentioned this to mini dealership, car key records all the activities of the cars engine and incidents, when the rep. At dealership downloaded the car key, he couldn't find a single incident, then i showed him the pic i took.. He was surprised... " this car is nothing but a lemon" poorly handled by carmax and mini. This car will kill someone, if you let it drive. Please save my life and others. Ltrs were sent to carmax&mini usa ceo's tom folliard ceo of carmax,[xxx] and [xxx].none of them, even bothered to reply, respond or tried to reach out to resolve this matter:[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Dear [xxx],i am writing to you in regards to my mini cooper vin# [xxx]. Firstly, i am aware of two recall notices, id# [xxx] and id #[xxx]. I believe i should have been notified of these recalls but to date have not received a letter. Several times i indicated the sensory warning came on with engine malfunction.this concerns me, because since i purchased this vehicle, i have had catastrophic failures before 45,000miles. I have brought it to the mini service center for these failures, including: replacing spark plugs, faulty coil pack, faulty latch, brake replacement, catalytic converter failure, on-board computer replacement, total replacement of the transmission and currently, the solenoid valve replacement which is not yet fixed. I have enclosed copies of my invoices for these problems and service visits. [xxx], the technician at mini of camarillo, stated this last problem (the solenoid valve) apparently is related to the vanos although the engine light came on/off with caution message engine malfunction catalytic converter. I took it out for a test drive with him it still had the same exact jolt thrashing back and forth motion hard enough it is felt on the seat. [xxx] at mini of camarillo informed me in order to repair the ignition coil and replace the spark plugs previously replaced at the calabasas service center i have to pay a substantial amount of money in order to fix this current problem. I don't understand this since the time i brought the vehicle on may 24th the car still shakes violently while exiting out of the freeway and on frequent stops. These continued mechanical problems with my mini cooper have required it to remain unrepaired and out of service at the mini service center now for a week to be mechanically safe to drive.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph the steering wheel suddenly locked. The vehicle was shut off, and upon restart the failure continued. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper. While driving approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to south bay mini (18900 hawthorne blvd, torrance, ca 90504) where it was diagnosed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The failure mileage was 89,072. The vin was not available.
8;30 am three car intersection accident. Traffic light controlled 4 way intersection, auto traveling south bound ran red light and collided with two cars traveling east bound through intersection at approx 35 mph.. 1st car impacted toyota mini van drivers side. Force of accident so severethat it forced mini van into my auto. The mini van impacted my mini primarily into my drivers side door. All three vehicles had to be towed from scene of accident. My mini coopers drivers side door demolished. Force of impact so great the it bent the frame underneath the drivers door 3-4 inches according to the repair facility it was towed to. Vip auto body. The window that was approx 1/3 open shattered the window. I sustained injuries to neck, back,shoulder and right side of head which hit the door panel upon impact. I have done extensive research since this accident and there are several air bags and side door impact bag curtains in the mini cooper and none of them deployed. There is an actual sensor in the middle of each door to activate the air bags, obviously the one in the drivers side door was not working. This car supposedly has a 5 star crash rating according to mini usa and my original window sticker. I contacted mini usa the day after the accident, and they instructed me not to have any repairs done until one of there tech's came out to inspect the mini and do a diagnostic check of the air bag system. I did so. The tech came out 5 days later, and a week after that the results came in and mini usa said everything was working properly as far as the air bags. Liars. Anyone with any common sense can see that the air bags should have deployed with the force of this impact. They just don't want to take any responsibility for this accident. My mini cooper was deemed a total loss. Any investigation into this accident would be very appreciated maybe even saving a life in the future ....updated 04/23/15
Mini cooper power steering problems (2007 and 2008 models)- i noticed the reports on power steering. I have leased 2 minis and found that this was a problem when trying to parallel park in new york city. When trying to fit into a small space--which requires lots of twists, turns of the steering wheel repeatedly until car is squeezed in--the power steering on both years of both cars that i had--and the 2007 i test drove at the dealer--all popped out. It seems that repeated turning makes the power steering turn off. If you wait a few seconds once it starts getting harder to turn, then it will loosen up again. I only had this problem when trying to park--so not a dangerous situation, just annoying.
My wife and i live in munich, germany, where she works for the us government.last wednesday, while on the autobahn our car began to make sounds as if it was driving through a puddle or that there was some sort of fluid being splashed on the undercarriage of the car.because it was a sunny day, i knew something was wrong and i was preparing to pull the car over to investigate the cause of the sound.before i could do so however, i heard a popping sound and suddenly the car became flooded with a thick white/gray smoke from the vents and dash.i pulled over as quickly as i could and by the time i got out of the car, the entire hood and inside cabin was engulfed in smoke.rather than pop the hood, i first ran to the trunk and grabbed a reflector (which is required by law here) and ran 20-25 feet behind the car to place it on the ground, to warn oncoming traffic.no sooner had i done this, when i head an explosion, quickly turned around and saw that the entire front half of the mini was now engulfed in flames.i could do nothing but sit and watch, as within moments the fire had spread throughout the rest of the car and soon became an complete fireball.german police and fire officials showed up 15-20 minutes later and by the time the fire was extinguished, all that was left was a charred frame of metal.fortunately i was not physically hurt by the explosion or the fire.however, mentally i have replayed the experience a hundred times and each time i ask myself, what if i had popped the hood first, or what if i had taken even an extra 30 seconds in pulling the car over?thinking about it just makes my blood run cold and feels me with dread.we purchased the car in '08 in virginia and never had any issues with it and it was even in the shop earlier this year, where the fluids were all topped off and everything was told to be in excellent running condition.
8;30 am three car intersection accident. Traffic light controlled 4 way intersection, auto traveling south bound ran red light and collided with two cars traveling east bound through intersection at approx 35 mph.. 1st car impacted toyota mini van drivers side. Force of accident so severethat it forced mini van into my auto. The mini van impacted my mini primarily into my drivers side door. All three vehicles had to be towed from scene of accident. My mini coopers drivers side door demolished. Force of impact so great the it bent the frame underneath the drivers door 3-4 inches according to the repair facility it was towed to. Vip auto body. The window that was approx 1/3 open shattered the window. I sustained injuries to neck, back,shoulder and right side of head which hit the door panel upon impact. I have done extensive research since this accident and there are several air bags and side door impact bag curtains in the mini cooper and none of them deployed. There is an actual sensor in the middle of each door to activate the air bags, obviously the one in the drivers side door was not working. This car supposedly has a 5 star crash rating according to mini usa and my original window sticker. I contacted mini usa the day after the accident, and they instructed me not to have any repairs done until one of there tech's came out to inspect the mini and do a diagnostic check of the air bag system. I did so. The tech came out 5 days later, and a week after that the results came in and mini usa said everything was working properly as far as the air bags. Liars. Anyone with any common sense can see that the air bags should have deployed with the force of this impact. They just don't want to take any responsibility for this accident. My mini cooper was deemed a total loss. Any investigation into this accident would be very appreciated maybe even saving a life in the future ....updated 04/23/15
I purchased my 2008 mini cooper 3 years ago and it's currently around 78k my car was diagnosed with timing chain stretched and possibly engine damage. However mini cooper usa doesn't want to reimburse the money i'd pay out of pocket myself.
Sunroof spontaneously shattered.no impact or other incident.simply driving on highway 85 in santa clara, california.loud explosion sound, covered in glass with hanging sunroof.reported incident to 911 then to chp.no assignable cause.
When pressing the break, the engine revs.i turned on the car and pressed the break. The engine revved. When i pressed the brake again it revved up to 7000 rpm. I turned off the car.i did this several times and it continued to happen. I was afraid to put the car in gear.while driving down the road a month ago the mini engine rpm raised and the car went faster even though i was not pressing the gas.i was able to stop it.
My car only has 47,000 miles on it and has the same passenger side airbag issue. It started off at times having the problem, now is on all the time. Mini wants $125 to diagnose the problem, which seems evident. Also paid $425 to fix electrical wiring that corroded and $1,700 2 months earlier this year when wheel sensor went bad and 3 lights went off in the car.
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