2008 Mini Cooper Clubman

THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY IS FAILING AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AFTER BUYING IT USED FROM A MINI DEALERSHIP WHO HAD PERFORMED THEIR USUAL INSPECTIONS AND RESALE MAINTENANCE. APPARENTLY THE TIMING CHAIN IS INSIDE THE ENGINE CASING AND THE METAL CHAIN RUNS ALONG A PLASTIC GUIDE. THE TOP PORTION OF THE PLASTIC GUIDE HAS, IT APPEARS, FAILED, CAUSING A VERY LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND RISKING COMPLETE TIMING FAILURE WHICH, OF COURSE, COULD POTENTIALLY PRESENT SERIOUS MECHANICAL AND SAFETY ISSUES IF IT HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEED. I HAVE FOUND WIDE REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING SIMILARLY IN OTHER CARS, HOWEVER AFTER A QUICK SEARCH, I DON'T SEE THIS ISSUE LISTED ON THIS NHTSA SITE, SO I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE ADDED. SEE THESE LINKS FOR REFERENCE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS/CONSUMERS-COMPLAIN-OF-MINI-COOPER-TIMING-BELT-FAILURES-080113.HTML AND HTTP://BLOG.AUTOWORKSTX.COM/2014/10/MINI-COOPER-TIMING-CHAIN-ISSUES/

THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR IS LIT UP WHILE THERE IS NO ONE PRESENT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG IS OFF INDICATOR LIGHT IS SOMETIMES ILLUMINATED. THE WARNING INDICATOR IS INTERMITTENT AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR IS INTERMITTENT. THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES THAT ARE PULLING FROM THE STANDARD OBD PORT. THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF KNOWN ISSUES RELATED TO THE PASSENGER MAT. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED MINI COOPER DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS RUN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. MINI COOPER HAS BEEN FORCED TO RECALL 2008 CONVERTIBLES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE SAME YEAR COUNTRYMAN MODELS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT REQUIRED ME TO PAY TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SEAT REPLACED. THIS REPAIR COST ME $ 1,800, AND MINI COOPER REFUSES TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE REPAIR.

DRIVING WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT TURNED ON. AFTER SHIFTING IN THE SEAT THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG MAT AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MINIS. HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER. READING ONLINE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. KEEP WAITING FOR A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY LIGHT LIT UP IN 2 PLACES ON DASH INFORMATION-THERE WAS NO OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE @ MINI COOPER WEB SITES INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAS PERSISTED FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIR (USUALLY BETWEEN $1600 & $2600) AS THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR (FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT) IS SEWN INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT & THE REPAIR CALLS FOR THE BOTTOM COVER OF THE SEAT TO BE REPLACES WITH A NEW SENSOR PRE-SEWN IN. THE SITES OFFER "EMULATOR" KITS WHICH TRICKS THE SENSOR-BUT WILL PROHIBIT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN MANY CASES. THE KITS SELL FOR APPROXIMATELY $79.00. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY DANGER. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND I (THE DRIVER), HAD MY BELT ON. I TRIED BUCKLING THE PASSENGER BELT, BUT THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE, OR WHETHER THERE IS A SENSOR PROBLEM, AND THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAGS FOR THE PASSENGER ARE OPERABLE. THERE APPEAR TO BE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FALSE AIRBAG LIGHTS, ILLUMINATING. *TR