2010 Mini Cooper Clubman

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE MECHANIC SHOP PENDING REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

THE MINI COOPER CLUBMAN HAS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND CRASHES. BMW HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE CHAINS IN SOME MODELS, BUT NOT OTHERS, LEAVING OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CRASHES RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. BMW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART SINCE 2008, WHEN THE COMPANY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE NOTICE, BMW FAILED TO ISSUE ANY RECALL OR PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY REPLACED THEIR CHAINS OR ENGINES. BMW'S FAILURE TO NOTIFY DRIVERS OF THIS PROBLEM IS A DANGER TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, I CALLED THE DEALER WITHIN SECONDS AND ASKED THEM IF THIS WAS A CONCERN. THEY SAID TO DRIVE IT IN IT WAS PROBABLY JUST THE OIL LEVEL NEEDING TOPPED OUT. I CONTINUED FOR ABOUT A MILE WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND CALLED THEM BACK. THE AGAIN SAID TO BRING IT IN. I WALKED AROUND THE CAR BEFORE PROCEEDING AND NOTED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL WELL,TIRE AND WHEEL WERE ALL SOAKED WITH OIL( PASSENGER SIDE) . I CALLED THEM BACK AND REQUESTED A TOW TRUCK AS WHEN I STARTED IT UP IT MADE AN EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD HAMMERING NOISE. I I KNEW THAT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO LET GO IF I CONTINUED. THE DEALER TOOK THE CAR IN AND CALLED ME A DAY OR SO LATER TO INFORM THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE A,FLATTENING THE VALVES, MESSING UP THE VALVES AND ENGINE BLOCK. THE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS APPROX 7,000MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD AN EXTENDED 100,000 SERVICE WARRANTY SOLD TO ME BY THE DEALER IN CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. I WAS SOLD THIS BY THE "FINANCE MANAGER" AND HE MADE ME BELIEVE THAT I WAS COVERED. THE DEALER WHERE I LIVE IN DUBLIN OHIO, HAS SERVICED THE CAR FOR EVERY REQUIRED SERVICE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET MINI TO COVER THE REPAIRS. I HAD INFORMED THEM THAT THE ODOMETER ALWAYS READS ABOUT 7 TO 8 MPH FASTER THAN MY GPS AND THAT THE WARRANTY PER THEIR INSTRUMENTS WOULD BE SHORTED. THE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT CUT ME OFF IN A CLOSE SITUATION. THE ACTUAL POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS 50,000. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A TIMING CHAIN BREAKING WITH EVEN A 100,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE SERVICED THE CAR AT ALL APPROPRIATE INTERVALS AS NOTED IN THE SERVICE RECORDS AND I PAMPER THE CAR. I AM 61 YRS OLD AND HAVE HAD MANY, MANY CARS AND DO NOT DRIVE IRRESPONSIBLY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW. THE MID WEST AUTO GROUP HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS W/THEM. *JS

SHIFT MECHANISM FROZE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE GOING IN FOR SERVICE ON 1/6/12. UPON INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT REPAIR IS NOT CONSIDERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER CLAIMS THAT SOME COFFEE WAS SPILLED INSIDE OF CUP HOLDER AND LEAKED BELOW WHICH RESULTED IN SHORTING OUT OF A "WIRE CONNECTOR" AND REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE "SHIFTER ASSEMBLY." REVIEWING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM VARIOUS WEB SIGHTS I DETERMINED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF MINI OWNERS. IN FACT AN OWNER REPORTED THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT BACK IN 2003 WHERE THE REPORTED LEAK WAS FROM A SCREW FASTENING THE CUP HOLDER TO ITS SUPPORTING UNIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE: IF THE WIRES CAN "SHORT OUT" THEY THEN MAY CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO DEVELOP AND IF THE SHIFTER FREEZES, THIS COULD RESULT IN AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS SITUATION. SINCE THE APPARENT LEAKING THROUGH THESE HOLDERS WAS EVIDENT TO MINI - FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS - WHY HAVEN'T THEY EITHER FIXED THE POTENTIAL LEAK SOURCE OR PRINTED A WARNING WITHIN THEIR MANUAL: "DON'T PUT ANY CUP, OR OTHER SUCH CONTAINER INTO THE CUP HOLDERS AS THIS MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS." AREN'T "CUP" HOLDERS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO HOLD CUPS SAFELY. SHOULDN'T THERE BE AN EXPECTATION THAT SOME LIQUID WILL SPILL OUT DURING USUAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? IF SO, WHY WAS THIS DESIGN FLAW NOT CORRECTED WITH CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OCCURRING FOR AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS? *TR

ALTERNATE WATER PUMP WIRING HARNESS FOR THE TURBO ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR TWO HOURS WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE SHOPPING. WE GOT IN AND STARTED THE VEHICLE WHEN LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS LATER, THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TURNED THE MOTOR OFF AND CHECKED THE ENGINE. WHEN THE BMW TECH CAME TO RENDER ASSISTANCE, WE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES CAME UP FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. USED MULTIPLE LITERS OF WATER TO DOUSE THE FIRE. CAR WAS TOWED TO MINI DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND REPAIRS. PLEASE VISIT NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM AND DO SOME SEARCHES FOR THIS TYPE OF ISSUE. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED. *KB

ON 9/20/2011 I PULLED ON TO THE HIGHWAY WITH MY MINI AND TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER WHICH DID NOT WORK. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND THERE WERE NO LIGHTED INDICATOR LIGHTS. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE LIGHT WENT ON AND THEN WENT OFF. I TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND IT WAS NOW WORKING. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN SO I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER, ENTERED THE RIGHT LANE AND SLOWED DOWN. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF AND THEN I SMELLED SMOKE. WHEN I LOOKED IN MY REAR-VIEW MIRROR, I SAW DARK SMOKE AND THEN MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR OUR FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I PULLED MY CAR OFF THE ROAD AND OPENED THE HOOD AFTER A WHILE. OIL WAS SPLATTERED ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND I NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT TANK WAS BONE DRY. I WAS TOWED TO HASSLE MINI WHERE MY VEHICLE STILL IS. AFTER INSPECTING MY CAR, HASSLE TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T REPAIR THE ENGINE EVEN THOUGH MY WARRANTY WAS STILL IN EFFECT. THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS MY FAULT AND I SHOULD REPORT IT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I WAS ALSO TOLD IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $15,000.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HASSLE WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE SHOULD BEHAVE LIKE THIS. MY LIFE WAS ENDANGERED IN THIS SITUATION. THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS I BELIEVE MINI SHOULD HONOR MY CAR'S WARRANTY: 1. ALL REQUIRED SERVICE WAS PERFORMED AND RECORDS PROVIDED. 2. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED ONLY 700 MILES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT AND FOUND TO BE IN RUNNING ORDER. 3. THE CAR HAD A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF FAULTY INDICATOR LIGHTS. 4. THERE WERE ONLY 13,674 MILES ON THE CAR. 5. MINI HAS A HISTORY OF ENGINE FIRES. *TR