2008 Mini Cooper

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. *TR

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). *TR

TL* 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. *TR

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. *TR

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). *TR

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 THE HIGH 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. *TR

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. *TR