2009 Mini Cooper

WHEN I WAS DRIVING HIGHWAY, A RED WARNING LIGHT OF "LOW ENGINE PRESSURE" CAME ON, AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE NOISES. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO COME DOWN FROM THE HIGHWAY, AND SOON AFTER THAT, THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. IT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY REPORTED, "SIGNIFICANT OIL SPLASH ON RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. ADDED 3 QUARTS OF OIL TO TRY AND START ENGINE TO DETERMINE IF ENGINE DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED FROM LOSS OF OIL. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE SOUNDED AS IF CHAIN HAD JUMPED TIMING OR ENGINE DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED. RESEARCHED VEHICLE AND FOUND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) RELATING TO SEAL ON TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILING AND CAUSING TENSIONER TO LEAK AND LOOSEN. MAY HAVE LOOSENED, CAUSING JUMPED TIMING AND POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE. JOB REQUIRES EXTENSIVE LABOR AND SPECIAL TOOLS WE DO NOT HAVE. RECOMMEND SEEKING DEALER FOR FUTTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CAR WAS TOWED AGAIN TO A MINI DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS: FOUND OIL LEAKING OUT AT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, OIL LEVEL LOW. CRANK BUT NOT START REMOVE VALVE COVER AND FOUND TIMING WAS OFF, RE-ADJUST TIMING, RETORQUED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER, PERFORMED COMPRESSION TEST, 8 CRANKS FOR EACH CYLINDERS CYL 1: 60 PSI CYL 2: 55 PSI CYL 3: 35 PSI CYL 4: 30 PSI PERFORMED CYLINDER LEAK DOWN TESTS, ALL WERE BELOW 50%. USED SCOPE AND INSPECT INSIDE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS AND CYLINDER WALLS. FOUND DAMAGED AND CRACKED WALL CAUSED LOOSING COMPRESSION. NEED NEW ENGINE REQUIRED ALSO: WATER PUMP LEAKING AND CONTAMINAITED THE PULLY, FRICTION WHEEL AND DRIVE BELT THERMOSTAT IS LEAKING

I TOOK MY MINI COOPER TO PASSPORT MINI IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND FOR THE HPFP FAILING WHERE THEY CHANGED IT AND THEN TOLD ME THAT THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE IS LEAKING AND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD STRETCHED AND WAS GOING TO FAIL. AFTER I TOLD THEM THAT I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINED SOME THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD COVER 30% OF THE CHAIN REPLACEMENT AND A COMPLETE DETAIL OF MY CAR AND THAT THEY WERE BEING "GENEROUS". I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WANTED MY DEFECTIVE CHAIN FIXED NOT A CAR WASH. AFTER READING THIS WEBSITE I AM HOPING TO GET THE OIL FEED LINE REPLACED TOO. IT TO IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED. IF IT GOES UP IN FLAMES WHILE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE IN THE CAR WHICH ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES AT MINI OR BMW WILL WRITE ME TO APOLOGIZE FOR THIS? THIS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FOR A COMPANY. LAWYERS WONT HELP MINI WONT HELP BMW WONT HELP. NO ONE WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CONSUMER ANYMORE! ALL OF US DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE GOVERNMENT, FOR TIMES LIKE THIS WHEN THE BIG COMPANIES RUN US OVER AND LAUGH AT US! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

LEAK IN TURBO OIL LINE DUE TO CRACKS IN PLASTIC O-RING. AFTER HUNDREDS OF HEAT CYCLES, THE O-RING COOKS ITS SELF AND STARTS TO LEAK OIL ONTO THE TURBO. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PRODUCT RECALL AND INSTALLATION OF THE OIL LINE HEAT SHIELD BY NTSB SHOULD HAVE ALSO INCLUDED RECALL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TURBO OIL LINE. THE OIL LINE HEAT SHIELD HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF THE BAKED O-RING IN THE TURBO OIL LINE AND THEREFORE THE TURBO OIL LINE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER RECALL/DEFECT! *TR

THE ENGINE WAS RATTLING HEAVILY WHEN THE CAR IGNITION WAS ON AROUND 5 PM AT THE WORKPLACE PARKING LOT . IN THE MEANTIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE CAR FAILED TO DELIVER THE POWER TO THE TRANSMISSION. A FEW DAYS LATE, MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND DIAGNOSED WITH LEAK OIL FROM ONE OF TIMING BELT TENSIONERS AND A BROKEN TENSIONER. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONE WITH A NEW TIMING BELT KIT TOGETHER WITH TENSIONERS AS A GOODWILL FROM THE MINI COOPER USA (85% WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE). EVEN THOUGH, I FELT THE QUALITY OF THIS IMPORTANT ENGINE PARTS WAS UNACCEPTABLE WITH SUCH A LOW MILEAGE ON THE CAR. THE TIMING BELT OF THIS MODEL WAS A METAL CHAIN LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE BOX AND SUPPOSED TO LAST LIFE-LONG WITHOUT WORRY. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST IN THE PARKING LOT. I COULD NOT IMAGINE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES IF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURE BMW/MINI SHOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH A DEFECT PRODUCT AND A PROPER ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO AVOID SUCH AN INCIDENT HAPPENING TO OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO OWN THIS MODEL. *TR

MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE AT FULL SPEED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS VERY LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO GUIDE MY VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS AROUND 15 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IT TOOK OVER 2 HOURS FOR A TWO TRUCK TO ARRIVE AND MY WIFE AND I WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT IN THE VEHICLE AND WERE ABLE TO USE THE INCLUDED SPACE BLANKET TO SURVIVE THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES. BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED I AM CERTAIN THAT MY VEHICLES TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF POWER AND INABILITY TO START. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE MODEL HAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE AND WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER SINCE IT WAS RECOGNIZED BEFORE ANY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AROSE BUT THIS TIME I WAS NOT SO LUCKY. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW BUT REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR PROPERLY FIX IT. MY WIFE AND I WOULD HAVE CALLED EMERGENCY SERVICES BUT WERE TOLD BY THE TOW SERVICE THAT WE WOULD BE HELPED SOONER THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I FEEL THAT THIS KNOWN MANUFACTURERS DEFECT PUT ME AND MY WIFE'S LIVES AT RISK. *TR

NOTICED DECREASED ACCELERATION PERFORMANCE AND VISIBLY NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE TOP OF THE TURBO SYSTEM NEXT TO THE HEAT SHIELD AFTER RETURNING HOME AFTER A DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY. MINI DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A TURBO OIL FEED LINE LEAK. NOTICED ON NHTSA FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MINI OWNERS AND COULD BECOME A FIRE HAZARD UNDER THE HOOD IF NOT DETECTED AND QUICKLY REPAIRED. *TR