Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 6,381 complaints for MINI
Incident date: Apr 23, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED YET THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,500. UPDATED 09/07/11 *... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED YET THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,500. UPDATED 09/07/11 *... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2011
LOST POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY LAST MONTH WHILE DRIVING AND NOW THE FAN STAYS ON AND RUNS THE ENGINE TILL THE BATTERY IS DEAD. I NEED TO HAVE IT JUMPED EVERYTIME I WANT TO DRIVE IT. MINI STATED THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT FOR FREE "THEY DON'T CARE IF THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION, UNIT WERE ORDERED TO FIX IT THE COST IS ON THE CUSTOMER" *TR
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Apr 26, 2011
Incident date: Apr 23, 2011
THE CAR ( 2005 MINI COOPER) WAS COMPLETELY DEAD OVERNIGHT. WE CHARGED THE BATTERY AND A FAN WOULDN'T TURN OFF WHICH MUST HAVE CAUSED THE DRAIN. WE HAD IT FIXED. IT WAS A FAULTY RELAY IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP, WHICH HAD ALSO BEEN LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS VERY ISSUE. WE SPENT $1,000 TO FIX THIS ON A CAR WITH 40,000 MILES! *TR
Incident date: Apr 25, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPERS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE FUSE THAT CONTROLLED THE POWER STEERING CHARGING SYSTEM HAD BLOWN. THE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED AT A THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2011
2005 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING FAILURE. HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY FAILING. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS NOT A "PROBLEM", BUT WILL PROBABLY NEED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AFTER READING MULTIPLE POSTS, AND THE INVESTIGATION THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS STARTED...THIS IS LOOKING MORE LIKE A COVERUP ON MINI'S PART INSTEAD OF AN ACCEPTAN... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2011
EXPERIENCED ABRUPT AND COMPLETE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM SIMULTANEOUS WITH AN IMMEDIATE AND SHARP DECREASE IN POWER. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 75 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, CAR IN MIDDLE LANE. VERY NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISION WITH A TRUCK WHEN MOVING VEHICLE TO FULL STOP IN EMERGENCY LANE. VEHICLE CURRENTLY NOT IN USE AS WE FEEL IT IS A ROAD HAZARD AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE IN CURRENT C... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2011
EXPERIENCED ABRUPT AND COMPLETE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM SIMULTANEOUS WITH AN IMMEDIATE AND SHARP DECREASE IN POWER. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 75 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, CAR IN MIDDLE LANE. VERY NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISION WITH A TRUCK WHEN MOVING VEHICLE TO FULL STOP IN EMERGENCY LANE. VEHICLE CURRENTLY NOT IN USE AS WE FEEL IT IS A ROAD HAZARD AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE IN CURRENT C... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2011
2004 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING FAILED ON I93 SOUTH ON MY WAY TO WORK IN BOSTON WITHOUT ANY WARNING , SPEED ABOUT 80 AT 4:00AM ON THE MORNING OF 4/25/2011. MADE IT TO WORK HAD CAR TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AT MINI OF PEABODY MA THE SAME DAY AND WAS CHARGED $1180.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE STEERING PUMP. TWO WEEKS PRIOR ON 4/8/2011 AT THE SAME DEALER AT THEIR RECOMMENDATION REPLACED STEERING FAN AND RETU... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2010
I HAD DRIVEN MY CAR ~ 40 MILES AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 45 MPH TO 70 MPH. THE LAST 20 OR SO MILES HAD BEEN ON AN INTERSTATE. SHORTLY AFTER I EXITED THE FREEWAY, MY STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND HARD TO MANIPULATE. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL I PARKED THE CAR, ABOUT 5 MILES LATER. WHEN I RE-STARTED THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED NO LESS THAN 15 TIMES SINCE THEN.... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2010
I HAVE NOTICED FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN LURCHING. IN JUST THE LAST WEEK I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN I GET TO ABOUT 55-65 MPH, MY RPM'S ARE AROUND 4000. I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE RPM'S INCREASED. I HAD SOME MINOR WORK DONE ON THE AUTO-SEQUENTIAL TRANSMISSION IN 2010. I HAD BROKEN THE LINE AND HAS BEEN WELDED BACK IN AND HAD NO MAJOR PROBLEMS ASIDE FROM THE LURCHING UNTIL RECE... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP IN 2002 MINI COOPER FAILED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND RUN, CAUSED ME TO DRIFT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, ALMOST HITTING THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR
Incident date: Sep 15, 2010
OCCASIONAL DIFFICULTY IN STEERING MY 2004 MINI COOPER. THE STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT AND I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT FOR IT TO WORK AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. *TR
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE THEN JERKED VIOLENTLY FOLLOWED BY AN INDEPENDENT RESET OF THE POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT BARELY MISSED CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER NOR WAS THE VEHIC... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2011
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING OF THE VEHICLE FAILS, CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE DANGEROUSLY INTO OTHER LANES, AS IT REQUIRES A LOT OF STRENGTH TO KEEP THE CAR IN ITS LANE WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON A BEND IN THE ROAD. THIS OCCURS APPROXIMATELY ONCE A MONTH. AT OTHER TIMES, THE POWER STEERING PUMP DOES NOT EVEN TURN ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE STEERING WHEEL IS N... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER S WITH APPROX 80K MILES. THE POWER STEERING RANDOMLY AND INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO WORK. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS. I INTEND TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, BUT AM TOLD THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN, EVEN WITH REPLACED PUMP. *TR
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN FAILING ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. I FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF A PARALLEL PARKING SPOT. UPON TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT, THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. IT MOST OFTEN HAPPENED WHEN MANEUVERING OUT OF PARALLEL PARKED SPOTS. SOMETIMES IT WOULD HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE DAY AND THEN NOT AGAIN FOR A FEW MONTHS. SEVERAL TIMES W... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2011
EXTREMELY LOUD ENGINE NOISE DURING A COLD START. THE ROOT CAUSE IS THE FAILURE OF TIMING BELT TENSIONER. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO REPLACE THE TENSIONER AND ADJUST OR REPLACE THE BELT/CHAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
Incident date: May 18, 2009
I ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY 2002 MINI COOPER AND AT 80K MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP JUST BEFORE I WAS TO ENTER A VERY BUSY FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A FAULT OF MY CARE AFTER THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT UPON TOW IN. IT JUST STOPPED FAST AND SHORT WITH A HUGE JERK FORWARD AND EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT BLEW IN BIG... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2009
I ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY 2002 MINI COOPER AND AT 80K MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP JUST BEFORE I WAS TO ENTER A VERY BUSY FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A FAULT OF MY CARE AFTER THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT UPON TOW IN. IT JUST STOPPED FAST AND SHORT WITH A HUGE JERK FORWARD AND EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT BLEW IN BIG... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2011
THE FOLLOWING IS MY COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WITH MY 2007 MINI COOPERS . ' MARCH 12TH TO MARCH 16TH TRIP TO MYRTLE BEACH AND BACK TO MY HOUSE IS APPROXIMATELY 490 MILES. THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT ON THIS TRIP. THE VEHICLES ON-BOARD COMPUTER PROVIDES NO INDICATION OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. ' FRIDAY MARCH 18TH DEPARTED HOME FOR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. TRIP TO UNIVERSAL... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2011
ON FEBRUARY 9, 2011, WE WERE INFORMED BY MINI SERVICE THAT THE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND THAT IT WOULD COST US $1,245.00 PLUS TAX TO REPAIR AS IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY PACKAGE WHICH THEY SOLD US WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2007. MILEAGE OF VEHICLE AT THAT TIME WAS 46,810. THE LIGHT INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR OCCURRED MONTHS EARLIER, BUT W... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2011
ON FEBRUARY 9, 2011, WE WERE INFORMED BY MINI SERVICE THAT THE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND THAT IT WOULD COST US $1,245.00 PLUS TAX TO REPAIR AS IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY PACKAGE WHICH THEY SOLD US WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2007. MILEAGE OF VEHICLE AT THAT TIME WAS 46,810. THE LIGHT INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR OCCURRED MONTHS EARLIER, BUT W... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 12, 2011
Incident date: Dec 26, 2010
2006 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SOMETIMES STALLS AND STOPS WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT MISTAKES WERE MADE IN REPROGRAMMING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE, BUT THEY ASSURED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS. ALSO, THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO GIVE F... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
Apr 12, 2011
Incident date: Dec 26, 2010
2006 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SOMETIMES STALLS AND STOPS WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT MISTAKES WERE MADE IN REPROGRAMMING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE, BUT THEY ASSURED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS. ALSO, THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO GIVE F... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Apr 12, 2011
Incident date: Dec 26, 2010
2006 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SOMETIMES STALLS AND STOPS WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT MISTAKES WERE MADE IN REPROGRAMMING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE, BUT THEY ASSURED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS. ALSO, THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO GIVE F... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
Apr 12, 2011
Incident date: Dec 26, 2010
2006 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SOMETIMES STALLS AND STOPS WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT MISTAKES WERE MADE IN REPROGRAMMING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE, BUT THEY ASSURED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CORRECTED BY CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS. ALSO, THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM TO GIVE F... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE RACK OF THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH THE RACK AND POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FAILURE MILEA... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND HARNESS WAS MELTED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UP... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 8, 2011
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT THAT PROMPTED THE LIGHT TO COME ON. APPARENTLY, MINIS PRODUCED THREE MONTHS AFTER THIS VEHICLE ARE INCLUDED IN A RECALL OR "EXTENDED WARRANTY" BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHTS, BUT NOT THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH DEALER SERVICE, IT COULD BE A VERY COSTLY REPAIR, ESTIMATED AT $1200... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2011
ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT SEEM NOTICEABLE ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP STARTED TO FAIL I WAS USING EXTRA PRESSURE TO STAY IN MY LANE. THE PUMP WOULD THEN WORK AGAIN AND THE CAR WOULD LURCH OFF TO THE SIDE I WAS FAVORING AND I ALMOST WENT INTO A GUARD RAIL. WHEN COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND NOT KNOWING THE PUMP WAS QUITTING AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE TO JUMP INTO EMERGENCY MODE TO NEGOTIATE THE TU... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2011
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND IT WAS SOON EVIDENT THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING AT ALL. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS STARTING TO FAIL. THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN. AFTER PULLING BACK INTO THE PARKING SPOT, SHUTTING THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING BECAME FUNCTIONAL. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING ... Read more
MINI
COOPER S US
(2009) - TIRES
Apr 9, 2011
Incident date: Apr 6, 2011
I HAD A GOODYEAR RUNFLAT TIRE THAT WAS OEM AND LESS THAN 2 YRS. OLD W/ 20,000 MILES BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL. IT WAS REPLACED AT DISCOUNT TIRE. THE TIRE COST $257 ON A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. TIRES ARE EXCELLENCE ROF AND NOT INTEGRITY SINCE YOUR SITE MISTAKENLY DOES NOT GIVE THE CORRECT OPTION. *TR
Incident date: Apr 2, 2011
ACUTE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY AND WAS PULLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO STEER THE VEHICLE BUT IT REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT IT DOESN'T INVOLVE THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN...THE FAN HAS BEEN TESTED AND IS WORKING OK. THE COST FOR THE R... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2008
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *TR
Incident date: Apr 5, 2011
ON TUESDAY, 5 APRIL 2011, I DROVE MY 2005 MINI COOPER S ABOUT 20 - 25 MILES HEADING FOR WORK - I MADE A BRIEF STOP FOR COFFEE. THE CAR OPERATED PROPERLY DURING THIS DRIVE, HOWEVER, WHEN I LEFT THE COFFEE SHOP I NOTICE A VERY ACRID SMELL IN THE AREA. WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND STARTED IT THE "BATTERY" INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. I CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND IT SAID THIS INDICATED THE BATTERY WAS NOT ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 6, 2011
FOR THE PAST YEAR, MY MINI COOPER S HAS HAD SEVERAL SUDDEN POWER LOSSES IN THE POWER STEERING, RESULTING IN THE CAR BECOMING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY A MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHO KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME. MY WARRANTY WAS CALLED IN, AND THEY DID NOT AUTHORIZE ITS REPAIR EITHER. I LIVE IN A REMOTE AREA, WITH A DRIVING NEED FOR 3-4 HOURS FOR MEDICAL CAR... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2011
MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAD A SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE APPROACHING A HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. I WENT TO TURN INTO IT AND THE CAR HAD BECOME A TANK. AFTER SOME PANIC BRAKING AND ALL THE UPPER BODY STRENGTH I COULD MUSTER ON THE STEERING WHEEL... I DID NOT FLY INTO THE DITCH, BUT HAD THE ROAD BEEN WET OR ICY I HAVE NO DOUBT THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2011
2004 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR
Incident date: Apr 5, 2011
YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING HOME NORMALLY. WHEN I SLOWED TO TURN INTO THE ALLEY WHERE I PARK MY CAR MY POWER STEERING FAILED. I MISSED SLAMMING INTO THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING BY A COUPLE INCHES AND WAS ABLE TO PARK. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND EVEN PUT A LITTLE IN. SINCE THE THEN THE POWER STEERING IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE, BUT "CATCHES" EVERY NOW AND THEN. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE. A... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2010
PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, IT WORK INTERMITTENT, ALMOST GOT TO A ACCIDENT. *TR
Incident date: Mar 30, 2011
A FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN. AT SOME POINT THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE FAN SEIZED AND THE RESULTING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO HEAT TO A POINT OF MELTING SOME OF THE PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION ALLOWING FOR DIRECT WIRE TO WIRE CONTACT AND RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPAR... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 30, 2011
A FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN. AT SOME POINT THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE FAN SEIZED AND THE RESULTING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO HEAT TO A POINT OF MELTING SOME OF THE PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION ALLOWING FOR DIRECT WIRE TO WIRE CONTACT AND RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPAR... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 30, 2011
A FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN. AT SOME POINT THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE FAN SEIZED AND THE RESULTING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO HEAT TO A POINT OF MELTING SOME OF THE PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION ALLOWING FOR DIRECT WIRE TO WIRE CONTACT AND RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPAR... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER SPORT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE CHECK OIL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE TIMING CHAIN LOOSENED AND CAUSED ALL THE PISTONS TO MISFIRE AND DAMAGE THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,426. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 05/16/11
Incident date: Apr 3, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,426. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 05/16/11
Incident date: Mar 10, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. FAILURE HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE PARKING AND TWICE UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN. MAKES CAR HARD TO MANEUVER AND UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF THE FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Apr 1, 2011
UPON RETURNING HOME AND PARKING MY MINI IN THE GARAGE I SMELLED SOMTHING STRANGE. MY WIFE AND I UNLOADED GROCERIES FROM THE CAR I NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. WE QUICKLY ROLLED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND OPENED THE HOOD, I NOTICED THE CONNECTION ON TOP OF THE AUX WATER PUMP BURNING. THE FIRE SUBSIDED ON ITS OWN. *TR
Fire
Incident date: Mar 29, 2011
THERE WERE NO WARNINGS OR EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, IN MY CASE THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE FAILURE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED AS SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME. SHE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO MAKE THE TURN WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING SO HAD IT OCCURRED ON HER WAY TO WORK AROUND A CURVE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A C... Read more