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: Jan 15, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2011
I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY INTO THE DRIVE THRU BURGER KING AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR I COULD NOT GET IT TO GO THE DIRECTION I WANTED IT TO GO SO I ENDED UP CRASHING INTO THE CURB. ANOTHER TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS WHEN I HIT A PATCH OF ICE MY CAR LOST POWER STEERING A FEW SECONDS LATER AND I HAD TO RESTART MY CAR, BUT IT DID COME BACK ON. *TR
Crash
Incident date: Jan 14, 2011
ON 1/14/11 WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON A HIGHWAY MY STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED UP AND MADE STEERING IMPOSSIBLE. I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO MY DRIVEWAY. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL 1/16/11 AND THEN 1/20/11, ALL WHILE DRIVING MY CAR AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, ALSO WHILE TRYING TO BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY. IT HAPPENS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR NOTIFICATION FROM THE MINI COMPUTER SYSTEM HAS ALE... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Jan 20, 2011
Incident date: Jan 15, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN CORNER. FAILURE CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL MILES/HOURS AND THEN BEGAN WORKING AGAIN AFTER A PERIOD OF INACTIVITY
Incident date: Jan 19, 2011
I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 MINI COOPER AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED THIS MORNING. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND THAT THE NHTSA WAS LOOKING INTO THESE ISSUES ALREADY. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE ONE DAY, I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER THE POWER STEERING FAILURE COMES AND GOES OR WHEN IT IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR. THIS MORNING IT WAS N... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2010
2003 MINI COOPER. POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY THEN COMPLETELY. STEERING FAILED BUT WOULD RESTART AFTER CAR WAS RESTARTED. STEERING SHUT OFF AND CAME BACK ON SUDDENLY DURING A LONG SWEEPING CURVE CAUSING A NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL. I THINK THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. REPLACE THE PUMP WITH A REBUILT AT MY OWN EXPENSE SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT USED. SECOND PUMP HAS ALSO FAILED AFTER ABOUT A ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2010
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 1, 2010
DURING 2010 I EXPERIENCED THE POWER STEERING GOING ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT WORK RIGHT AT THE START UP. I THEN HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF, AND RE-START IT. MY MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A DIRECT PROBLEM. 3 DAYS AGO, JAN 2011, THE POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY, AND MY CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE, IT WOULD NOT START. MY MECHANIC EXAMINED MY CAR... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2011
I DRIVE A 2002 MINI COOPER AND AT 9:50AM THIS MORNING I DROVE MY CAR ABOUT A MILE TO MY OPTOMETRIST APPOINTMENT AND ALL WAS WELL WITH MY POWER STEERING. I WAS THERE FOR 45 MINUTES, LEFT, AND GOT IN MY CAR PULLED OUT OF MY SPOT WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL, BUT ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FROM MY PARKING SPOT I WENT TO TURN ONTO A THOROUGHFARE ONLY TO FIND THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. I HAD TO WRENCH THE ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2009
2008 MINI COOPER S ENGINE KNOCKING. *TR
Incident date: Dec 10, 2010
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. CONTINUES TO OCCUR ALMOST DAILY. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT HAD TROUBLE DRIVING THE CAR, BUT THE POWER STEERING GOES ON AND OFF WITH NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
Incident date: Jan 10, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING, MY WIFE HAD TO EXERT STRENGTH TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO SAFE PLACE WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT (REPORTING THIS AS WE ARE NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED) OUR 2005 MINI REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN (AT COST OF $245.60) ON 8/21/2009, TO FIX A LOUD NOISE. ON 1/12/2011 WE HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2011
ON 2008 MINI COOPER S, WITH APPROX. 12.5K, COMPLETE FAILURE OF TIMING CHAIN AND COMPONENTS. WAS JUST COVERED INSIDE OF DEALER WARRANTY, BUT EVEN THE DEAL ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ONLINE, OTHER HAVE REPORT THE SAME FAILURE IN LARGE NUMBERS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL! *TR
Incident date: Jan 6, 2011
MY 2003 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WHILE ROUNDING A CORNER. BARELY GAINED CONTROL IN TIME TO STOP. I WHEN TO THE MINI DEALER AND THE MECHANIC SAID " THIS IS A COMMON FLAW IN MINIS FROM 2002-2005. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME". THEN I FIND OUT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON THE DEFECT. SOME CARS HAVE EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. CAR ONLY HAS 63K IN IT. *TR
Incident date: Jan 7, 2011
OUR 2004 MINI COOPER S IS LOOSING POWER STEERING RANDOMLY MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE . ITS VERY RANDOM , I THOUGHT IT WAS SOME KIND OF SPORT MODE BUT YOU CANT EVEN CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR KICKS INTO "PARALYSIS", TOTALLY WEIRD ...I'VE OWNED ALL FOREIGN CARS MOSTLY JAPANESE ,AND GERMAN ...THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND I GREW UP IN THE CAR BUSINESS DRIVING EVER... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2008
MY POWER STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT NOTICE. EVENTUALLY A HIGH PITCHED WEEING SOUND WAS NOTICEABLE. THE SOUND EVENTUALLY STOPPED. WE TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR THE EVENING. THE NEXT MORNING THE BATTERY (ONLY 1 YEAR OLD) WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. AFTER GETTING THE BATTERY CHARGED AND FUNCTIONAL, I PROCEEDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND PHONE CALLING TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. COME TO FIND... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COPPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH IN ORDER TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO INCREASE SPEED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AND WAS TOLD TO ONLY USE PREMIUM GASOLINE. THE CONTACT MADE THE CHANGE AND WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE FAILURE A... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Jan 12, 2011
Incident date: Jan 7, 2011
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER, MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RIGHT TURN FROM A VERY BUSY STREET WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I NEARLY CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE STEERING WAS SO DIFFICULT, I PULLED A SHOULDER AND BACK MUSCLE JUST TRYING TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT FOR THE REST OF MY TRIP. SINCE THEN, THE... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 11, 2011
MY POWER STEERING FAILED IN THE MIDDLE LEFT TURN CAUSING ME TO WRECK RIGHT INTO A SIGNAL LIGHT. I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER 5SPD TRANSMISSION NON-S. *TR
Incident date: Jul 10, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH THE DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. THE VIN WA... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATING. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE FAILURE WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILING. THE VEH... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2010
WHILE DRIVING ONTO A FREEWAY ON RAMP, MY STEERING BECAME EXCESSIVELY DIFFICULT AND I ALMOST RAN INTO A MEDIAN. I PULLED OVER AND THE STEERING RESUMED NORMAL ACTIVITY AND THEN BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AGAIN TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD BARELY STEER THE CAR ENOUGH TO TAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THREE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED. *TR
Incident date: Jan 11, 2011
POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ALL SPEEDS. UPDATED VIN. 02/22/11. *TR
Incident date: Jan 3, 2011
POWER STEERING IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER WENT OUT WHILE GOING AROUND A TURN AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD. *TR
Incident date: Jan 1, 2011
AT APPROXIMATELY 67,000 MILES, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A KNOCKING SOUND WHICH WOULD LAST FROM A COLD START FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. AFTER TWO WEEKS, THE ENGINE FAILED ENTIRELY. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN RETENSIONER HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED ANOTHER COMPONENT TO FALL INTO THE ENGINE WHERE IT DID FURTHER DAMAGE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 3, 2011
THE CAR IS A 2006 MINI COOPER S COUPE. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 57,000 MILES. THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT WHICH SHOWS THE AIRBAG IS NOT EMPLOYED. THE DEALER COST TO REPAIR WAS $900 AS QUOTED ON 1/3/11. THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Incident date: Jan 3, 2011
THE CAR IS A 2006 MINI COOPER S COUPE. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 57,000 MILES. THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT WHICH SHOWS THE AIRBAG IS NOT EMPLOYED. THE DEALER COST TO REPAIR WAS $900 AS QUOTED ON 1/3/11. THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Incident date: Jan 9, 2011
I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER. I'VE HAD A COUPLE INCIDENTS WITH THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WILL CEASE TO OPERATE. THE RESULT IS A STEERING SYSTEM THAT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY BMW. I'VE READ A FEW ONLINE ARTICLES ON THIS MATTER AND NOW REALIZE THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP IS GOING BAD. IT NEEDS... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2010
AFTER STARTING UP MY CAR I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THE POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND TRIED DRIVING AGAIN. IT STILL DIDN'T WORK. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF TRYING THIS IT FINALLY STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY THIS HAPPENED AGAIN BOTH IN THE MORNING AND AGAIN AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR 3+ HOURS. LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN I DROVE MY CAR IT WORKED F... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2010
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT COMES ON WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. MINI SAYS IT CANNOT FIX IT BECAUSE THE COMPUTER HAS NO ERRORS STORED. *TR
Incident date: Dec 15, 2010
I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER S WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT AND ABOUT 55,000 MILES THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP AND PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LAMP ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. AT 58,000 MILES IT HAS STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED THAT THE WEIGHT SENSOR PAD IN THE SEAT CUSHION IS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD REQUIRE THE CAR TO GO TO THE DEALER TO BE REPL... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2010
I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER S WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT AND ABOUT 55,000 MILES THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP AND PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LAMP ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. AT 58,000 MILES IT HAS STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I TOOK THE CAR TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED THAT THE WEIGHT SENSOR PAD IN THE SEAT CUSHION IS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD REQUIRE THE CAR TO GO TO THE DEALER TO BE REPL... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2011
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ISSUED OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATED FOR ANY MINI COOPER 2007 AND UP WITH THE BMW ENGINE. THIS ENGINE HAS A FAULTY TIMING BELT TENSIONER THAT IS PRONE TO FAIL CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. I HAVE A 2008 AND JUST LOST MY ENGINE DUE TO THIS TENSION FAILURE. AFTER SPENDING THE 600.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE MY ENGINE TAKEN APART AND DIAGNOSED, I WAS TOLD THAT BMW ALREADY KNOWS ABOU... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2006
PASSENGER AIRBAG FAILURE SENSOR SHOW FAILURE. HAVE HAD IT "REPAIRED" 3 TIMES. SENSOR SHOWS PROBLEM WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF REPAIR EACH TIME. DOES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WORK? *LN
Incident date: Jan 1, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 7 MPH THE LOW OIL PRESSURE SENSOR ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE CONTACT ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND UPON RESTART THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO AUTH... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF. UPON RESTART THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED INTERNALLY. THE POWER RETURN LINE WAS LEAKING. ALSO, BOTH STRUTS WERE ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF. UPON RESTART THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED INTERNALLY. THE POWER RETURN LINE WAS LEAKING. ALSO, BOTH STRUTS WERE ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2010
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING LOSS RESULTING IN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO DEALER. DEALER PROVIDED NO WORKING RESOLUTION. POWER STEERING LOSS IN THIS VEHICLE MADE STEERING VERY DIFFICULT AND RESULTED IN EXCESSIVELY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. POWER PUMP FINALLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Incident date: Nov 10, 2010
THE VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY SPUTTERING AND LOOSING POWER. IT HESITATES ON TAKING OFF AND THE PERFORMANCE IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES AND THE STATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS USING POOR QUALITY GAS. SINCE THEN I HAVE CHANGED TO PREMIUM GAS AND THE PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST. I FINALLY BROUGHT THE CAR TO A ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE DURING DRIVING. BECAME SLUGGISH/VERY HARD TO TURN ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED. *TR
Incident date: Dec 28, 2010
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE CAR WAS DRIVING. IT FRIED ONE BATTERY. PLACED SECOND BRAND NEW BATTERY IN TO CONFIRM THE FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP DEFECT. LEARNED FROM CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT POSTED ONLINE THAT BMW KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE PROBLEM. BMW CLAIMED THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM IN 2007 TO GET NHSTA TO STOP INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER, I WAS NEVER CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM BY BMW BETWEEN... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2011
2007 MINI COOPER 52860 MILES HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR WITH SAME PROBLEM A LOUD CLANKING NOISE DURING STARTUP AND THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THEY HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING BUT I STILL HAVE TH ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT SHOP OTHER THAN THE DEALER AND HE SAID I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING THE CAR THAT IT HAS SERIOUS FLAW IN THE TIMING BELT AND THE ENGINE COULD MALFUNCTION AT A... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP SUDDENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND GASKET WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,954. UPDATED 3/7/11 *CN UPDATED 03/14/11
Incident date: Dec 15, 2010
MY DAUGHTER IS 18 YEARS OLD SHE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK 2AM RAINING OUT SIDE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE STARTED HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS REAL BAD THANK GOD HER BRAKES WORKED. COME TO FIND OUT HER POWER STEERING BOX WENT OUT AND HER FAN SHE HAS A 2005 MINI COOPER. *TR
Incident date: Jan 2, 2011
04 MINI COOPER S WITH UNDER 40,000 MILES. INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. CAR IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING. RESTARTING THE CAR SOMETIMES CAUSES THE POWER STEERING TO START WORKING BUT IT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MILES PER HOUR ON JAN 02, 2011. THIS IS AN INDICATION OF A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Dec 27, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE WOULD BECOME INOPERABLE DUE TO THE BODEN CABLE GUIDE BECOMING DISLODGED FROM ITS RETENTION CLIP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN UPDATE BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT SAY WHEN THE DESIGN UPDATE HAD TAKEN PLACE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2010
THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED ON MY MINI COOPER AT HIGH SPEED, CURVY ROAD AT NIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. I HAD TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND THE COOLING FAN TO THE TUNE OF $900. THIS HAPPENED JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY AT 60K MILES. MECHANIC SAID THAT HE REPLACES ABOUT 10 A MONTH...ALL MINI'S PUMPS FAIL UNDER 80K MILES. *TR
Incident date: Dec 24, 2010
MINI COOPER ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK SYSTEM CRITICAL MALFUNCTION - CAR WITH ONLY 57,000 MILES RECEIVES CRITICAL MESSAGE ON NAVIGATION SCREEN TELLIING DRIVER "TO DRIVE TO A SAFE LOCATION AND TURN OFF IGNITION AND BE AWARE THAT CAR IS UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED." DRIVER IS LEFT TO COPE WITH THIS CRITICAL SITUATION AND REPAIR EVEN THOUGH MINI COOPER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE EXISTENCE OF THIS CR... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL JAMMED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN IT OR CONTROL THE VEHICLE. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AFTER IT RESET BUT IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT DRIVING SO HE DID NOT KNOW THE FULL DETAILS OF THE FAILURE. THE PERSON DRIVING WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THEIR RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.