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: Nov 9, 2008
TRANSMISSION GAVE WAY. *TR
Incident date: May 14, 2008
CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: May 6, 2009
REAR HATCH HAS NO INSIDE RELEASE, ALTHOUGH SHOWN IN OWNER'S MANUAL. *TR
Incident date: May 6, 2009
REAR HATCH HAS NO INSIDE RELEASE, ALTHOUGH SHOWN IN OWNER'S MANUAL. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN S
(2008) - AIR BAGS
May 12, 2009
Incident date: Apr 13, 2009
"PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF" LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE AN ADULT PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT. *TR
Incident date: May 2, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER. A DIAGNOSTIC HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,640.
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN S
(2008) - AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
May 6, 2009
Incident date: Apr 26, 2009
WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARMER, SAY 80+, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED LIGHT ILLUMINATES WITH A FULL GROWN ADULT SEATED AND BELTED. DEALER, OF COURSE, CANNOT RECREATE. *TR
Incident date: May 1, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO LOSE POWER; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CURRENT AND FAILU... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2009
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS DISABLED WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. IF PASSENGER SHIFTS IN SEAT, THE AIRBAG MAY OR MAY NOT ENABLE. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE FAULT LIES WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR MAT UNDER THE SEAT. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR SEVERAL BMW MODELS AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN OFFERED. FOR SEVERAL MINI MODELS, THE ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN OFFERED. SO FAR, THE 2... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2009
RADIATOR HOSE RUPTURES WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN TO THE POINT THAT THE FRONT TIRES TOUCH CURB (PERPENDICULAR) DURING PARKING MANEUVER. FRONT END IS TOO LOW TO ACCOMMODATE A STANDARD CURB. *TR
Incident date: Apr 29, 2009
RADIATOR HOSE RUPTURES WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN TO THE POINT THAT THE FRONT TIRES TOUCH CURB (PERPENDICULAR) DURING PARKING MANEUVER. FRONT END IS TOO LOW TO ACCOMMODATE A STANDARD CURB. *TR
MINI
COOPER S US
(2009) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Apr 29, 2009
Incident date: Apr 14, 2009
ON 4/9 I PURCHASE A 2009 MINI COOPER. ON 4/14 I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STARTED SURGING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED THE SERVICE ADVISER WHO SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE GAS CAP. I IGNORED HER RESPONSE BECAUSE IT ONLY CLICKS ONCE AND I KNOW THIS WAS COMPLETED PROPERLY AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. THERE FINDINGS WERE AS FOLLOWS; HOWEVER I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER POSTINGS ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2009
I BOUGHT A 2003 MINI COOPER AND ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THE CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAS SPRUNG A LEAK. UPON INSPECTION OF THE HYDRAULICS, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH CONTROL ROD WAS MOVING IN A FUNNY WAY. HE SAYS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO DROP THE TRANSMISSION TO SEE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM AND THAT REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION ALONE WILL COST ME 1000.00 DOLLARS WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AT THE MOMEN... Read more
MINI
COOPER S US
(2009) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2009
Incident date: Apr 24, 2009
AFTER PURCHASING A 2009 MINI COOPER THE OUTLET IN BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALERS EVALUATION WAS AS FOLLOWS: NEITHER THE FRONT OR THE REAR CIGARETTE OUTLETS ARE WORKING. CHECK AND ADVISE. CAUSE: CHECKED/FOUND 20 AMP FUSE BLOWN, INSPECTED OUTLETS, FOUND SOCKET/OUTLET IN CENTER CONSOLE SHORTED TO GROUND CORRECTION: R & R FRONT CENTER CONSOLE REPLACED SOCKET & ILLU... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2009
CAR WILL NOT START, LEAVING YOU STRANDED. PUSHING IN CLUTCH THEN START BUTTON, AND NOTHING. FIRST TIME WAS 5 WEEKS AGO, TOWED TO DEALER, DID TESTS, FOUND NO PROBLEM. HAPPENED AGAIN ON 4/23/2009, GIGGLED DEAD MAN SWITCH ON CLUTCH PEDAL AND THEN STARTED. HAPPENED AGAIN 4/27/2009, TRIED GIGGLE THING, NOTHING THIS TIME. SAT OVERNIGHT, THEN STARTED. ONLY COMMON FACTOR HAS BEEN ON WARM SPRING DAYS... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2006
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON (INDICATING AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/INOP.) AND AUTO MANUFACTURER HAS NO FIX, DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM. 2005 MINI COOPER. *TR
Incident date: Apr 20, 2009
POWER STEERING UNIT STOPPED WORKING DRIVING NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS RESULTING IN VERY DIFFICULT DRIVING/HANDLING. CAR HAS 48,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED ON SCHEDULE. UNIT'S FLUIDS WERE NORMAL AND DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE A NORMAL COMMUTE. POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR
Incident date: Jan 24, 2009
MY 2008 MINI COOPER S HAS A TERRIBLE RATTLING NOISE OCCASIONALLY DURING STARTUP. THE PROBLEM CAN BE REPRODUCED 100% OF THE TIME UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: - START CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (BACK OUT OF GARAGE / WASH CAR) - RESTART CAR FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (MOVE INTO GARAGE) - LEAVE CAR FOR 8 OR MORE HOURS - RESTART AND DRIVE AWAY. FOR THE FIRST 2 MINUTES THERE'S A TERRIBLE RATTLING... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2009
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 MINI COOPER BLEW OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CAR HAD JUST ABOUT 37,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERS SHOP. *TR
Incident date: Jan 20, 2009
2009 MINI COOPER S, ONLY 3600 MILES, SUFFERS FROM WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS COLD START RATTLE/KNOCK. UPON STARTING DEAD COLD ENGINE, A LOUD AND VIOLENT SYNCOPATED KNOCK (SIMILAR TO A METAL HAMMER HITTING METAL) EMANATES FROM THE ENGINE ON THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT SIDE, AND LASTS FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN 3600 MILES, BOTH TIMES CAR PARKED WITH NOSE TILTING DOWN. AMBIENT TEMPS AROU... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2009
ON MARCH 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM DINNER IN NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA WHEN I MADE A STOP AT THE LOCAL POST OFFICE. I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ERRANT BEHAVIOR WITH THE CAR. I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE TO MAIL A PACKAGE, PARKED THE CAR, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, LOCKED THE CAR WITH MY WIFE INSIDE THE... Read more
Fire
MINI
JCW CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Apr 16, 2009
Incident date: Apr 13, 2009
ENGINE MAKES A LOUD RATTLING NOISE LIKE IT HAS NO OIL PRESSURE, NOT JUST ON STARTUP BUT FOR AS LONG AS A FEW BLOCKS OF DRIVING. IT HAS DONE THIS 6 TIMES IN THE FIRST 2,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. I AM CONCERNED THAT SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE IS BEING DONE TO THE ENGINE IF I CONTINUE TO DIVE IT THIS WAY. DEALER SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT HAVE NO FIX FROM MFR, OR DO NOT HAVE A FIX THAT ACTUAL... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ABUSIVE OPERATION OF THE CLUTCH.... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2009
SPONTANEOUS ENGINE BAY FIRE IN 2003 MINI COOPER WITH 60,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN NORMALLY TO WORK, TURNED OFF, PARKED, LOCKED AND LEFT. UNATTENDED CAR CAUGHT FIRE SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. SEATTLE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL, BUT FIRE SELF-EXTINGUISHED WITHIN 10 MINUTES. SOOT COVERED ENGINE BAY AND ACRID SMOKE PERMEATED VEHICLE. INSPECTION REVEALED MELTED CONNECTION BETWEEN ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 2, 2009
SPONTANEOUS ENGINE BAY FIRE IN 2003 MINI COOPER WITH 60,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN NORMALLY TO WORK, TURNED OFF, PARKED, LOCKED AND LEFT. UNATTENDED CAR CAUGHT FIRE SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. SEATTLE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL, BUT FIRE SELF-EXTINGUISHED WITHIN 10 MINUTES. SOOT COVERED ENGINE BAY AND ACRID SMOKE PERMEATED VEHICLE. INSPECTION REVEALED MELTED CONNECTION BETWEEN ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 22, 2009
CAR POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND VERY SCARY. *TR
Incident date: Mar 26, 2009
IRONICALLY, I FIRST LOOKED AT THIS COMPLAINT SITE TWO DAYS AGO AS I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT ITS EXISTENCE FROM THE APRIL 2009 ISSUE OF CONSUMER REPORTS. I FELT GOOD THAT THE TWO MOST FREQUENTLY NAMED COMPLAINTS FOR MY MODEL AND YEAR HAD NOT OCCURRED. SO, TODAY THAT GOOD FEELING ENDED, AS ONE OF THE COMMON OCCURRENCES HAPPENED TO ME - A COINCIDENCE? OR THE MINI GODS REVENGE? TO CONTINUE: I NOTICED ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2009
2003 MINI COOPER TRANSMISSION FAILURE. REPLACEMENT COST APPROX 7500.00 THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. I BOUGHT MINE USED. NO DISCLOSURE OF IT DURING THE SALE. IT SHOULD BE AT LEAST BE FLAGGED FOR THE CONSUMERS PROTECTION. DEALERS, MANUFACTURES WILL NOT EVEN DISCUSS IT. IT IS A HORRIBLE SITUATION TO BE IN. *TR
Incident date: Oct 15, 2008
TRANSMISSION BEARINGS FAILURE AFTER 82,000 MILES. NO BEARINGS KIT REPLACEMENT OFFERED. *TR
Incident date: Mar 10, 2009
2002 MINI COOPER C POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE WITH ONLY 50K MILES. *TR
Incident date: Mar 10, 2002
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW DOES NOT WORK; WILL BE REPLACING WINDOW MOTOR. *TR
Incident date: Mar 12, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND MADE RATTLING AND POPPING SOUNDS. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE CONTACT PUSHED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD COST $7,000 TO REPAIR. THE CONTACT WILL CALL THE MANUF... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2009
I PURCHASED A 2007 MINI-COOPER S AND AT 10K MILES (1 YEAR OLD) THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A NEW CAR WITH 10K MILES NEEDS A NEW CLUTCH. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER BOTH SAID IT WAS MY FAULT AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY QUOTED ME OVER $3K TO REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL CARS FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A CLUTCH. *TR
Incident date: Mar 15, 2009
POWER STEERING FAILED ON A 2003 MINI COOPER S WITH 51,586 MILES. *TR
Incident date: May 1, 2008
I HAVE NOW HAD A SECOND FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR (SENSOR MAT IN PASSENGER SEAT). THE FIRST MAT FAILED AT 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE AND THE REPLACEMENT LASTED JUST OVER 2 YEARS (WARRANTY ON PART IS 2 YEARS). *TR
Incident date: Feb 26, 2009
VERY NOISY CLATTER WHEN STARTING ENGINE WHEN COLD. ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL WHEN COLD. GOES AWAY AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. DEALER SAYS ITS NORMAL ??? PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY MORNING. *TR
Incident date: Jan 6, 2009
ENGINE EXHIBITS HARSH NOISE DURING STARTUP 50% OF THE TIME AFTER MINIMUM OF 8 HR SHUTDOWN OR IF PARKED NOSE LOW. THE ISSUE IS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH THE DEALER WON'T REPLACE BECAUSE 1) THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED AN EFFECTIVE REPAIR KIT FROM BMW OR 2) TRY TO EXPLAIN IT AWAY WITH THE EXCUSE THAT THIS TIMING CHAIN METAL-ON-METAL RATTLE IS "NORMAL." AN INCREASING WORLD-WIDE NUMBER OF VE... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2009
ENGINE EXHIBITS HASH NOISE DURING STARTUP 50% OF THE TIME AFTER MINIMUM OF 8 HR SHUTDOWN AT BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE ISSUE IS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH THE DEALER WON'T REPLACE BECAUSE 1) THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE STARTUP NOISE OR 2) THIS IS "NORMAL." OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND ENGINE HAVE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURES BECAUSE OF DEALER INACTION AND SU... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2008
I PURCHASED MY '03 MINI COPPER S WITH 49K FROM A HONDA IN MECHANICSBURG, PA DEALER IN AUGUST. IN DECEMBER, I PURCHASED TIRES AND THEN WENT TO A SELF-SERVICE CARWASH AFTERWARD. WHEN I GOT HOME AND BEFORE I PUT IT IN THE GARAGE, I TOOK OUT THE HOSE AND WASHED OFF THE WHEELS AND UNDER THE CAR. DURING THE PROCESS THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STEAM FROM THE WATER HITTING THE MANIFOLD.... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 5, 2008
I PURCHASED MY '03 MINI COPPER S WITH 49K FROM A HONDA IN MECHANICSBURG, PA DEALER IN AUGUST. IN DECEMBER, I PURCHASED TIRES AND THEN WENT TO A SELF-SERVICE CARWASH AFTERWARD. WHEN I GOT HOME AND BEFORE I PUT IT IN THE GARAGE, I TOOK OUT THE HOSE AND WASHED OFF THE WHEELS AND UNDER THE CAR. DURING THE PROCESS THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STEAM FROM THE WATER HITTING THE MANIFOLD.... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 5, 2008
I PURCHASED MY '03 MINI COPPER S WITH 49K FROM A HONDA IN MECHANICSBURG, PA DEALER IN AUGUST. IN DECEMBER, I PURCHASED TIRES AND THEN WENT TO A SELF-SERVICE CARWASH AFTERWARD. WHEN I GOT HOME AND BEFORE I PUT IT IN THE GARAGE, I TOOK OUT THE HOSE AND WASHED OFF THE WHEELS AND UNDER THE CAR. DURING THE PROCESS THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS STEAM FROM THE WATER HITTING THE MANIFOLD.... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 17, 2009
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Feb 8, 2009
WHEN CLOSING THE DRIVER DOOR OF MY VEHICLE THE REAR HATCH WINDOW SHATTERED. *TR
Incident date: Feb 2, 2009
MY 2003 MINI COOPER S HAS 41,000 MILES. ON 2/2/09, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND I HAD A TOUGH TIME KEEPING THE CAR IN CONTROL. I WENT HOME, RE-STARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WAS FUNCTIONAL. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR ON 2/5/09, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES WERE REPLACED. *TR
Incident date: Feb 3, 2009
I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AFTER 60,000 MILES, JUST AFTER THE CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT MANY MINI AND BMW OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS FAILED CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO BE PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATED, EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER CHARGES $1100 TO FIX THE DEFECT. I FEE... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2005
A YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, THE FRONT DRIVER'S WINDOW'S AUTOMATIC MOTOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, THEN WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. THE DEALER FIXED IT SINCE IT HAPPENED TO BE UNDER FULL WARRANTY. TWO YEARS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR CEASED WORKING AT ALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS MAKING A SCRATCHING SOUND AS IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY ROLLED UP /OR DOWN. I ONLY HAD... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2009
POWER STEERING FAILED SOON AFTER STARTING. THE CAR HAD BEEN OUTSIDE ON A COLD DAY, BUT NOT UNUSUAL (~20 DEGREES F). IT FUNCTIONED AGAIN WHEN RE-STARTED. *TR
Incident date: Nov 17, 2008
ENGINE NOISE ON COLD STARTS. MY CAR HAS MADE DIESEL LIKE NOISES ON COLD START UP FOR THE PAST YEAR. AT FIRST THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL. UPON INSISTING THEY ADVISED OF A BLEEDING PROCEDURE AND THEN OF A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE TENSIONER (THEY HAD TO HEAR IT BEFORE THEY COULD REPAIR IT). THE DEALER HAD IT FOR A WEEK AND SAID IT WAS ALL FIXED. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2007
MY 2003 MINI COOPER HAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE IT FELL TO PIECES AT 61,000 MILES AFTER IMPECCABLE ENGINE MAINTENANCE FOR NO APPARENT REASON THEN I FOUND ONLINE THAT MANY MINI OWNERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AT THE SAME TIME APPROXIMATELY 4 YRS AFTER BUYING THE MINI SCAM THAT THEY SELL THIS FAULTY CAR JUST GLAD IT DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Incident date: Nov 1, 2008
DURING NOVEMBER OF 2008, I BROKE DOWN 4 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON 11/1 (WHEN I HAD AN APPT TO HAVE MY AILING CAR LOOKED AT ON 11/3). I MADE THE APPT FOR 11/3 ON 10/30 WHEN I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND THE CAR BEGAN BUCKING LIKE A MECHANICAL BULL. OBVIOUSLY, I DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE APPOINTMENT. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 11/1 AFTER BREAKING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE... Read more