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: Feb 1, 2013
LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER. THIS PROBLEM COMES AN GOES AND MY LOCAL SERVICE STATION SAID THE PUMP HAS A CRACK. *TR
Incident date: Mar 5, 2013
THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" ALARM LIGHTS CAME ON ON BOTH THE SPEEDOMETER PANEL AND THE LIGHT ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. WHILE I'D HAD AN ADULT PASSENGER EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS UNOCCUPIED AT THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF, TO TEST THE BAG, OR TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I SEE BY DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MINI CO... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2013
POWER STEERING FAILURE. UNKNOWN CAUSE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 29, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2013
WHILE TURNING INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL OR COMPLETE THE TURN. THANK GOD I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND PEDISTRIANS WERE NOT NEAR BY. I EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS LEAVING TO RETURN HOME AND TWO MORE TIMES AFTER THAT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ,INNOCENT LIVES ARE AT RISK. *TR
Incident date: Feb 16, 2013
WHILE TURNING INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL OR COMPLETE THE TURN. THANK GOD I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND PEDISTRIANS WERE NOT NEAR BY. I EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS LEAVING TO RETURN HOME AND TWO MORE TIMES AFTER THAT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ,INNOCENT LIVES ARE AT RISK. *TR
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - POWER TRAIN
Feb 28, 2013
Incident date: Feb 4, 2013
I LIVE WHERE THE WEATHER GETS INTO THE TEENS REGULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE WHEN I STARTED IN ONE MORNING. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT, IT HAD NO POWER. I TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY AND NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD PUT IN FOR THE COST OF OVER $1100. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY HAVE ONLY HAD TO DO THIS REPAIR ON MINI'S THAT LIVE IN ... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE
Feb 28, 2013
Incident date: Feb 4, 2013
I LIVE WHERE THE WEATHER GETS INTO THE TEENS REGULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE WHEN I STARTED IN ONE MORNING. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT, IT HAD NO POWER. I TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY AND NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD PUT IN FOR THE COST OF OVER $1100. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY HAVE ONLY HAD TO DO THIS REPAIR ON MINI'S THAT LIVE IN ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2013
POWER STEERING FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING NEARLY HIT THE OUTER BARRIER BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FORCE REQUIRED TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I FEEL IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR WRECK. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY PREVALENT PROBLEM WITH THE MINI COOPER. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING CANADA HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMPS. WOULD LIKE TO LOG A... Read more
Incident date: Feb 22, 2013
THE O2 SENSOR FAILED ON MY CAR. MINI ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 2006 MODELS BUT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. *TR
Incident date: Feb 5, 2013
THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN THEN PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED STEERING. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STEERABLE, THE LOSS WAS SURPRISE AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN TURNING OFF A ROAD. IT TOOK A VERY SIGNIFICANT FORCE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND I ALMOST HIT A CONCRETE ABUTMENT. I DOUBT THAT A YOUNG TEEN OR ANY PERSON WHO WAS NOT THAT STRONG, WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2013
WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE, 2006 MINI COOPER, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME. THERE WAS AN AUGUST, 2008 BMW RECALL ON 150,000 2002-2006 MINI COOPER'S FOR THIS SAME PASSENGER LIGHT AIRBAG ISSUE. BMW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS ON ALL OF THESE RECAILED VEHICLES BY VIN#. I HAD THIS DIAGNOSED BY A BMW SERVI... Read more
Incident date: Feb 22, 2013
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY NIGHT, 2/22, WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME AND I HAD A HARD TIME TURNING IT. IT THEN STARTED WORKING FINE AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THEN IT LOCKED UP AGAIN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. SINCE IT WAS ON A HIGHWAY I WAS DOING OVER 60 M.P.H. IT WAS TERRIFYING NOT HAVING COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AT THAT SPEED. *TR
Incident date: Feb 23, 2013
ON 2/4/13 HAD MY CAR TAKEN TO GLOBAL IMPORTS BMW/MINI DEALERSHIP ON 5925 PEACHSTREET IND.BLVD.ATLANTA,GA. (THE CYLINDER HEAD COVER HAD TO BE REPLACED,WAS LEAKING, I PAID $1291.45 FOR THE SERVICE). I PICKED UP MY CAR ON 2/5/13, ACCORDING TO THEM IS WAS GOOD TO GO. STARTED HEADING BACK HOME, WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT POPPED UP AGAIN, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING,SHAKING,IT WOULD NOT DRIVE HIGHER THAN 40MILE... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2012
WHILE DRIVING ON I95 GOING AROUND A CURVE, MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND WASN'T SURE WHAT TO TELL MY MECHANIC SINCE IT WAS SO RANDOM. THIS WEEKEND AS I DROVE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN, WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, IT LOCKED UP AFTER MONTHS OF NOT RECURRING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TI... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2012
AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CAR COULD STILL BE TURNED, BUT ONLY WITH GREAT EFFORT AND HAD THERE BEEN ANY NEED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTRARTING, THE POWER STEERING RESUMED WORKING. THE SAME FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCAS... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2013
THE OIL INPUT LINE TO THE TURBO HAS STARTED TO LEAK. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SIDELINED BECAUSE OF CHANCE OF FIRE OR FAILURE OF THE TURBO. *TR
Incident date: Feb 22, 2013
POWER STEERING ASSIST INTERMITTENTLY FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN SEEMS TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM BUT AFTER SOME TIME, THE POWER ASSIST WILL FAIL AGAIN. CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITHOUT POWER ASSIST. *TR
Incident date: Feb 1, 2013
THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN GOING IN AND OUT FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH AND THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. TURNING TOOK A LARGE AMOUNT OF EFFORT. AFTER ARRIVING AT HOME AND TAKING IT OUT THE NEXT DAY IT WORKED FINE AND THEN WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE GOING 35 MPH AND TRYING TO MAKE A CURVE IN THE ROAD. WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS A... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2013
AFTER DRIVING AROUND TOWN FOR 15 MINUTES POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND HAD TO STRUGGLE TO TURN A CORNER. HAD TO MAKE A WIDE TURN. IF ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD BEEN APPROACHING, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION. VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THIS VEHICLE WHEN POWER STEERING FAILS. THIS LOSS OF POWER STEERING HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WITHIN LAST TWO WEEKS. RESEARCH ON INTERNET SHOWS THIS TO BE MORE THAN ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2013
THE TIMING TENSIONER ON MY MINI COOPER S BACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LOSS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI, BUT NO KNOWN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THIS POINT. *TR
Incident date: Feb 19, 2013
THE TIMING TENSIONER ON MY MINI COOPER S BACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LOSS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI, BUT NO KNOWN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THIS POINT. *TR
Incident date: Dec 15, 2012
12/14/12: I DROVE HOME FROM WORK. I HAD NO PROBLEMS DRIVING, BUT HEARD A BIT OF A COLD START KNOCK. 12/15/12: CAR DIDN'T START IN THE MORNING. I IMMEDIATELY GOT THE CAR TOWED TO HERB CHAMBERS IN BOSTON, WHERE I HAD EXCLUSIVELY TAKEN IT TO EVERY MAINTENANCE CHECK-UP AND ISSUE I HAD SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW AT THE SAME LOCATION, EVEN AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. 12/16/12: HERB CHAMBERS PERFORMED... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2013
THE MINI COOPER WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE. MY FAMILY NOTICED A DISTINCT BURNING SMELL. WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE IS WAS COMING FROM. THE BURNING SMELL WAS TRACED TO THE GARAGE, BUT STILL DID NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE. THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. UPON INSPECTION AND REMOVAL OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP, ALL THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TO THE UNIT WERE MELTED.... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2013
THE POWER STEERING PUMP SUDDENLY WENT OUT ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER S. FORTUNATELY FOR ME (ALTHOUGH THIS EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGICALLY UNFORTUNATE FOR SOMEONE ELSE) THIS HAPPENED IN A SCHOOL ZONE, WHICH MEANS I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY. BUT WITH LITTLE CHILDREN AROUND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I FIND THIS SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON E... Read more
Incident date: Feb 13, 2013
POWER STEERING WENT OUT AS WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. POWER STEERING STILL OUT. I JUST READ UP AND IT SEEMS EVERYONE'S WAITING FOR THE RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS!! *TR
Incident date: Jan 22, 2013
2005 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CATASTROPHIC ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY, RAPIDLY MOVING TRAFFIC, THE ELECTRIC STEERING FAILED. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR HAD STOPPED, QUITE LIKELY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE AUXILIARY FAN. THE CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $ 1100 FOR THE PARTS ALONE.
Incident date: Feb 7, 2013
POWER STEERING FAILED AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM ONE STREET TO ANOTHER. WHILE 1/2 WAY INTO THE TURN THE STEERING NO LONGER RESPONDED AND STARTED TO GO STRAIGHT INTO ONCOMING OPPOSING TRAFFIC. IT TOOK QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT TO YANK THE STEERING WHEEL AND AVOID A CRASH (MUCH MORE EFFORT THAN STEERING MY 54 CHEVY PICK UP TRUCK). HAD CAR TOWED TO BMW/MINI DEALER - DIAGNOSED AS "POWER STE... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2013
DRIVING OFF-RAMP AT 35 MPH POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND STEERING BECAME REALLY HARD, LIGHTS WENT OFF, AC STOPPED WORKING, AND LOTS OF ENGINE LIGHTS CAME UP, ALMOST CRASHED WHEN TURNING A CORNER AND ENGINE STARTED FAILING.....GOT HOME AND SHUT OFF CAR, WHEN TRIED TO TURN ON AGAIN, IT FAILED TO START....... *TR
Incident date: Feb 12, 2013
DRIVING OFF-RAMP AT 35 MPH POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND STEERING BECAME REALLY HARD, LIGHTS WENT OFF, AC STOPPED WORKING, AND LOTS OF ENGINE LIGHTS CAME UP, ALMOST CRASHED WHEN TURNING A CORNER AND ENGINE STARTED FAILING.....GOT HOME AND SHUT OFF CAR, WHEN TRIED TO TURN ON AGAIN, IT FAILED TO START....... *TR
Incident date: Feb 12, 2013
DRIVING OFF-RAMP AT 35 MPH POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND STEERING BECAME REALLY HARD, LIGHTS WENT OFF, AC STOPPED WORKING, AND LOTS OF ENGINE LIGHTS CAME UP, ALMOST CRASHED WHEN TURNING A CORNER AND ENGINE STARTED FAILING.....GOT HOME AND SHUT OFF CAR, WHEN TRIED TO TURN ON AGAIN, IT FAILED TO START....... *TR
Incident date: Feb 2, 2013
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING PUMP STOPPED WORKING . *TR
Incident date: Nov 15, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP IS BEGINNING TO FAIL. FROM REPORTS I HAVE READ I AM WORRIED THAT THE CAR WILL CATCH ON FIRE AND IN TURN CATCH MY HOUSE ON FIRE. *TR
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Feb 9, 2013
Incident date: Jul 27, 2011
DROVE 8 MILES TO WORK. PARKED CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. SOMETHING KEPT RUNNING UNDER HOOD. I COULD HEAR IT. SOUNDED LIKE A FAN. WHEN LEFT WORK AT END OF DAY, BATTERY WAS DRAINED. HAD TO USE KEY MANUALLY TO GET INTO CAR. CAR WOULD NOT START. CALLED AAA. AAA TRIED TO JUMP START THE CAR. THE GUY GOT IT STARTED, BUT THEN IT SHUT DOWN WHILE HE STILL HAD THE JUMPER CABLES ON IT. HE SAID THAT WASN'T GOOD AN... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2008) - AIR BAGS
Feb 8, 2013
Incident date: Feb 1, 2012
MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, WHICH HAS A WEIGHT-SENSOR TO DETERMINE AIR-BAG OPERATION (ON/OFF, FULL FORCE, PARTIAL FORCE) IS FAULTY, AND WITH A 110 LB PERSON SEATED IN THERE, THE SENSOR STILL BELIEVES THE PERSON WEIGHS BELOW 25 LBS, AND AS SUCH, DISABLES THE AIRBAG. THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME AS I DRIVE WITH A PASSENGER MUCH OF THE TIME, AND MOST OF THE TIME THE AIRBAG IS DISABLED. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SA... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2008) - SEATS
Feb 8, 2013
Incident date: Feb 1, 2012
MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, WHICH HAS A WEIGHT-SENSOR TO DETERMINE AIR-BAG OPERATION (ON/OFF, FULL FORCE, PARTIAL FORCE) IS FAULTY, AND WITH A 110 LB PERSON SEATED IN THERE, THE SENSOR STILL BELIEVES THE PERSON WEIGHS BELOW 25 LBS, AND AS SUCH, DISABLES THE AIRBAG. THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME AS I DRIVE WITH A PASSENGER MUCH OF THE TIME, AND MOST OF THE TIME THE AIRBAG IS DISABLED. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SA... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2013
POWER STEERING FAILED AT FREEWAY SPEED. DRIVER NARROWLY ESCAPED ACCIDENT AT FREEWAY SPEED. POWER STEERING PUMP TOTAL FAILURE. SOMEONE WILL DIE UNLESS THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED. *TR
Incident date: Jan 12, 2013
TURBO CHARGER OIL FEED LINE - VERY POOR DESIGN CRIMPED TUBE WITH AN O-RING SEAL FAILED IN VERY HOT ENVIRONMENT AND CAUSED LARGE OIL LEAK ONTO HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER. STOPPED CAR BEFORE FIRE STARTED. DEALER WANTED $1,300 TO INSTALL A NEW $50 OIL LINE OF THE SAME POOR DESIGN. EVERY SINGLE 2007+ MINI COOPER S HAS A SIMILAR OIL LINE - THEY ARE ALL FAILING AT FAIRLY LOW MILEAGE - NO EXCEPTIONS. MINI S... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2013
MY CAR HAD BEEN MAKING A RATTLING SOUND OFF AND ON FOR A SHORT TIME (MOSTLY IN THE COLD MORNINGS) I DROVE FROM HOUSTON TO DALLAS. WHEN PARKED ON THE SIDE ROAD, MY CAR WOULD NOT START UP. I HAD NO SERVICE LIGHT OR ANY OTHER LIGHTS COME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD MY TIMING BELT WAS BROKEN. I HAVE NO MEANS TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT APPEARS THIS IS A VER... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2012
WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND CAME UP ON A TURN WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP. PUT ALL OF MY WEIGHT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP FROM JUMPING THE MEDIAN. SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON AND IT SEEMED FINE. THEN GETTING ON THE FREEWAY, I WAS ON THE CLOVER-LEAF AND IT LOCKED UP AGAIN SO I PUT ALL OF MY WEIGHT INTO IT ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2013
NO POWER STEERING. HARD TO STEER. *TR
Incident date: Jan 24, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A PARKING LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11005 (STEERING) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2013
THE CAR STARTED LEAKING SMALL AMOUNTS OF OIL IN THE GARAGE, APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A DIME. WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED YOU COULD SMELL A SLIGHT OIL BURNING ODOR. THE CAR SAT FOR 3 DAYS, WAS DRIVEN AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE RESULT IS THAT THE "TURBO OIL FEED LINE" AND "CRANKCASE TO VALVE COVER HOSE" WERE REPLACED BECAUSE BOTH WERE LEAKING OIL. AT 50700 M... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2013
THE CAR STARTED LEAKING SMALL AMOUNTS OF OIL IN THE GARAGE, APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A DIME. WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED YOU COULD SMELL A SLIGHT OIL BURNING ODOR. THE CAR SAT FOR 3 DAYS, WAS DRIVEN AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE RESULT IS THAT THE "TURBO OIL FEED LINE" AND "CRANKCASE TO VALVE COVER HOSE" WERE REPLACED BECAUSE BOTH WERE LEAKING OIL. AT 50700 M... Read more
MINI
JCW CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE
Jan 28, 2013
Incident date: Jan 16, 2013
THE TURBOCHARGER OIL INLET FITTING BEGAN LEAKING OIL (2-3 ML/MIN) ONTO THE HOT TURBOCHARGER, RESULTING IN SMOKE AND A STRONG OIL-BURNING SMELL. THE OEM TURBO INLET FITTING UTILIZES A POLYMER O-RING THAT FAILED DUE TO EXPOSURE TO HEAT FROM THE TURBO. THIS IS, APPARENTLY, A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE TURBOCHARGED MINI ENGINES. THIS IS DEFINITELY A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
Incident date: Jan 23, 2013
POWER STEERING WENT OUT MAKING VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. WAS TOLD BY MINI DEALER $1500 TO REPLACE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 26, 2013
2004 MINI COOPER OCCASIONALLY WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING ONCE EVERY COUPLE MONTHS AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OWNING IT. TURNING OFF CAR AND STARTING IT BACK UP WOULD ALWAYS RESOLVE IT. WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 60MPH, LOST POWER STEERING. COULD NOT PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. TOOK EXIT RAMP WITH A SHARP CURVE, COULD BARELY MAKE IT AROUND THE CURVE, ENDED UP ON THE SHOULDER. EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCID... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2011) - ENGINE
Jan 26, 2013
Incident date: Jan 25, 2013
CAR DIED AT 65MPH. TOLD IT WAS AN AUXILIARY WATER PUMP THAT OVERHEATED AND BURNED OUT THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD. EVEN THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS DIED OUT. *TR
Incident date: Jan 23, 2013
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IS WHEN I NOTICED THE RPM WAS HIGH AND THE SPEED REDUCING. (ALONG WITH SOME CRACKLING, ROUGH NOISES FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR) I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL (LOWERED THE RPMS), TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T REGAIN SPEED THE CAR EVENTUALLY REDUCED DRIVING SPEED TO 30MPH WITH RPM AT 5. I MOVED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND WAITED F... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2013
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IS WHEN I NOTICED THE RPM WAS HIGH AND THE SPEED REDUCING. (ALONG WITH SOME CRACKLING, ROUGH NOISES FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR) I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL (LOWERED THE RPMS), TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T REGAIN SPEED THE CAR EVENTUALLY REDUCED DRIVING SPEED TO 30MPH WITH RPM AT 5. I MOVED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND WAITED F... Read more