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: Aug 31, 2012
RIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME SUDDENLY VERY STIFF AS I WAS MAKING A STANDARD 90 TURN. I ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME BUT DIDN'T AS I MANAGED TO HIT THE BRAKES. I FINISHED THE CURVE ON THE VERY LAST LANE ON THE RIGHT. IF A CAR HAD BEEN ON MY WAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH, FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NONE. MINI DIAGNOSED A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. BROWSING ON THE WEB, ... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2009) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Sep 4, 2012
Incident date: Sep 1, 2012
CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AS I WAS DRIVING (TWICE THIS HAS HAPPENED - IN A BEND IN THE ROAD--VERY SCARY). ALSO, AROUND THIS TIME, COULD NOT START UP THE CAR--CAR ENGINE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T UNTIL ABOUT MY 6TH ATTEMPT. I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS STARTING MY CAR BEFORE. I MIGHT ADD THAT RECENTLY, BEFORE I HAD THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE FAST PICK U... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2009) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Sep 4, 2012
Incident date: Sep 1, 2012
CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AS I WAS DRIVING (TWICE THIS HAS HAPPENED - IN A BEND IN THE ROAD--VERY SCARY). ALSO, AROUND THIS TIME, COULD NOT START UP THE CAR--CAR ENGINE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T UNTIL ABOUT MY 6TH ATTEMPT. I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS STARTING MY CAR BEFORE. I MIGHT ADD THAT RECENTLY, BEFORE I HAD THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE FAST PICK U... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2012
DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN I BEGAN TO SMELL BURNT OIL. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO I PULLED OVER, IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A CLOUD OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THOUGH THERE WAS NO FIRE IT APPEARED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM OIL LEAKING ONTO THE TURBO FROM THE OIL FEED LINE. AFTER LETTING THE CAR COOL I PROCEEDED HOME. NOW WHENEVER THE CAR IS SITTING IDLE I CAN ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 6, 2012
IN JANUARY 2012 WITH 37,000 MILES ON IT MY MINI STARTED HAVING VERY NOISY STARTS. THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY AFTER IT WARMED UP. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MINI DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER GUIDES ETC FOR HALF PRICE AS A GOOD WILL GESTURE. NOW I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
Incident date: Aug 27, 2012
COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE. FAULTY/FAILED PUMP INTERNAL CONTROL CIRCUITRY. *TR
Incident date: Feb 15, 2010
WATER PUMP/SUPER CHARGER FAIL CAUSE ENGINE OVERHEAT. HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP/SUPER CHARGE ASSEMBLY. *TR
Incident date: Feb 4, 2012
GENERALLY, I LOVE THE MINI COOPER HAVING PURCHASED IT IN THE AFTER MARKET. HOWEVER, NOT LONG AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, I HAD PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITH MY STEERING WHEEL SEIZING UP BUT AN INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY 2012 STICKS OUT MOST IN MY MIND SINCE I WAS ON I-95 IN THE RAIN AND COULD NOT ADEQUATELY STEER THE CAR TO TAKE AN EXIT. MY 11 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AT THE TIME. I PULLED TO TH... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2012
GENERALLY, I LOVE THE MINI COOPER HAVING PURCHASED IT IN THE AFTER MARKET. HOWEVER, NOT LONG AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, I HAD PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITH MY STEERING WHEEL SEIZING UP BUT AN INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY 2012 STICKS OUT MOST IN MY MIND SINCE I WAS ON I-95 IN THE RAIN AND COULD NOT ADEQUATELY STEER THE CAR TO TAKE AN EXIT. MY 11 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AT THE TIME. I PULLED TO TH... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2009) - LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Aug 31, 2012
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
THE LATCHES ON THE REAR DOORS FAILED AND WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. HAD TO TIED DOORS DOWN WITH ROPE IN ORDER TO GET HOME. I WAS FORTUNATE THE LATCHES FAILED WHILE IT WAS PARKED AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING; COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. MINI HAS THIS AS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN BUT CHARGED ME $233 TO FIX. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2009) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 31, 2012
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
THE LATCHES ON THE REAR DOORS FAILED AND WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. HAD TO TIED DOORS DOWN WITH ROPE IN ORDER TO GET HOME. I WAS FORTUNATE THE LATCHES FAILED WHILE IT WAS PARKED AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING; COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. MINI HAS THIS AS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN BUT CHARGED ME $233 TO FIX. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2009) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Aug 31, 2012
Incident date: Oct 10, 2008
THE CAR HAS NEVER REGISTERED THE CORRECT MILES PER HOUR. THE SPEEDOMETER REPORTS HIGHER THAN ACTUAL MILES PER HOUR BY AS MUCH AS 10%. I'VE COMPLAINED MANY TIMES TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO GET USED TO IT. THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD FIX AND I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NAVIGATION SYSTEM IF I WANTED TO KNOW HOW FAST I WAS REALLY GOING. I ASKED IF THEY AFFECTED MY ACTUAL MILEAGE AND THEY SAID NO,... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB AND PULLED OVER AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN. IT FELT LIKE DRIVING WITH FOUR FLAT TIRES. AFTER RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN TWO DAYS LATER. IN BOTH CASES, THIS HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER STARTING UP. *TR
Incident date: Aug 30, 2012
HAD JUST MADE MINOR ENGINE REPAIRS - HOSES - BELT - THERMOSTAT - WATER PUMP - OIL CHANGE - OIL FILTER - AIR FILTER - LESS THEN ONE WEEK - 30MP MAKING LEFT TURN - GRIPPING VERY HARD ON THE WHEEL TO FINISH THE TURN - NO POWER STEERING - TESTED FAN - FAN OK - PULLED STEERING PUMP OFF - WHAT DO I DO NOW - BUY PUMP - CALL DEALER - WAIT TO HERE FROM YOU *TR
Incident date: Aug 15, 2012
WATER PUMP FOR TURBOCHARGER REPLACED IN MAY (RECALL) AND TURBOCHARGER WARRANTY EXTENDED VIA MINI OF AMERICA LETTER. TURBOCHARGER FAILED IN AUGUST, BUT MINI OF AUSTIN BLAMED FAILURE ON LACK OF OIL CHANGES. ALL OIL CHANGES PERFORMED BY THAT DEALERSHIP WHENEVER THE CAR TOLD US IT WAS DUE. CRAPPY RESPONSE FROM MINI OF AMERICA AS WELL. *TR
Incident date: Aug 28, 2012
THE OIL SUPPLY AND RETURN LINE CONNECTIONS AT THE TURBO HAVE FAILED AND SPRAYED OIL ONTO A VERY HOT TURBO CAUSING A HIGH RISK OF FIRE. *TR
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
THE POWER STEERING FAILED, COMMON PROBLEM IN 2004 MINI COOPER. CANADA HAS ISSUED A RECALL IN JANUARY 2012. *TR
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
THE POWER STEERING FAILED, COMMON PROBLEM IN 2004 MINI COOPER. CANADA HAS ISSUED A RECALL IN JANUARY 2012. *TR
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
THE POWER STEERING FAILED, COMMON PROBLEM IN 2004 MINI COOPER. CANADA HAS ISSUED A RECALL IN JANUARY 2012. *TR
Incident date: May 15, 2012
MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING ON A WINDY BACK ROAD, ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE THE TURN, AND SINCE IT HAS FAILED COMPLETELY. WHEN I CALLED THE LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP (MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CT) LAST WEEK TO FINALLY GET THE PART REPLACED (QUOTED $1700 AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS) THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON REPLIED WITH, "HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL?" OVERJOYED I DROVE MY MINI IN THI... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURREN... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Aug 27, 2012
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
WAS DRIVING ON AN OVERPASS BETWEEN FREEWAYS WHEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS BEGINNING MY TURN, AND COULD NOT CONTROL OR MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIT THE RAILING. CARS HAD TO DODGE QUICKLY TO NOT HIT ME. TURNED OFF IGNITION AND TURNED BACK ON AND IT WAS FINE - BUT WAS REALLY SHOOK UP. CONTINUED DRIVING TO WORK 3 MILES LATER AND IT DID IT AGAIN PULLING INTO THE PARKING ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2012
MINI COOPER TRANSMISSION FAIL. THE CAR DOES NOT GO BETWEEN 20 TO 50 MPH. IT HAS NO POWER AND THAT CAN BE DANGERS WHEN I AM GETTING INTO THE HIGHWAY AND CARS ARE GOING AT A HIGH SPEED. ON TOP OF IT MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. LUCKY I GOT IT STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM THE CAR NEED TO BE RECALL AND GET IT FAXED BECAUSE SOMEONE CAN... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Aug 26, 2012
Incident date: Aug 25, 2012
DAUGHTER/CO-OWNER WAS DRIVING CAR. SHIFTING FROM 1ST IN TO 2ND GEAR. LOUD CLUNK OR RATTLE/CLICKING FROM UNSIDE. CAR LOST POWER STEERING, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 26, 2012
Incident date: Aug 25, 2012
DAUGHTER/CO-OWNER WAS DRIVING CAR. SHIFTING FROM 1ST IN TO 2ND GEAR. LOUD CLUNK OR RATTLE/CLICKING FROM UNSIDE. CAR LOST POWER STEERING, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Aug 26, 2012
Incident date: Aug 25, 2012
DAUGHTER/CO-OWNER WAS DRIVING CAR. SHIFTING FROM 1ST IN TO 2ND GEAR. LOUD CLUNK OR RATTLE/CLICKING FROM UNSIDE. CAR LOST POWER STEERING, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. *TR
Incident date: Aug 24, 2012
MY MINI COOPER S 2006 HAS BEEN RANDOMLY BANGING INTO GEAR AND WAS DIAGNOSED BY NORTHWEST MINI AS NEEDING A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR $8361.00 (BEFORE TAX). PROBLEM CAUSES CAR TO LOOSE ACCELERATION AND POWER. *TR
Incident date: Aug 23, 2012
DROVE 2003 MINI TO WORK 11.5 MILES. AS I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO THE PARKING GARAGE THE STEERING WENT OUT AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR PREVIOUS INDICATION THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. *TR
Incident date: Jan 1, 2010
I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACT DATES AS THIS PART HAS BEEN BAD FOR SO LONG. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHINES VERY LOUDLY. A COUPLE TIMES THE POWER HAS GONE OUT AND THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE PROBLEM IS VERY INTERMITTENT AND ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS EACH TIME. *TR
Incident date: Aug 1, 2012
I TOOK MY 2002 MINI COOPER S IN FOR A VIRGINIA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND IT FAILED THE INSPECTION BECAUSE THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER AND WIRING TO THE SEAT BELT AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WERE FAULTY. THE DEALER IS CHARGING ME $1,000 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION PE05053 R... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED SMALL FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A BLANKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE OIL RETURN LINE THA... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 2, 2012
JUST GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY CAUSE THE STEERING STARTED TO GET VERY DIFFICULT. AFTER WE LOOKED IN THE MANUAL AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS WE HEADED TOWARDS OUR DESTINATION ABOUT 10 OR SO MINS. LATER. STEERING WAS FINE AFTER THAT, THEN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, THANKFULLY WE WERE ON A LOCAL ROAD AND IT LASTED ABOUT 3 MINS. THEN STEERING BECAME NORMAL AGAIN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2012
POWER STEERING/STEERING PUMP SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILING, FIRST NOTICED IN A CROWDED PARKING LOT. *TR
Incident date: Aug 22, 2012
THERE IS A" LINE" CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND BEGINNING @ 4 INCHES FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDOW AND EXTENDING LEFT TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD.. NO HEAD, OR ICE HAIL OR BODY HIT THE WINDOW, TO CAUSE THE BREAK.. *TR
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2012) - ENGINE
Aug 21, 2012
Incident date: Mar 6, 2012
ON 3/6/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 4,743) MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE DRIVING IN OUR 2012 MINI COUNTRYMAN S AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH REDUCED POWER ON THE FREEWAY AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER WAS RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO US. ON 5/15/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 9,318) THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND THE CAR AGAIN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2012
KNOCKING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND RUNNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE WRONG FUEL ADDED TO IT, OR LOW OIL WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I CORRECTED THOSE TWO ISSUES, BUT IT STILL MAKES THE KNOCKING NOISE. I AM VERY AFRAID IT WILL SEIZE. I BELIEVE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Incident date: Jul 28, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,207. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAIL... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2009) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 20, 2012
Incident date: Jul 5, 2012
AFTER COMPLAINING REPEATEDLY TO THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT A RATTLING NOISE FROM OUR VEHICLE ENGINE AT START UP, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED OUR ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS "NORMAL" ENGINE NOISE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. NOW THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKEN, BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED FROM THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE. THER... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE
Aug 20, 2012
Incident date: Jul 5, 2012
AFTER COMPLAINING REPEATEDLY TO THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT A RATTLING NOISE FROM OUR VEHICLE ENGINE AT START UP, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED OUR ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS "NORMAL" ENGINE NOISE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. NOW THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKEN, BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED FROM THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE. THER... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2012
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TO SACRAMENTO, CA FROM ALAMEDA, CA, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, MY RED DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE ROOF-MOUNTED YELLOW PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT BOTH CAME ON. THE ROOF-MOUNTED YELLOW LIGHT THEN WENT OUT AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES, BUT THE RED DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON EVERY TIME THE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON. *TR
Incident date: Aug 18, 2012
THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE PREPARING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY. THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING TO TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND IT JUST QUIT AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THE HIGHWAY WAS ON A SLOPE AND TO PREVENT FROM BLOCKING THE HIGHWAY AND RISK INJURY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A FIRE STATION ALONG THE HIGHWAY AND FROM THERE PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A BROKEN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2012
THE FIRST TIME MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING THE TURN. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN ANOTHER TIME WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN. I WAS FORTUNATE THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. TODAY, 8/20/2012 IS THE MOST RECENT DAY THAT IT WENT OUT. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - AIR BAGS
Aug 20, 2012
Incident date: Jul 6, 2012
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME THAT IGNITION IS ON, EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT. YOU CAN SIT IN THE SEAT AND THE LIGHT STAYS ON. MY CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT THE AIR BAG WILL STILL FUNCTION. *TR
Incident date: Nov 16, 2010
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES SYSTEM IS EITHER OFF OR INOPERATIVE - IT DOES NOT MATTER IF SOMEONE IS SITTING ON THE SEAT OR NOT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. AFTER REVIEWING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MINI FORUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT COVER. SINCE I RARELY CARRY PASSENGERS, THIS CONDITION IS DEFINITELY NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. AS IT... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 42,000. UPDATED 08/29/12*LJ UPDATED 08/29/12
Incident date: Aug 13, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 42,000. UPDATED 08/29/12*LJ UPDATED 08/29/12
Incident date: Aug 16, 2012
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES SYSTEM IS EITHER OFF OR INOPERATIVE - IT DOES NOT MATTER IF SOMEONE IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT OR NOT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. AFTER REVIEWING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MINI FORUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON AND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR UNDER THE SEAT COVER. SINCE I RARELY CARRY PASSENGERS, THIS CONDITION IS DEFINITELY NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR.... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2012
THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THEN.
Incident date: Aug 4, 2012
WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR STARTED JERKING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGHLY AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE MINI DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. WHILE THE DEALER WAS VERY HELPFUL, THE DIAGNOSES WAS DISTURBING AT BEST. AFTER TEARING APART THE MOTOR, CLEANING IT AND REASSEMBLING, THE PROBLEM REMAINED. IT WAS "MINI SERVICES" RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEALER THAT THE TIMING BELT BE CHANGED.... Read more