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: Jul 22, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHICH HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,916 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,960... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2012
MY WIFE AND I LIVE IN MUNICH, GERMANY, WHERE SHE WORKS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT. LAST WEDNESDAY, WHILE ON THE AUTOBAHN OUR CAR BEGAN TO MAKE SOUNDS AS IF IT WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE OR THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF FLUID BEING SPLASHED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. BECAUSE IT WAS A SUNNY DAY, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND I WAS PREPARING TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SO... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 18, 2012
MY WIFE AND I LIVE IN MUNICH, GERMANY, WHERE SHE WORKS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT. LAST WEDNESDAY, WHILE ON THE AUTOBAHN OUR CAR BEGAN TO MAKE SOUNDS AS IF IT WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE OR THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF FLUID BEING SPLASHED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. BECAUSE IT WAS A SUNNY DAY, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND I WAS PREPARING TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SO... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 26, 2012
FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSING A LOSS OF COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 80,000+ INCIDENTS REPORTED WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. THE PUMP HAS SINCE BEEN RE-MANUFACTURED TO FIX THE ISSUES BUT MINI OF NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE SERIOUS SAFETY ASPECT OF THEIR FAILING PART. *TR
Incident date: Jul 23, 2012
I RETURNED HOME AFTER DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND A MOTOR KEPT RUNNING. I RESTARTED THE CAR TO SEE IF A ELECTRICAL FAN HAD KEPT RUNNING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AGAIN, BUT THE NOISE OF A FAN OR PUMP WAS STILL HEARD. I LOOKED FOR A FUSE TO REMOVE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE ONE THAT STOPPED THE NOISE. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, SO THE WIRING WOULD NOT OVERHEAT. I RECONNECTED TH... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2012
I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER THAT HAD NINE MONTH OLD PIRELLI EUFORI RUN FLAT TIRES ON ALL FOUR WHEEL THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. I USED THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL MONTHS AND NOTICED ABNORMAL HANDLING ON THE VEHIICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TIRE STORE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAS SPLIT DOWN THE CENTER GROOVE OF EACH TIRE (PHOTOS AVAILABLE... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2011
TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP, SPEEDS DROPS TO MAXIMUM 30MPH CREATING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. FIRST OCCURRENCE MARCH 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "THROTTLE BODY", SECOND OCCURRENCE IN JULY 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "WIRING HARNESS". *TR
Incident date: Mar 25, 2011
TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 70MPH AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP, SPEEDS DROPS TO MAXIMUM 30MPH CREATING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. FIRST OCCURRENCE MARCH 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "THROTTLE BODY", SECOND OCCURRENCE IN JULY 2012 WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILED "WIRING HARNESS". *TR
Incident date: Jul 23, 2012
THE SRS DETECTOR MAT FOR TURNING OFF THE AIRBAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN UNDERWEIGHT OCCUPANT IS EASILY BROKEN. WHEN BROKEN, SENSORS DISABLE THE AIRBAGS. THIS PART IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND I CAN NOT AFFORD IT ON A FIXED INCOME ($1600). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE MAT HAS ISSUES: 1) VERY PRONE TO FAILURE AND 2) INTEGRATED INTO THE SEAT CUSHION SO IT CAN NOT BE REPLAC... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2012
EARLIER IN THE DAY I TOOK THE CAR ON A DAY TRIP TO LAKE TAHOE DRIVING A COMBINATION OF INTERSTATE AND MOUNTAIN PASS ROAD. 3 HOURS LATER, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO RUN AN ERRAND AND CAME HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED. 10-15 MINUTES LATER WE HEAR THE CAR ALARM GOING OFF. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THER... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 21, 2012
EARLIER IN THE DAY I TOOK THE CAR ON A DAY TRIP TO LAKE TAHOE DRIVING A COMBINATION OF INTERSTATE AND MOUNTAIN PASS ROAD. 3 HOURS LATER, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO RUN AN ERRAND AND CAME HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED. 10-15 MINUTES LATER WE HEAR THE CAR ALARM GOING OFF. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THER... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 20, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING RACK, POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE FAN MIGHT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.
Incident date: Jul 12, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CHATTERING NOISE AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS A MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICUL... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CHATTERING NOISE AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS A MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICUL... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
MINI COOPER DRIVERS AROUND THE U.S. AND WORLD HAVE BEEN REPORTING A STRANGE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 2007+ MINI COOPER. FROM THE MISC DEALER REPAIR DETAILS IT APPEARS TO BE A ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM. IT ALSO APPEARS THE WITHOUT BEING FIXED THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AND POSSIBLE MOTOR DESTRUCTION. ON... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
MINI COOPER DRIVERS AROUND THE U.S. AND WORLD HAVE BEEN REPORTING A STRANGE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR 2007+ MINI COOPER. FROM THE MISC DEALER REPAIR DETAILS IT APPEARS TO BE A ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM. IT ALSO APPEARS THE WITHOUT BEING FIXED THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AND POSSIBLE MOTOR DESTRUCTION. ON... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2012
POWER STEERING FAILED. CAR IS RACK AND PINION STEERING AND CAN BE DRIVEN WITHOUT THE PUMP BUT HAD I BEEN GOING AROUND A CURVE WHEN IT FAILED, THE INCREASED WHEEL EFFORT REQUIRED COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! *TR
Incident date: Jul 15, 2012
PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AFTER ENGINE START ALONG WITH THE RED AIR BAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT. DOESN'T MATTER IF SEAT OCCUPIED OR NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO DISABLING AIR BAG. MINI DEALERS DENY THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR DESIGN PROBLEM YET THERE ARE OVER 40 COMPLAINTS ON THIS FORUM. REPAIR COSTS ARE SUBSTANTIAL T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2012
PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AFTER ENGINE START ALONG WITH THE RED AIR BAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT. DOESN'T MATTER IF SEAT OCCUPIED OR NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO DISABLING AIR BAG. MINI DEALERS DENY THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR DESIGN PROBLEM YET THERE ARE OVER 40 COMPLAINTS ON THIS FORUM. REPAIR COSTS ARE SUBSTANTIAL T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER AND WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT AND ENTER A SHOPPING CENTER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REALLY HARD, THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I FELT VERY UNSECURE AND IN DANGER. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTO PARTS SHOP AND CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS OK. I TURNED THE ENGINE ON AND DROVE AWAY AND THE POWER STEERING WHEEL WAS OK. 3 DAYS LATER I NOTICED A BUZZI... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP IS WHINING AND ACCORDING TO DEALER IS GOING TO FAIL AT ANYTIME. UNFORTUNATELY THIS UNIT DOES NOT FAIL IN THE DRIVEWAY IT FAILS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HOPEFULLY I WILL BE DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS AS MY WIFE WILL NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND ALL OF US MINI DRIVERS IN THE US ARE WONDERIN... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2012
2010 MINI COOPER S. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH TIMING CHAIN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ONE WEEK AFTER BEING SERVICED. THE FIRST NOTICEABLE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A LEAK. IT WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING A SEAL. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE WATER PUMP, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED, THE COMPUTER NOTED MISFIRE FAULTS A... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
DEFECTIVE CVT TRANSMISSION! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WAS NO FAULT OF OURS THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT DUE TO THE WAY THIS TRANSMISSION WAS DESIGNED!!!!!!!! *TR
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
DEFECTIVE CVT TRANSMISSION! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WAS NO FAULT OF OURS THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT DUE TO THE WAY THIS TRANSMISSION WAS DESIGNED!!!!!!!! *TR
Incident date: Jul 18, 2011
OUR 2006 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK'S PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR STAYS ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER. SOMETIMES WITH A PASSENGER, IT WILL GO ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. IF THE LIGHT IS ON WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IT WOULD BE LOGICAL TO ASSUME THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE-SPREAD AND DANGEROUS. *TR
Incident date: Sep 12, 2011
INTERMITTENTLY AND RARELY, WHEN THE CAR FIRST STARTS, THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL, AND THERE IS NO APPARENT EFFECT ON THE WHEELS OF THE CAR. EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, I HAVE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED. RESTARTING THE IGNITION HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO REGAIN THE POWER STEERING. AFTER THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN 5 AND 10 T... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2011
INTERMITTENTLY AND RARELY, WHEN THE CAR FIRST STARTS, THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL, AND THERE IS NO APPARENT EFFECT ON THE WHEELS OF THE CAR. EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, I HAVE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED. RESTARTING THE IGNITION HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO REGAIN THE POWER STEERING. AFTER THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN 5 AND 10 T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2012
POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, AFTER 3+ HOURS OF DRIVING. AFTER COOLING DOWN FOR AN HOUR, POWER STEERING CAME BACK, BUT ONLY LASTED 5 MIN., AND WAS OUT FOR ANOTHER DAY. COMES AND GOES, DEPENDING ON HOW HOT THE WEATHER/ENGINE IS, BUT STAYS OUT LONGER AND ONLY WORKS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME NOW. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY AS CANADA HAS SOON! *TR
Incident date: Jul 9, 2012
STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND STAYED THAT WAY. IT WAS FINE THE NEXT DAY, BUT AS THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN A WHILE THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. *TR
Incident date: Jul 12, 2012
I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO BE TEMPORARILY OUT OF MY CONTROL. DUE TO THE LOSS OF STEERING, I WAS UNABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE CAR INTO TRAFFIC AND WAS FORCED TO USE BOTH MY PARKING BRAKE AND MY REGULAR FOOT BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE I COLLIDED WITH A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 5-10 FEET FROM A TR... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2012
THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT SENSOR FOR AIR BAG APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL MINI COOPER'S THAT HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSORS. WHEN THIS SENSOR FAILS, THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY AS DESIGNED. THIS IS A SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE. COST TO REPLACE THIS SENSOR WAS OVER $1,400.00. *TR
Incident date: Jun 8, 2012
THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT SENSOR FOR AIR BAG APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL MINI COOPER'S THAT HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSORS. WHEN THIS SENSOR FAILS, THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY AS DESIGNED. THIS IS A SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE. COST TO REPLACE THIS SENSOR WAS OVER $1,400.00. *TR
Incident date: Jul 10, 2012
THE COLD START RATTLE WAS/IS BEING CAUSED BY THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER (WHICH IS IN TURN POWERED BY AN OIL-PRESSURIZED PISTON). MORE SPECIFICALLY THE SOUND IS CAUSED WHEN THE TENSIONER PISTON DOESN'T EXTEND ALL THE WAY (OR AT ALL) WHICH THEN ALLOWS THE TIMING CHAIN TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE GUIDES ON THE ENGINE COVER. *TR
Incident date: Jun 2, 2010
POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILS REPEATEDLY. SOLUTION HAS BEEN TO STOP CAR AND RESTARTED ENGINE; SEEMS TO RESET PUMP ELECTRONICS. THIS INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES IN THE 3 YEARS WE'VE OWNED THE CAR AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF DRIVER IS NOT AWARE OF THE CHANGE IN STEERING ABILITY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE PUMP I BELIEVE AND WITH ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AB... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2012
I WAS GOING AROUND A 90 DEGREE CORNER AT ABOUT 15 MPH WHEN THE STEERING SEEMED TO LOCK UP. I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED, AND I WRESTLED THE STEERING WHEEL TO COMPLETE THE TURN. SINCE THEN, THE POWER STEERING HAS NOT WORKED 90% OF THE TIME. *TR
Incident date: Jul 3, 2012
ON JULY 3, 2012, I WAS BURNED ON MY CALF BY THE EXHAUST PIPE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE BACK OF THE MINI COOPER S. I HAVE A LARGE HALF MOON SCAR REMAINING. MY DAUGHTER WAS ALSO BURNED LAST YEAR BY THE SAME VEHICLE 2 PLACES ON HER CALF. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND SEE A REPORT ON THE R56 MODEL BUT WAS ONLY PERTAINING TO 2007-2008. IF BMW DID ANYTHING TO RESOLVE (SHORTENING THE PIPE), IT DIDN'T WORK SINCE ... Read more
2 injured
Incident date: Jul 16, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT NOTICE. NEVER GOT A WARNING LIGHT BEFORE DURING OR AFTER FAILURE. NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT SINCE I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR STEERING TO BE SO DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I TURNED THE CAR OFF, LET IT SIT FOR A WHILE AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE STEERING WAS OK AGAIN. SINCE THE STEERIN... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Jul 16, 2012
Incident date: Feb 2, 2011
THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN GOING OUT FOR SOME TIME. OFTEN IT WILL RESET IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND RESTART, BUT RECENTLY IT HASN'T BEEN RESETTING RIGHT AWAY AND OFTEN WILL BE OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE RESETTING. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN STRANGE CREAKING/GROANING SOUNDS EVERY TIME I TURN THE WHEEL RECENTLY, AS WELL AS A WHIRRING SOUND THAT GOES ON AND OFF WHILE THE CAR IS P... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2012
POWER STEERING OCCASIONALLY FAILS DURING LOW SPEED TURNS, E.G. U-TURN OR DRIVING IN PARKING LOTS. *TR
Incident date: Jul 11, 2012
I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER TURNING. FORTUNATELY THIS OCCURRED FIRST AT A VERY LOW SPEED. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHICH HAD REPLACED THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP 1,300 MILES EARLIER. THIS FAILURE WAS DETERMINED BY THE DEALER TO BE BINDING OF THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT AND IT WAS REPLACED. *TR
Incident date: Jul 11, 2012
ISSUES WITH AIRBAG LIGHT IN 2006 MINI COOPER S, WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT IF THEY ARE NOT SITTING JUST THE RIGHT WAY THE LIGHT WILL GO ON, WARNING US THE AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED, SOMETIMES THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL GO ON FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH NOBODY IN THE SEAT. SOMETIMES THE SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON WITH NO ONE IN THE SEAT AS WELL. MOVING THE SEAT WILL SOMETIMES CORRECT THE ISSUE. CO... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2012
THE DUAL POWER SUNROOF IS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY ON THE 2007 MODEL MINI'S AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE BY THE MANUFACTURER. TO FIX THE PROBLEM MINI IS CHARGING OVER $2500.00 TO CORRECT THIS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM. *TR
Incident date: Apr 10, 2012
THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON IN MY MINI. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CABLE TENSIONER, BUT ON MODELS OF 2003 AND ABOVE. I AM WANTING YOU TO RECONSIDER THE YEAR OF THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE 2002. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE REP CABE F SEAT SIDE AIRBAG, REP CABLE BEL TENSIONER, CABLE STRAP, CABLE CONNECTOR, SHRINKING HOSE AND CABLE STRAP WITH BRACKET FOR A COST OF 800. THE AFFECT OF THIS DEFECT IN THE CAR IS FOR T... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2012
CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WITH HAND BRAKE ENGAGED. 5 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR ROLLED DOWN DRIVEWAY AND HIT A DITCH. REAR SUSPENSION WAS DAMAGED. THE HAND BRAKE WAS STILL ENGAGED. *TR
Crash
Incident date: Jun 27, 2012
OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SIX MONTHS THE SRS LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS IT FINALLY CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK TO THE LOCAL BMW/MINI DEALER AND THEY ASSESSED IT FOR $167.00. THEN I WAS TOLD IT WAS A PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR ISSUE AND THE COST OF THE PART AND LABOR WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1100. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE MATTER AND REALIZED THAT DOZENS IF NOT HUNDRE... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILED AFTER 3 HOUR TRIP - WHILE PARKING. STEERING HAS RETURNED AND QUIT MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE - AND NOW HAS QUIT WORKING IT SEEMS FOR GOOD. CAR IS HARD TO STEER, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEED, BUT I AM STILL ABLE TO DRIVE IT. *TR
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2011) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jul 7, 2012
Incident date: Jul 6, 2012
I AM FILING A COMPLAINT THAT THE MINI COOPER COUNTRYMEN WHICH HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR OVER 3 YEARS HAS NOT YET BEEN RATED FOR CRASHES OR ROLLOVERS. I FIND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE HOW ARE CONSUMERS TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION WHEN THERE IS NO DATA AVAILABLE ON THE VEHICLES SAFETY. *TR
Incident date: Jun 25, 2012
DRIVING ON FREEWAY, STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. LATER WENT BACK TO NORMAL. A MONTH LATER THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER VEHICLE SWITCHED OFF, DRAINING BATTERY DEAD. *TR
Incident date: Jul 6, 2012
OIL LEVEL IS DECREASING RAPIDLY AFTER EACH OIL CHANGE. DEALER STATES IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BURN ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 800 MILES. HOWEVER, I DISAGREE AND BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECT SINCE CARS SHOULD NOT BURN THIS MUCH OIL, ESPECIALLY WHEN NEW. *TR
Incident date: Jul 2, 2010
THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BRACKETS ALL BROKE ON MY 07 MINI. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IN NOT A NEW ISSUE AND THE IT IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT HE DEALS WITH ON SEVERAL MINIS. THEY ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND WHEN CRACKED OR BROKEN THEY ALLOW MY TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT OVER 2000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAS... Read more