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 20, 2012
STEERING PUMP FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - AIR BAGS
Mar 29, 2012
Incident date: Feb 24, 2012
MY 2006 MINI COOPER S HAS A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR, I WAS QUOTED $1200 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PART THAT BMW RECALLED IN 2008. BMW RECALLED AROUND 150,000 VEHICLES IN NORTH AMERICA TO FIX A POSSIBLE DEFECT THAT MAY KEEP THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG FROM OPENING IN A CRASH, THE RECALLED CARS INCLUDE 2006 3-SERIES, 2004-06 5-SERIES AND 2004-06 X3 VEHICLES. MINI USES THIS... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. TWO DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF BUT THE ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 26, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A FIRE HAD ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE AREA AND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 7, 2012
HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM FAILED WHILE ON THE ROAD 3 TIMES CAUSING A CRASH HAZARD. THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. *TR
Incident date: Mar 27, 2012
ON DATE OF INCIDENT, WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP (BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE). I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO A SPOT AND CALLED FOR TOW ASSISTANCE. THE REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED AS A POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE THAT AND OTHER AFFILIATED COMPONENTS (COOLING FAN, ETC.). APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE POWER STEERING FAN WAS UNCHARACTERISTIC... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2012
BMW INSTALLED PLASTIC POWER STEERING PUMP THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE THE PART IS FAULTY AND LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID. I HAD TO REPLACE PUMP WITH METAL POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR
Incident date: Mar 27, 2012
DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY ROUNDING CURVE, POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. *TR
Incident date: Mar 21, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP FAIL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY WARNING LIGHT. FOUND OUT THAT ITS NOT WORKING WHILE DRIVING!!! I COULDN'T TURN MY STEERING WHEEL IT BECAME VERY STIFF. ITS VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. ABOUT $900 FOR THE PART ONLY! *TR
Incident date: Feb 20, 2012
OCCASIONAL POWER STEERING FAILURE. AT FIRST IT OCCURRED MOSTLY AT START UP FOR LESS THAN A MINUTE. AFTER CALLING THE DEALER FOR INFO, I ADDED FLUID, TURNED THE WHEEL TO LOCK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND THAT SEEMED TO HELP FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. THE ISSUE HAS SINCE RETURNED, ABOUT 1 OCCURRENCE PER WEEK. MOST RECENTLY I HAD NO POWER STEERING FOR THE ENTIRETY OF A ~30 MINUTE DRIVE. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE STE... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2011
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 MINI, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS OCCURED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. ONCE THE VEHICLE COOLS OFF, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. *TR I HAVE CONTACTED THE MINI DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY RECALLS ISSUED, WHICH THERE HAVE NOT. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND MANY OTHERS... Read more
Incident date: Feb 18, 2012
POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE IN TRAFFIC JAM. VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. FOURTH INCIDENT OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT FILED WITH NHTSA. OWNER WAS CONTACTED BY BMW IN AUGUST 2011 FOR COMPLAINT REVIEW, BUT OWNER HAS NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AND CANNOT GET THROUGH TO TELEPHONE NUMBER GIVEN BY BMW. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Mar 26, 2012
Incident date: Mar 1, 2012
POWER STEERING STARTED FAILING APPROX. 3000 MILE AGO, AT LOWER SPEEDS THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL. NEEDED TO RESTART THE CAR TO HAVE POWER WORK AGAIN. FINALLY THE POWER STEERING FAN WOULD STAY ON WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. TOOK THE CAR TO MINI DEALERSHIP, TECHNICIAN WAS APPROX. 30 FEET FROM CAR AND HE HAD A DIAGNOSIS . POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED AND SO DID THE POWER STEERING FAN UNIT.... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Mar 25, 2012
Incident date: Mar 6, 2012
WHILE DRIVING DOWN STRAIGHT ROAD STEERING BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY "TIGHTEN UP" AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND DRY. NEXT MORNING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ALMOST HIT A FENCE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN GARAGED ALL NIGHT AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. POWER STEERING UNEXPECTEDLY RETURNED TWO MILES LATER, ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2012
MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT TODAY WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SCARY EXPERIENCES I HAVE EVER HAD. I ADORE MY LITTLE CAR, BUT TODAY IT MADE ME SO SCARED I AM NOT SURE I AM OK DRIVING HER ANY MORE. WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, I NOTICED THAN MY STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF. I STARTED TO TURN INTO THE LEFT-TURN LANE AND COULD BARELY DO IT, THEN TRIED TO TURN LEFT AND ALMOST HIT THE CARS AR... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2012
THE CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE TRANSITION FROM POWER STEERING ASSIST TO MANUAL STEERING. I HOPE THIS ASSISTS THE INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE. *TR
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2007) - AIR BAGS
Mar 24, 2012
Incident date: Feb 20, 2012
PASSENGER AIR BAG DISABLED LIGHTS (DASH AND ABOVE REAR VIEW MIRROR) ARE ON INDICATING NO PASSENGER IS PRESENT (THUS DISABLING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM) EVEN WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS OCCUPYING THE SEAT. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND BOUGHT THE SUPPLEMENTAL BMW WARRANTY WHICH I WAS TOLD EXTENDED THE SUPPLIED WARRANTY FROM 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES TO 6 YEARS/100,000 MILES AND COVERED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2012
I HAVE A MINI S 2006. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO THE DASH AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THEN WENT OFF. NOW THE LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A 1300.00 JOB. MY CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. THE CAR HAS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE, 75000 MILES? THE AIR BAG SENSOR SHOULD NOT BE FAULTY. *TR
Incident date: Mar 1, 2012
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT. GENERALLY, IT WILL GO OUT AFTER DRIVING 20-30 MINUTES, HOWEVER, IT HAS FAILED TO TURN ON WHEN STARTING IN THE MORNING ON OCCASION. IN BOTH CASES, TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING BRINGS THE POWER STEERING BACK ON. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS RELATED TO INVESTIGATION EA11005. *TR
Incident date: Mar 23, 2012
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING INEXPLICABLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING MAKING STEERING AND CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT. THE PROBLEM WAS POTENTIALLY QUITE DANGEROUS DUE TO ITS UNEXPECTED NATURE. IF I WAS NOT TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WHICH SHOWED ITSELF AS I BEGAN MY NEXT TURN AND HAD BEGUN A TURN WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE C... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2012
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT. IT IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE, WHERE I WILL BE DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MILES WITH THE POWER STEERING INTACT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES OUT MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO TURN AND CONTROL. LATER THE POWER STEERING RETURNS. I HAD THE VEHICLE EXAMINED BY THE MINI DEALER, THE INSURANCE COMPANY MECHANIC, AND MY PERSONAL MECHANIC. NONE OF ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2012
PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED. *TR
Incident date: Mar 22, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE W... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2011) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 23, 2012
Incident date: Jan 1, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE KEY FOB. IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NO FAILURE WAS PRESENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTAN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2011
STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT WHILE DRIVING REQUIRING FULL ARM STRENGTH TO TURN WHEEL. AN ACCIDENT COULD EASILY HAVE OCCURRED IF OTHER VEHICLES WERE IN THE AREA WHERE I WAS TURNING. VEHICLE NOW REQUIRES WIDE RADIUS TO TURN. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE A STRONG UPPER BODY BUT ANYONE DRIVING 2004/05 MINIS WITH THIS STEERING PROBLEM SHOULD TAKE CARE AND HAVE DEALERSHIP FIX AND PAY FOR THE REPAIR. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2012
VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT COLD START, DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER, TOTAL COST ABOUT $1950.00. DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FROM MINI USA. *TR
Incident date: Mar 16, 2012
VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT COLD START, DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER, TOTAL COST ABOUT $1950.00. DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FROM MINI USA. *TR
Incident date: Mar 20, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE REGAINED POWER STEERING FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE POW... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2011
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE CAR. THE CAR WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THAN A CAR THAT HAS NO POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT WAS WORKING ONE MOMENT, THEN AFTER A SHORT DRIVING FOR A SHORT PERIOD IT JUST CEASED TO WORK. CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID AND THE... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2012
HAVE BEEN NOTICING MY MINI'S FAN HAS BEEN SOUNDING LOUDER THAN NORMAL THOUGHT MAYBE A COOLING ISSUE GOING ON HOWEVER LAST WEEK THE POWER STEERING RANDOMLY WENT OUT IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING. I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND TRIED TURNING CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT, POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. I THOUGHT IT WAS A WEIRD FLUKE AND CHECKED ALL MY ENGINE FLUID LEVELS WHEN I GOT HOME. ALL FLUIDS WERE AT... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2012
EXITING ON AN OFF-RAMP FROM THE FREEWAY THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND STEERING BECAME ROCK HARD AND IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING STRAIGHT AND RUNNING INTO THE GUARD RAIL AROUND THE TURN. VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND IF I HAD DECREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH THE CAR WOULD HAVE VEERED STRAIGHT FOR THE GUARD RAIL AND AT HIGH FREEWAY EXIT SPEEDS. *JS
Incident date: Mar 14, 2012
FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP MADE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN PARKING. *JS
Incident date: Mar 1, 2012
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ABOVE MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND ON MY DASH. I HAVE FOUND ON MULTIPLE SITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. *JS
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 19, 2012
Incident date: Jan 10, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL REPAIRS DUE TO A LACK IN AVAILABILITY OF THE NECESSARY PARTS. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO DEALER LOCATIONS AND NEITHER DEALER HAD THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RECALL REPA... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) ONE DAY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE REMEDY HOWEVER, FAILED TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FIRE.... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 5, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION OF THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA11005 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP STEE... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2012
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHETHER OR NOT A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS COST US OVER $1500. IN 2006 MINI ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 2002 AND 2003 MODELS WITH THE SAME DEFECT. BMW'S INVESTIGATION OF THE SAME SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEATS OF BMW AUTOS RESULTED IN A RECALL OF THIS PART. NHTSA ACTION NUMB... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2012
WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED, RESULTING IN A NEAR-LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PHYSICAL EFFORT REQUIRED TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF FLUID OR BREACH IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON PRO... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2011
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE COMMONLY REFERRED TO BY MINI OWNERS AS "THE DEATH RATTLE". THE DEALER CLAIMS THE ISSUE IS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF BEING 1.5 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. BUT DOZENS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING LOW ON OIL. I SUSPECT THE LOW OIL LEVEL IS A COVER ALLOWING THE MANUFACTURER TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NO OIL INDICATOR LIGHT... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2011
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE COMMONLY REFERRED TO BY MINI OWNERS AS "THE DEATH RATTLE". THE DEALER CLAIMS THE ISSUE IS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF BEING 1.5 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. BUT DOZENS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING LOW ON OIL. I SUSPECT THE LOW OIL LEVEL IS A COVER ALLOWING THE MANUFACTURER TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NO OIL INDICATOR LIGHT... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2012
AIRBAG PASSENGER MAT SEAT SENSOR . THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE 2003 TO PRESENT. SEAT SENSOR TURNS AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND CAN DISABLE AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE AND ACCORDING TO MINI DEALERSHIP, NOT ON FACTORY RECALL BUT THEY SAY GET HUNDREDS A YEAR AND CHARGE TO REPLACE SENSOR AT 1000.00. SAFETY ISSUE! SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE THEM FIX A KNOWN ISSUE AT ALL DEALERSHIPS AND PUT PEO... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 4, 2012
AIRBAG PASSENGER MAT SEAT SENSOR . THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE 2003 TO PRESENT. SEAT SENSOR TURNS AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND CAN DISABLE AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE AND ACCORDING TO MINI DEALERSHIP, NOT ON FACTORY RECALL BUT THEY SAY GET HUNDREDS A YEAR AND CHARGE TO REPLACE SENSOR AT 1000.00. SAFETY ISSUE! SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE THEM FIX A KNOWN ISSUE AT ALL DEALERSHIPS AND PUT PEO... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 4, 2012
AIRBAG PASSENGER MAT SEAT SENSOR . THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE 2003 TO PRESENT. SEAT SENSOR TURNS AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND CAN DISABLE AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE AND ACCORDING TO MINI DEALERSHIP, NOT ON FACTORY RECALL BUT THEY SAY GET HUNDREDS A YEAR AND CHARGE TO REPLACE SENSOR AT 1000.00. SAFETY ISSUE! SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE THEM FIX A KNOWN ISSUE AT ALL DEALERSHIPS AND PUT PEO... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 14, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP STOPPED FUNCTIONING MAKING CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
Incident date: Mar 13, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGE ON THE REAR HATCH FRACTURED AND THE ENTIRE REAR HATCH WAS DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT CLOSE DUE TO THE BROKEN HINGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. TH... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2012
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT ENGAGE AND LOCK ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, WE ARE FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF SITTING FOR 5-10-15 MINUTES TRYING REPEATEDLY TO GET THE SEAT BELT TO ENGAGE AND LOCK, OR TAKING OFF WITHOUT BUCKLING THE FRONT PASSENGER UNTIL THE PROBLEM CLEARS UP, OR TRANSFERRING THE PASSENGER TO THE REAR SEAT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. RIDICULOUS... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2012
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH WAY SPEED CAR LOST STEERING ASSIST, INTERMITTENTLY CAME BAD THEN FAILED, I THEN SLOWED DOWN STEERING DID NOT CAME BACK, ONCE STOPPED LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD THE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL BURNING, EVEN WITH KEY OFF I COULD HEAR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP STILL TRYING TO RUN, THE FIRE WAS FROM THE HEAVY BATTERY FEED WIRES INTO THE POWER STEERING PUMP THE COMPO... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 13, 2011
EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING LOSS DRIVING ALONG A SUBURBAN ROAD. AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. *TR
Incident date: Jan 20, 2012
POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 62,000 MILES DUE TO FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Mar 7, 2012
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN LACEY WA. SMOKE STARTED ISSUING FROM THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SMOKE WAS ISSUING FORTH. AFTER 5 MINUTES, I SPOTTED FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT IT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. A PASSING MOTORIST ARRIVED WITH A LARGER EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER INFORMED ME THAT THE... Read more
Fire