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: Sep 14, 2009
I HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS IT HAD FAILED. IT FIRST FAILED WHILE I WAS ON A HIGHWAY OFF-RAMP AND NEARLY CRASHED. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE POWER STEERING FAN SEIZING AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT COOLING THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION OF MY OWN, I FOUND OUT THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS THE LOW FAN SPEED RESISTOR FAILED ON THE ENGINE COOLING FAN. THE POWER ... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2010) - POWER TRAIN
Jan 17, 2012
Incident date: Jan 3, 2012
SHIFT MECHANISM FROZE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE GOING IN FOR SERVICE ON 1/6/12. UPON INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT REPAIR IS NOT CONSIDERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER CLAIMS THAT SOME COFFEE WAS SPILLED INSIDE OF CUP HOLDER AND LEAKED BELOW WHICH RESULTED IN SHORTING OUT OF A "WIRE CONNECTOR" AND REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE "SHIFTER ASSEMBLY." REVIEWING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM VARIOUS WEB SIGHTS... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2010) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 17, 2012
Incident date: Jan 3, 2012
SHIFT MECHANISM FROZE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE GOING IN FOR SERVICE ON 1/6/12. UPON INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT REPAIR IS NOT CONSIDERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER CLAIMS THAT SOME COFFEE WAS SPILLED INSIDE OF CUP HOLDER AND LEAKED BELOW WHICH RESULTED IN SHORTING OUT OF A "WIRE CONNECTOR" AND REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE "SHIFTER ASSEMBLY." REVIEWING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM VARIOUS WEB SIGHTS... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2011
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE POWER STEERING ALL OF A SUDDEN WENT OUT THUS MAKING THE STEERING EXTREMELY HEAVY. IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. COULD BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVERS IF FAILURE OCCURS ON A TURN. POWER STEERING SHOULD NOT FAIL. *TR
Incident date: Nov 17, 2011
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MINI SERVICE WANTS APPROXIMATELY $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR
Incident date: Nov 26, 2011
AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS IN THE MORNING I PARKED MY CAR IN MY SPOT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. WHEN I WALKED AWAY THE CAR WAS SILENT. TWO HOURS LATER MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY CAR (WHICH HAD BEEN OFF AND PARKED FOR TWO HOURS) WAS MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE. I WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK IT OUT, AND DETERMINED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM MY CAR WHILE IT WAS OFF. I IMMEDIATELY T... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2007
VEHICLE PRODUCES LOUD METALLIC SOUNDS FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ON COLD START. MINI USA HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THIS IS OKAY, HOWEVER NOW AT 25000 MILES THE NOISE IS CONSTANT AND LOUD. READING DATA FROM OTHER MINI OWNERS THIS PROBLEM IS NOW EXTREMELY COMMON ON ALL MINI COOPERS WITH THE 1.6L PRODUCED AFTER 2007. MINI HAS QUIETLY REPLACED NUMEROUS BELT TENSIONERS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT REFU... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2007
VEHICLE PRODUCES LOUD METALLIC SOUNDS FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ON COLD START. MINI USA HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THIS IS OKAY, HOWEVER NOW AT 25000 MILES THE NOISE IS CONSTANT AND LOUD. READING DATA FROM OTHER MINI OWNERS THIS PROBLEM IS NOW EXTREMELY COMMON ON ALL MINI COOPERS WITH THE 1.6L PRODUCED AFTER 2007. MINI HAS QUIETLY REPLACED NUMEROUS BELT TENSIONERS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT REFU... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2011
I USE MY MINI COOPER THE NIGHT BEFORE PARKING IT AT AROUND 10:00PM THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 22ND, 2011. THE NEXT MORNING WENT TO WORK AS USUAL BY MASS TRANSIT. AT AROUND 8:00AM I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR TELLING ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MY BUILDING HAD SEEN THE CAR SMOKING AND BY THE TIME HE CAME BACK TO GRAB AN EXTINGUISHER THE CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS PU... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 14, 2012
COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND A STREET CORNER! I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 15 MPH(NOT VERY FAST) AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AND TOOK ME BY SURPRISE. *TR
Incident date: Dec 6, 2011
TURBOCHARGER OIL LINE CRIMP FITTING FAILED DUE TO O RING BECOMING HARD FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM TURBOCHARGER RESULTING IN SPRAY OF ENGINE OIL ON HOT TURBOCHARGER. DEALER REPLACED INLET AND OUTLET OIL LINES WITH NEWER DESIGN AND THE ADDITION OF AN OIL LINE HEAT SHIELD NOW BEING USED IN PRODUCTION OF 2011 AND 2012 MODELS. OIL SPRAY COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND THE DESIGN CHANGE FROM MINI INDICATES TO ME T... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2008) - AIR BAGS
Jan 16, 2012
Incident date: Jul 15, 2011
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY AIRBAG SENSOR HAS FAILED. CONSEQUENTLY THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF EVEN IF THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PREVIOUS MINI'S AND BMW'S AND WARRANTS A SAFETY RECALL. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND PREVIOUS OLDER MODEL MINI'S AND BMW'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2008) - SEATS
Jan 16, 2012
Incident date: Jul 15, 2011
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY AIRBAG SENSOR HAS FAILED. CONSEQUENTLY THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF EVEN IF THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PREVIOUS MINI'S AND BMW'S AND WARRANTS A SAFETY RECALL. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND PREVIOUS OLDER MODEL MINI'S AND BMW'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 7, 2012
LENT CAR TO BOYFRIEND TO DRIVE ME TO BOSTON (100 MILE ONE WAY). ON THE WAY HOME HE STOPPED AT A STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM THE HOUSE. WHEN HE CAME BACK OUT OF THE STORE ( WAS IN STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES) THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED. IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO STEER THROUGH CONCRETE FOR HIM. A FEW DAYS LATER HE TRIED THE CAR AND IT ALL WORKED FINE AGAIN. BASED ON PRIOR COMPLAIN... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2012
WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED COLD IN THE MORNING WITH AN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF AROUND 37DEGREES F. THERE IS A RATTLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO A DIESEL ENGINE RATTLE BUT LOUDER. COULD BE A TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM THAT WILL DESTROY THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY. BMW NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2012
LOUD RATTLE AT COLD START. *TR
Incident date: Jan 6, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND TO REPLACE THE PUMP AS WELL AS THE BATTERY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WA... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION U... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2011) - STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
Jan 9, 2012
Incident date: Jan 7, 2012
I PARKED MY MINI CLUBMAN S AND WENT INSIDE A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT FOR ONLY 10 MINUTES, WHEN I RETURNED TO MY MINI, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I RELEASED THE HOOD LATCH AND TRIED WITHOUT SUCCESS TO OPEN THE HOOD. A NEARBY WITNESS CALLED OUT TO ME AS HE RAN TO ASSIST WITH AN EXTINGUISHER REALIZING MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND STOOD HELPLESSLY WATCHING ... Read more
Fire
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2008) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 9, 2012
Incident date: Oct 3, 2011
I HAVE THE S (TURBO) MODEL. WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE (LESS THAN 40 DEGREES) AND THE ENGINE IS COLD (SITTING OVERNIGHT) IT SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE AT START UP. THE FIRST 60 SECONDS OF IDLE IS AWFUL. THE ENGINE CLATTERS LIKE A DIESEL AND THERE IS A BUZZ AS WELL. LIKE A LOOSE HEAT SHIELD OR SOMETHING. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND TRUCKS IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE SOUND LIKE THIS AT IDLE ... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 8, 2012
Incident date: Dec 5, 2011
THE MOTOR MOUNT ON THE MINI COOPER IS NOTORIOUS FOR LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID AND NEEDING REPLACEMENT AFTER FEWER THAN 20,000 MILES OF SERVICE. MINE SHOWED FLUID LEAKAGE AT 18,000 MILES, AND MANY OTHERS ON THE INTERNET REPORT THIS DEFECT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 10,000 MILES. THE COMPANY HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN M22 01 06 FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT TREAT THIS CHRONIC AND DANGEROUS ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE TO NORMAL STEERING WHEEL OPERATION, RESULTING IN DRIVER HAVING TO TAKE UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN STEERING CORRECTION TO AVOID RUNNING OFF THE ROAD OR COLLIDING WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. *TR
Incident date: Oct 14, 2011
I WAS DRIVING MY MINI COOPER S ON THE FREEWAY GOING INTO A TURN, THE WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WITH NO NOTICE. I COULD NOT MAKE THE TURN ALL THE WAY AND THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRES AND FENDER HIT THE CURB ON THE FREEWAY. I FOUGHT THE CAR OFF THE FREEWAY AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 MINS WHILE I CALLED MINI. THE DEALER SAID THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. AFTER A WAIT OF 15 MINS THE CAR STARTED AN... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 12, 2011
POWER STEERING FROZE UP AS WE TURNED A CORNER AND THEN DIED OUT COMPLETELY. IT HAS NEVER RETURNED. VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING A COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *TR
Incident date: Jan 4, 2012
I HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE TO WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. STARTED VEHICLE AFTER WORK AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. DROVE THE VEHICLE 34 MILES AND PARKED IT FOR 30 MINUTES. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN WORKING. *TR
Incident date: Dec 20, 2011
PASSANGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED-. *TR
Incident date: Dec 7, 2011
WHILE DRIVING 2005 MINI COOPER, I WENT AROUND A CORNER AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND WHEN I TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE POWER STEERING HAD QUIT WORKING. IT ALMOST PUT ME IN THE DITCH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. JUST THANKFUL OF NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN S
(2008) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 4, 2012
Incident date: Dec 28, 2011
CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED UP (TOTALED) IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER IT WAS SHUT OFF. FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER I SHUT IT OFF AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. IT NEARLY BURNED DOWN MY HOUSE TOO -- FRONT STEPS AND FENCE CAUGHT FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. HAVE PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT. *TR
Fire
Incident date: Apr 11, 2011
TURBO OIL SUPPLY LINE FROM ENGINE TO TURBO LEAKING EXCESSIVE OIL REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN OF COMPRESSION FITTING LED TO PREMATURE FAILURE. CONTINUED OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITH THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE AND OR ENGINE TURBO FAILURE. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 4, 2012
Incident date: Dec 20, 2011
MY 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER A SHORT TRIP, NOT RUNNING. I CAME OUT OF A STORE AND SAW SMOKE POURING OUT FROM ALL AROUND THE HOOD AREA. I RAISED THE HOOD AND THE SMOKE BEGAN TO SUBSIDE. SMELLED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING OF ANY KIND. THE REPAIRS INCLUDE THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, RESERVOIR, POWER STEERING PUMP FAN. AT ... Read more
Fire
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Jan 4, 2012
Incident date: Jul 1, 2010
THE POWER STEERING PUMP IN MY 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING 1 TO 5 TIMES PER WEEK. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY PATTERN TO IT, IT HAS HAPPENED AT COLD START, AFTER WARM START, HOT/COLD/WET/DRY WEATHER, LEVEL/SLOPED PARKING, WHILE DRIVING & STATIONARY, ETC. I'VE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT AS AN ANNOYANCE, UNTIL I RECENTLY HAD A VERY FRIGHTENING FAILURE THAT VERY NEAR... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2012
WHEN I LEFT MY HOME I TURNED ON THE HEATED SEATS. AS I TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY A HALF MILE I FELT LIKE BOTTOM SEAT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HOT AND TURNED THE BOTTOM OFF . SHORTLY THEREAFTER I SMELLED SMOKE AND FOUND THAT A HOLE HAD BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT BEHIND MY BACK. THERE WAS SMOKE, A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SILVER DOLLAR AND MY COAT HAD BEEN BURNED . MY COAT DID NOT CATCH FIRE BUT HAS A PERMANENT ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2012
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FOLLOWING EXTENDED HIGHWAY SPEED, STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP. LEARNED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP SEIZED / LOCKED UP, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION OF CATASTROPHIC RESULTS THAT TOTALLY DESTROYED ENGINE. CAR NEEDS COMPLETE NEW ENGINE AT 74,000 MILES (OUT OF W... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2012
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FOLLOWING EXTENDED HIGHWAY SPEED, STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP. LEARNED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP SEIZED / LOCKED UP, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION OF CATASTROPHIC RESULTS THAT TOTALLY DESTROYED ENGINE. CAR NEEDS COMPLETE NEW ENGINE AT 74,000 MILES (OUT OF W... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2012
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FOLLOWING EXTENDED HIGHWAY SPEED, STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP. LEARNED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP SEIZED / LOCKED UP, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION OF CATASTROPHIC RESULTS THAT TOTALLY DESTROYED ENGINE. CAR NEEDS COMPLETE NEW ENGINE AT 74,000 MILES (OUT OF W... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2010
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING CUT OUT CREATING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. OVER THE NEXT 20,000 MILES THE POWER STEERING WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME BACK AND GO OUT MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES UNTIL EVENTUALLY FAILING COMPLETELY. *TR
Incident date: Dec 14, 2011
LOSS OF POWER WHEN GOING 60 MPH IN THE HIGH SPEED LEFT LANE OF FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. CAR WOULD ONLY GO 5 TO 10 MPH WITH LARGE TRUCK BEHIND AND BEARING DOWN ON ME. EML AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS ON DASH. WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A CONSTRUCTION LANE THAT HAPPENED TO BE RIGHT THERE. OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET CAR OUT OF THE WAY. CAR NEEDED TO ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2011
LOSS OF POWER WHEN GOING 60 MPH IN THE HIGH SPEED LEFT LANE OF FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. CAR WOULD ONLY GO 5 TO 10 MPH WITH LARGE TRUCK BEHIND AND BEARING DOWN ON ME. EML AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS ON DASH. WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A CONSTRUCTION LANE THAT HAPPENED TO BE RIGHT THERE. OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET CAR OUT OF THE WAY. CAR NEEDED TO ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE--THE POWER STEERING IN MY MINI COOPER S 2002 BEGAN "CUTTING OUT" AND BECAME MORE FREQUENT OVER A FEW DAYS. THE "CUTTING OUT" HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS POTENTIALLY QUITE DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE BECOMES ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE WHEN MAKING A TURN. THIS MAKES DRIVING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY OCC... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE--THE POWER STEERING IN MY MINI COOPER S 2002 BEGAN "CUTTING OUT" AND BECAME MORE FREQUENT OVER A FEW DAYS. THE "CUTTING OUT" HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS POTENTIALLY QUITE DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE BECOMES ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE WHEN MAKING A TURN. THIS MAKES DRIVING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY OCC... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2012
SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Incident date: Dec 23, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AS I WAS EXITING I-80 @ EXIT 56 RETURNING HOME FROM WORK. AS I STARTED ONTO THE EXIT RAMP AND BEGAN TO CURVE TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD IN THE CAR WHICH RESULTED IN MY HAVING TO FORCE THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. I ALSO WAS BRAKING AT THIS POINT GIVEN THE SURPRISE OF THE TIGHT WHEEL. I ENDED UP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE RAMP BEFORE GAINING CONTROL OF THE CAR AND RE... Read more
MINI
COOPER
(2010) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
Dec 31, 2011
Incident date: Dec 31, 2011
MY DAUGHTER GOT OUT THE PASSENGER DOOR AND WALKED AROUND TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO GET GROCERY BAGS FROM INSIDE OF THE TRUNK AREA OF THE HATCHBACK. AS SHE LEANED FORWARD TO GRAB BAGS FROM INSIDE OF THE HATCHBACK AREA WHICH WAS OPENED BY MYSELF SHE SUDDENLY WAS TAKEN BACK BY A STINGING FEELING ON HER LOWER LEG. AS SHE STARTED TO SCREAM I ASKED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SHE TOLD BE THAT HER LEG FELT... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2010) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Dec 30, 2011
Incident date: Dec 29, 2011
ALTERNATE WATER PUMP WIRING HARNESS FOR THE TURBO ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR TWO HOURS WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE SHOPPING. WE GOT IN AND STARTED THE VEHICLE WHEN LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS LATER, THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TURNED THE MOTOR OFF AND CHECKED THE ENGINE. WHEN THE BMW TECH CAME TO RENDER ASSISTANCE, WE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES CAME UP FROM THE ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 21, 2011
2003 MINI COOPER, POWER STEERING PUMP JUST QUIT MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TOO DRIVE. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON THING WITH THE MINI COOPER AND AFTER CHECKING ON LINE I SEE THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM! I THINK BMW NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE CARE OF THIS!!! AFTER ALL 800 DOLLARS FOR A NEW ONE IS A BIT MUCH!!! *KB
Incident date: Dec 29, 2011
WHY IS MY VIN # NOT ADDED TO THIS RECALL? IT HAS ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS.. I CALLED MINI USA WITHOUT GETTING ANYWHERE. DID I JUST A BUY A LEMON? SEE INFO BELOW: THE COLD START ISSUE HAS BEEN A COMMON THEME POPPING UP IN THE FAULTS AND FIXES THREADS ON VARIOUS MINI FORUMS. SPECIFICALLY, MCS OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT A PECULIARLY LOUD ENGINE RATTLE ON START-UP. NOW THE R56 IS A N?INTERESTING" SO... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2011
THE POWER STEERING PUMP JUST ALL OF A SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING FAILED ON MY MINI COOPER. I WAS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I WENT TO GET OFF ON A OFF RAMP AND THE CAR TOOK ALOT OF FORCE FOR ME TO STEER IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT HAVE SNOW AT THE TIME BECAUSE IF I DID I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM AND FO... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2011
ON THE DATE OF INCIDENT I PARKED MY CAR IN A WELLS FARGO BANK PARKING LOT AFTER GOING TO THE GYM. UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD PARKED NEXT TO ME INFORMED ME THAT "YOUR CAR IS SMOKING" I LOOKED AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD TO INSPECT IT AND SAW WHITE SMOKE WHICH SMELLED ELECTRICAL. THE INDIVIDUAL WHO NOTICED SMOKE CAME OUT OF HER SUV TO HELP... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 7, 2011
POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING, 1ST TIME WHILST AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, 2ND TIME WHILST PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. STEERING BECOMES VERY HEAVY, ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE. I HAVEN'T USED THE CAR IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS AS I HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY, I NEED TO LOOK INTO REPLACING THE STEERING PUMP, FAN AND A COVER. *TR