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: Oct 26, 2011
AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN I ACCELERATED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, LOST POWER STEERING. DROVE TO WORK NEXT DAY WITH NO POWER STEERING, BUT ON THE WAY HOME, IT CAME BACK ON. HOWEVER, WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, THE ELECTRIC MOTOR KEPT ON RUNNING. HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY TO KEEP IT FROM DRAINING AND/OR CAUSE A FIRE. *TT
Incident date: Oct 15, 2011
I BOUGHT A 2002 MINI COOPER S ALMOST A MONTH AGO AND LOST THE POWER TO STEER MY CAR IN A TURN AT ALMOST 50 MPH. IF TOYOTA WOULD HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM I'M SURE SOME ONE WOULD BE IN JAIL OR MAYBE YOU WOULD HERE IT ON THE NEWS. THIS IS MY THIRD MINI IN 6 YEARS AND I NEVER HEARD A PEEP ABOUT THIS SCAREY PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ARE GOVERNMENT FOR MAKING THE ROADS SO SAFE. AT LEAST THEY ARE TAKIN... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
POWER ASSISTED STEERING WILL CEASE WORKING WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE CAR VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER/CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT IS VERY SCARY. *TT
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
POWER ASSISTED STEERING WILL CEASE WORKING WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE CAR VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER/CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT IS VERY SCARY. *TT
Incident date: Oct 3, 2011
MY WIFE NOTICED AN UNUSUAL ELECTRICAL HUMMING NOISE THAT RAPIDLY BECAME PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER COMING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE CAR WAS RUNNING. VERY QUICKLY IT BECAME HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER UNTIL IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO ASSISTED STEERING AT ALL. SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE IT SINCE. RECENTLY WENT TO A MINI DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT WITH THE RESULT THAT TH... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2011
SHORTLY AFTER THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. I PULLED OVER ALMOST IMMEDIATELY ON THE SIDE OF THE BUSY HIGHWAY I WAS ON. HOWEVER, IN JUST THAT SHORT TIME, SMOKE WAS ALREADY COMING OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND OUT OF THE CAR VENTS. AT LEAST ONE BYSTANDER SAID HE SAW A FIRE BEFORE I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARAMEDICS FOR FEAR ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 24, 2011
DRIVING OFF A PARKING LOT ABOUT TO MAKE A LEFT ONTO TRAFFIC, CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING, TRY TO CORRECT DIRECTION BUT WEIGHT TONS TO STEER INTO RIGHT DIRECTION AND RUNS STRAIGHT INTO TRAFFIC. *TR
Incident date: Oct 21, 2011
STRANGE ENGINE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARED TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT TO THE DEALER TWICE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER STEERING FIRES IN MINI COOPERS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED A FORUM WAS CREATED REGARDING THE STEERING FIRES.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER STEERING FIRES IN MINI COOPERS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED A FORUM WAS CREATED REGARDING THE STEERING FIRES.
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2011) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Oct 21, 2011
Incident date: Oct 18, 2011
MY CAR IS THE MINI COUNTRYMAN ALL 4 YEAR 2011. AS I WAS DRIVING ON TONNELE AVE HEADING TOWARDS RT 3 W, THE CAR WAS ON 3RD GEAR AND I SHIFTED TO 4TH. I FELT THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND LOSE POWER. I HAD TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER, WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL "ROLLING". WHEN I GOT TO THE SHOULDER THE CAR JUST COMPLETELY DIED. THE YELLOW INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON, I LOOKED UP FROM THE USER'S MANUAL,... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2011) - POWER TRAIN
Oct 21, 2011
Incident date: Oct 18, 2011
MY CAR IS THE MINI COUNTRYMAN ALL 4 YEAR 2011. AS I WAS DRIVING ON TONNELE AVE HEADING TOWARDS RT 3 W, THE CAR WAS ON 3RD GEAR AND I SHIFTED TO 4TH. I FELT THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND LOSE POWER. I HAD TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER, WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL "ROLLING". WHEN I GOT TO THE SHOULDER THE CAR JUST COMPLETELY DIED. THE YELLOW INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON, I LOOKED UP FROM THE USER'S MANUAL,... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2011
I WASDRIVING IN CT. WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. MY CAR WAS HAULED AWAY AND BMW (MINI COOPER) AND MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN STAMFORD CT TRY TO CLAIM THAT THIS ENGINE WAS HYDROLOCKED. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN IT WAS NOT RAINING TO MAKE THIS CLAIM. ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED. *TR
Incident date: Oct 21, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CAR'S STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME SO HEAVY THAT I ALMOST DROVE INTO SOMEBODY'S YARD. SINCE THE ROAD WAS A 3 MILE STRAIGHT SHOT TO MY HOME, I DROVE IT THE REST OF THE WAY. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO COME AND GO TO VARYING DEGREES OVER THAT DISTANCE. I WILL NOT BE DRIVING IT AGAIN UNTIL REPAIRED. *TR
Incident date: Sep 28, 2011
I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY WHEN MY BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT WENT ON; I LOST POWER STEERING AND SAW A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE MINI DEALERSHIP HAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE FAILED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY BURNED THE WIRING HARNESS. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING IN REGARD TO THIS PART FROM BBC IN UK, AS WELL AS ON MANY FORUMS, IN PARTICUL... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 28, 2011
I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY WHEN MY BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT WENT ON; I LOST POWER STEERING AND SAW A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE MINI DEALERSHIP HAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE FAILED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY BURNED THE WIRING HARNESS. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING IN REGARD TO THIS PART FROM BBC IN UK, AS WELL AS ON MANY FORUMS, IN PARTICUL... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 2, 2011
OIL RETURN LINE EXITING TURBOCHARGER LEAKS ENGINE OIL, WHICH DRIPS DIRECTLY ONTO HOT ENGINE EXHAUST DOWNPIPE, THIS LEADS TO SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE BAY AND WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE IF NOT REMEDIED PROMPTLY. BMW SHOULD QUICKLY RECALL AND REPAIR THIS DESIGN DEFECT BEFORE A LOT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY GOES UP IN FLAMES. *TR
Incident date: Oct 18, 2011
THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS BEING TOWED BEHIND MY MOTOR HOME (WHICH I DO ALL THE TIME) WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER GOT MY ATTENTION TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER GRABBED MY FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND LIFTED THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. 6 FIREMEN WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OR WHERE IT STARTED. *TR
Fire
Incident date: Oct 12, 2011
MY WIFE AND I BOTH NOTICED A BURNING SMELL INSIDE OUR 2007 MINI COOPER S LAST WEEK WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EXPRESSWAY IN EITHER TENNESSEE OR NORTH CAROLINA ON VACATION. I OPENED MY WINDOW FOR 3-4 MINUTES, SUSPECTING THE SMELL MIGHT BE GETTING INTO THE CAR FROM A PICKUP TRUCK RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 40-50 YARDS AHEAD OF US. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF SMOKE OR FIRE AROUND THE PICK-UP TRUCK. THIS SMELL HAPPE... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2008
I BOUGHT CAR NEW IN NOV 2007. CAR WAS USED AS TRANSPORTATION EVERY DAY TO AND FROM WORK (~100 MI TOTAL). CAR WAS WELL CARED FOR, SERVICE WAS PERFORMED AS REQUIRED, ETC. IN SEPT 2008 AFTER SITTING UNDRIVEN FOR 10 DAYS WHILE I WAS AWAY ON VACATION, I DROVE 50 MI TO WORK AND THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE EXCEPT THAT AN INDICATOR FOR A BLOWN HEADLAMP CAME ON WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED UP. WHEN I ARRIVE... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 12, 2011
AS I APPROACHED THE STREET ON WHERE I LIVE, THE CAR STARTED TO SEVERELY SHAKE AND JERK , AS IF POWER WAS NOT GOING TO THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO PARK IT ON MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START. WHEN THE CAR ARRIVED AT THE DEALER AFTER BEING TOWED IN, THE CAR COULD NOT BE JUMP-STARTED, EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. TWO WEEKS PRIOR, I HAD... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2011
AS I APPROACHED THE STREET ON WHERE I LIVE, THE CAR STARTED TO SEVERELY SHAKE AND JERK , AS IF POWER WAS NOT GOING TO THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO PARK IT ON MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START. WHEN THE CAR ARRIVED AT THE DEALER AFTER BEING TOWED IN, THE CAR COULD NOT BE JUMP-STARTED, EVEN AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. TWO WEEKS PRIOR, I HAD... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Oct 18, 2011
Incident date: Sep 7, 2011
AFTER DRIVING TO WORK FOR 30 MINUTES, I PARKED MY CAR. I THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING AS I WALKED AWAY, SO I STOPPED AN LOOKED, BUT I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. FIVE MINUTES AFTER WALKING INTO MY BUILDING, SOMEONE TOLD ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRST WITNESS TO SEE SOMETHING (A CO-WORKER) SAID HE SAW SOMETHING ON FIRE DROP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. WHEN I RAN OUTSIDE, THE CAR WAS PUTTING OFF A SIGNIF... Read more
Fire
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Oct 18, 2011
Incident date: Sep 7, 2011
AFTER DRIVING TO WORK FOR 30 MINUTES, I PARKED MY CAR. I THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING AS I WALKED AWAY, SO I STOPPED AN LOOKED, BUT I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. FIVE MINUTES AFTER WALKING INTO MY BUILDING, SOMEONE TOLD ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRST WITNESS TO SEE SOMETHING (A CO-WORKER) SAID HE SAW SOMETHING ON FIRE DROP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. WHEN I RAN OUTSIDE, THE CAR WAS PUTTING OFF A SIGNIF... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH DOES NOT OPEN THE DOOR. I AM UNABLE TO EXIT MY CAR WITHOUT UNLOCKING THE DOORS FROM THE CENTRAL PANEL, ROLLING DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND OPENING THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A BEST PRACTICE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHICH I WOULD LIKE MINI TO RECOGNIZE AS DANGEROUS. IF IT IS JUST A CABLE IN... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2011
PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A SPOT AND LOST ALL STEERING. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED AND IT WORKED AGAIN, BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WITHOUT THE POWER ASSIST. I SEE THIS MORNING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOW COMMON AND I HESITATE TO GO INTO MINI TO HAVE IT FIXED RIGHT AWAY SINCE IT WILL COST MORE THAN $1000 TO FIX! WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL? *TR
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED... SAW SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA, EVEN WHEN POWER TO ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND KEY REMOVED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART VEHICLE AFTER TALKING WITH SERVICE MECHANIC, HE ADVISED TO "RESTART" CAR UNTIL THE POWER STEERING UNIT POSSIBLY TURNED BACK ON. AFTER 6 ATTEMPTS (APPOX 3 MINS APART), THE SYSTEM STARTED TO WORK AGAIN, BUT WITH A "STIFF & GRINDING" N... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2011
THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED... SAW SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA, EVEN WHEN POWER TO ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND KEY REMOVED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART VEHICLE AFTER TALKING WITH SERVICE MECHANIC, HE ADVISED TO "RESTART" CAR UNTIL THE POWER STEERING UNIT POSSIBLY TURNED BACK ON. AFTER 6 ATTEMPTS (APPOX 3 MINS APART), THE SYSTEM STARTED TO WORK AGAIN, BUT WITH A "STIFF & GRINDING" N... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2011
ON AUGUST 15, 2011, I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO WORK AS I DO EVERY MORNING. ON THE WAY, I STOPPED FOR GAS. AFTER FILLING UP THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS VERY, VERY HOT AND THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK WAS OVERFLOWING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND, AFTER INVESTIGATING, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARVED OF OIL, HAD SEIZED, AND WOULD N... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2011
I DROVE THE CAR FOR LESS THAN A MILE AT CITY SPEEDS AND PROCEEDED TO PARK TO RUN ERRANDS. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR, UPON CLOSER INSPECTION I REALIZED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO THE SCENE (ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER) THE FIRE HAD SPREAD THROUGH THE VEHICLE. THE CAR SHOWED NO WARNING SIGNS BEF... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 11, 2010
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. IT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AGO AND STAYS ON. HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER BUT NO KNOWN CAUSE. *TR
Incident date: Aug 12, 2008
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS GET STUCK IN POSITION. POSITION FOR DRIVERS SEAT IS TOTALLY STRAIGHT UP. MY BROTHER REPAIRED BUT SEAT STILL DOES NOT POSITION CORRECTLY AS I MUST USE A PILLOW BEHIND ME IN ORDER TO DRIVE. THE SAME THING HAPPENS TO THE PASSENGER SEAT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE PASSENGER SEAT BACK INTO POSITION AS THERE IS A "TRICK" POSTED ONLINE THAT I... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2007
THE POWER STEERING FAILS WITH NO WARNING. THE CAR BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. IT MAY LAST JUST A FEW MINUTES OR MUCH LONGER - HOUR OR SO. USUALLY DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN JUST STARTING THE CAR BUT NO OTHER KNOWN PATTERN. IT HAPPENS 1 TO 2 TIMES A MONTH OR MORE. *TR
Incident date: Nov 1, 2010
IT STARTED WITH LOUD NOISES AND RPM JUMPS TO BETWEEN 5 AND 6 WHEN ACCELERATING. IT NOW MAKES UNBELIEVABLE SOUNDS WHEN TRYING TO GO BEYOND 50 MPH. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANICS AND HE TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION IS GONE AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. BMW DOES NOT SELL PARTS. IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $5400 AT LEAST FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 55000 MILES.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2011
TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, I STOPPED TO FILL UP AT A GAS STATION. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN TO DRIVE OUT OF THE GAS STATION. I SOON NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING FLUID. THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR WAS FULL. I RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER ABO... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Oct 12, 2011
Incident date: Oct 10, 2011
MY DAUGHTER EXPERIENCED COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING HER MINI COOPER, NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. I DROVE THE CAR AFTERWARD AND COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW HARD IT WAS TO STEER THE CAR (COMPARED TO A MANUAL STEERING VEHICLE). I CALLED MINI AT THEIR TOLL FREE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO RECALL NOTICE FROM THE NHTSA, THEREFORE THEY HAD NO OBLIGA... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Oct 12, 2011
Incident date: Oct 10, 2011
MY DAUGHTER EXPERIENCED COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING HER MINI COOPER, NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. I DROVE THE CAR AFTERWARD AND COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW HARD IT WAS TO STEER THE CAR (COMPARED TO A MANUAL STEERING VEHICLE). I CALLED MINI AT THEIR TOLL FREE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO RECALL NOTICE FROM THE NHTSA, THEREFORE THEY HAD NO OBLIGA... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2010
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING; HAD NEW STEERING RACK/PUMP INSTALLED AT 90,000, WORKED FINE FOR A YEAR AND NOW THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME; A NEW STEERING PUMP/RACK NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED... *KB
Incident date: Jul 8, 2010
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING; HAD NEW STEERING RACK/PUMP INSTALLED AT 90,000, WORKED FINE FOR A YEAR AND NOW THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME; A NEW STEERING PUMP/RACK NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED... *KB
Incident date: Oct 10, 2011
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I NOTICED IT WHEN I WAS GOING AROUND A BEND AND THE STEERING EFFORT HAD GREATLY INCREASED. IF I HAD TO MAKE A EMERGENCY MANEUVER, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE IT SUCCESSFULLY. *KB
Incident date: Oct 10, 2011
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I NOTICED IT WHEN I WAS GOING AROUND A BEND AND THE STEERING EFFORT HAD GREATLY INCREASED. IF I HAD TO MAKE A EMERGENCY MANEUVER, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE IT SUCCESSFULLY. *KB
Incident date: Oct 7, 2011
THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. *KB
Incident date: Oct 7, 2011
THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. *KB
Incident date: Oct 8, 2009
PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT READS "OFF" AND CENTER CONSOLE ALERT IS LIT. GETTING VARIOUS DIAGNOSES FROM SHOPS, BUT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NO ONE WILL DEFINITIVELY SAY, "YES, YOUR PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF" OR "ON." THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MINIS AND THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *TR
Incident date: Oct 6, 2011
I WAS DRIVING AROUND AND I BEGAN LOOSING POWER TO MY CAR, SO I STOPPED AND THEN I COULDN'T GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING A TOW COMPANY WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD AND WHEN I LIFTED IT UP I COULD SMELL GASOLINE AND NOTICED A CLOUD OF FUMES SO I BACKED UP AND IT CAUGHT FIRE SO I CALLED 911 AND NOW MY CARS VIRTUALLY GONE. I COME ACROSS SOME MINI COOPER OWNERS CLUB FORUM AND ITS APP... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 6, 2011
I WAS DRIVING AROUND AND I BEGAN LOOSING POWER TO MY CAR, SO I STOPPED AND THEN I COULDN'T GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING A TOW COMPANY WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD AND WHEN I LIFTED IT UP I COULD SMELL GASOLINE AND NOTICED A CLOUD OF FUMES SO I BACKED UP AND IT CAUGHT FIRE SO I CALLED 911 AND NOW MY CARS VIRTUALLY GONE. I COME ACROSS SOME MINI COOPER OWNERS CLUB FORUM AND ITS APP... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 6, 2011
I WAS DRIVING AROUND AND I BEGAN LOOSING POWER TO MY CAR, SO I STOPPED AND THEN I COULDN'T GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING A TOW COMPANY WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD AND WHEN I LIFTED IT UP I COULD SMELL GASOLINE AND NOTICED A CLOUD OF FUMES SO I BACKED UP AND IT CAUGHT FIRE SO I CALLED 911 AND NOW MY CARS VIRTUALLY GONE. I COME ACROSS SOME MINI COOPER OWNERS CLUB FORUM AND ITS APP... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 4, 2010
POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILS. *TR
Incident date: Aug 29, 2010
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND AT RANDOM TIMES, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER S WILL STOP WORKING. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT PLAGUES ALMOST EVERY MINI SOLD SINCE 2002. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER :EA11005, AS IT APPLIES TO MY PARTICULAR ISSUE. *TR
Incident date: Aug 1, 2011
ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO THE STEERING STARTED GETTING HARD TO STEER AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS BROKEN. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. ON 9/26/11 THE STEERING BECAME HARD TO STEER ALL OF THE TIME AND MY WIFE ALMOST GOT INTO A COLLISION WHEN SHE FOUND IT VERY HARD TO STEER. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING... Read more