Page 7 of 7 · complaints 301–320 of 320

2003 Mini Cooper complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 2, 2003CA

WHEN SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE HAD THE TENDENCY TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. THE DRIVER MUST WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. EACH TIME, THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO HAVE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *SCC *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Nov 28, 20031,800 milesCA

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOW SPEED, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN THE FREEWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED AND I WAS STOPPED IN THE FIRST LANE OF THE FREEWAY. I TRIED TO RE-START THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCESS, AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES THE ENGINE STARTED. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THE SUV DRIVING BEHIND WAS ABLE TO STOP BUT NOT BEFORE HITTING MY BUMPER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED, THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BUT THE ENGINE STARTED AS SOON AS I GOT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD ONLY CHECK WHEN THE THE CARS IS STALLED. I HAVE 2 LITTLE KIDS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE WITH THE CAR.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Nov 13, 200315,000 milesVA

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK

Power Train
Filed Oct 24, 2003CA

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 6, 20034,000 milesWA

MINI COOPER 2003 CVT STALLS IN SLOW TRAFFIC OR STARTING FROM STOP LIGHT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. IN ADDITION, IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN A MONTH CONSIDERING THAT THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A MONTH OLD. ALSO, THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS VERY JERKY AND COULD SURGE ON AN OCCASIONAL BASIS. INFORMED THAT IT'S A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND NO REPAIR IS NEEDED AT THIS POINT. I THINK IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *LA

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Oct 2, 20031,200 milesCA

THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2003 MINI SUFFERED A 5 INCH CRACK AFTER BEING HIT BY A SMALL PEBBLE. THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WASN'T REPAIRABLE DUE 1-1/2 INCHES OF IT BEING SUBSURFACE. ON MY OTHER CARS, A 1993 LEXUS LS400 AND A 1993 ISUZU RODEO 4WD, NEITHER CAR HAS EVER SUFFERED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD DUE TO A PEBBLE HIT. WHAT'S WORSE IS THE 2003 MINI WINDSHIELD CRACKED JUST 11 DAYS AFTER OWNING THE CAR. THE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY AAA INSURANCE. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2003CA

MINI COOPER STALLED ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS DURING LOW SPEED/STOP AND GO TRAFFIC

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Sep 22, 20031,500 milesFL

WHEN THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF FROM A STOP, AT TIMES THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. *JB. LOST OF THROTTLE CONTROL, ENGINE BRAKING EFFECT IN FIRST GEAR SLOWS CAR RAPIDLY WHILE TRAFFIC IS BEARING DOWN*TS *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Sep 11, 2003800 milesNY

MY MINI COOPER JULY 2003 BUILD HAS WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS EITHER A "STUMBLE" OR A "HICCUP". BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY CUTS OUT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, CAUSING A PAUSE AND THAN RESUMIING WITH A JOLT. THIS PROBLEM IS BEING COMPLAINED ABOUT BY NUMEROUS MINI OWNERS FOR OVER 1 YEAR (SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SUBJECT AT HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERONLINE.COM/MOD...OPIC&TOPIC=9951 AND ALSO AT MINI2.COM YET THE MINI DEALERS CLAIM IGNORANCE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OR SAY THEY HAVE HEARD OF A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THE S BUT NOT ON THE COOPER. SOME MINI USA REPS (1-866-ASK-MINI) ADMIT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON BOTH THE COOPER AND THE COOPER S. OTHES CLAIM IGNORANCE. THEY GIVE PEOPLE DIFFERENT RESPONSES, BUT GENERALLY WHEN THEY DO ADMIT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THEY ALSO SAY THAT "ENGINEERING IS COLLECTING COMPLAINTS" OR "THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX" BUT THEY OFFER NO PROJECTED FIX DATE AT ALL. THEY DO TAKE SOME PEOPLE'S VIN NUMBER WHEN FILING THE COMPLAINT, BUT SAY THEY HAVE NO SYSTEM OF LETTING YOU KNOW IF OR WHEN A FIX IS TO BE EXPECTED. WE MINI OWNERS ARE FRUSTRATED OVER THIS ONGOING, ANNOYING, AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL DEFECT. MINI SHOULD BE PUT TO THE TASK OF REPAIRING THIS ISSUE OR TO STOP SELLING THE CAR PERIOD. THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THEY ARE SELLING CARS WHICH HAS THIS DEFECT WTIH NO FIX. THEY ARE STEALING (MISREPRESENTATION) AND ENDANGERING THE PUBLIC.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 14, 2003CA

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL. CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Aug 14, 2003CA

WINDSHIELDS ON MINI COOPERS CRACKING,CHIPPING EASY AND FREQUENTLY. I HAVE HAD FOUR WINDSHIELDS REPLACES IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS. 2 COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE FOR STRESS RELATED CRACKS AND TWO DUE TO SMALL ROCK STRIKES. I HAVE NEVE BEEN THRU WINDSHIELDS LIKE THIS BEFORE AND FEEL THAT THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN OF THE MINI WINDSHIELD MAKES IT SUBSTANDARD IN PROTECTION.*AK

Electrical System
Filed Jul 23, 20038,500 milesVA

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC (THIS HAPPENED TWICE.) MY KEY-LESS ENTRY DOESN'T WORK. FINALLY, THE TIRE FAILURE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE CHANGES BUT IT DOESN'T LIGHT UP WHEN I HAD A FLAT.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 10, 2003CT

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN DRIVING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INSTANT DECELERATION BELOW 1500 RPMS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS A 2003 MINI-COOPER CVT.*AK *TS *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 7, 2003VA

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Jul 2, 20035,882 milesCA

STRESS CRACK ON WINSHIELD OF MY MINI COOPER, WHICH IS APPARENTLY HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 29, 20034,000 milesCA

THE CAR HAS MULTIPLE DAILY ENGINE STUMBLES AND HAS STALLED 3 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE NEW CAR FOR THE PAST 7 MONTHS. THE STALLS HAVE BEEN WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jun 6, 2003CA

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 55 MPH ENGINE IS LOSING POWER AND WON'T PASS THE 20 MPH. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

Electrical System
Filed May 30, 2003NJ

MINI COOPER 2003 STOP DEAD AT THE THE INTERSECTION FOR THE THIRD TIME.THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed May 21, 2003550 milesNJ

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR LESS THE VEHICLE STALLED. *NLM

Tires
Filed Aug 29, 2000KS

WE HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT WITH TREAD SEPARATION, AND LEARNED FROM THE DOT NUMBERS THAT THE TIRES ON OUR MOTORHOME CAME FROM THE SAME PLANT THAT THE RECALLED TIRES HAVE COME FROM, AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, AND THAT IT MAY HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE OTHER TIRES. WE HAVE GOTTEN NO HELP FROM FIRESTONE OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY, ALL THAT THEY WILL SAY IS THAT THESE ARE NOT THE TIRES ON THE RECALL LIST. WELL, WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THAT, BUT, ARE THEY SAFE? IF THE WHOLE FACTORY WAS BEING SHODILY RUN, ARE MY TIRES SAFE?( DOT NUMBER: VDIL TIRE SIZE: 225/75R16 )

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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