2005 Mini Cooper complaints

POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT ON MY WIFE'S 2005 MINI COOPER. NO WARNING, INDICATIONS, OR EVENTS LED UP TO FAILURE. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP ON 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE STARTED MAKING NOISE (EVEN WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF, DRAINING THE BATTERY), THEN ULTIMATELY FAILED. AN INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS REPAIR COSTS APPROX $2000 TO FIX, AND THAT REPLACEMENT POWER STEERING PUMPS FAIL REGULARLY, SO WE'VE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

I COMPLAINED TO MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP ABOUT NOISE COMING FROM UNDERSIDE OF THE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND THE LAST TIME I COMPLAINED THEY BLAMED IT ON "WORN TIRES". AT 52,000 MILES I NOTICED A HIGH PITCH SQUEALING FROM UNDER THE CAR WHEN I HAD THE CLUTCH PRESSED IN. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO MINI SERVICE, THEY SAID THAT "CLUTCH MATERIAL PROBABLY GOT CAUGHT IN THE FINGERS OF THE CLUTCH". THEY SAID THAT SINCE MY WARRANTY WAS UP (OVER AT 50,000 MILES) AND THAT THIS WAS A "FRICTION MATERIAL" ISSUE, THE COST OF THE REPAIR ($2,200 - $2,800) WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. SINCE THIS COST WAS SO HIGH AND THE EARLY FAILURE SO FAR OUTSIDE OF NORMAL EXPECTED DUTY TIME, I REFUSED THE SERVICE. SINCE THERE ARE MANY REPORTED CASES OF EARLY CLUTCH FAILURE AND FLYWHEEL FIELD UPGRADES, I CONTACTED MINI USA AND ASKED FOR MY ISSUE TO BE REVIEWED AS A WARRANTY ISSUE. THEY WOULD NOT AGREE TO COVER THE REPAIR, BUT SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AT LEAST $700 TO CHECK OUT TO EVEN CONSIDER THIS AS A WARRANTY. THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO BRING THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR REVIEW. SINCE INDEPENDENT SHOPS CHARGE ABOUT HALF THE AMOUNT FOR CLUTCH REPLACEMENT, I WANTED THAT OPTION IN CASE MINI REFUSED TO COVER ANY COSTS. THE MINI CS REFERENCE NUMBER FOR THIS ISSUE IS 2000736002924. ON 12/25 (CHRISTMAS DAY) MY CLUTCH FAILED COMPLETELY. SINCE MINI IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE ANY MATERIAL SUPPORT TO THIS ISSUE, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES OF EARLY CLUTCH FAILURE REPORTED I OPENE

ABSOLUTELY NO UNUSUAL NOISES OR ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. CAR HAS ABOUT 53,000 MILES ON IT, POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED- CAR IS NOW EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO STEER & A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE. THANKFULLY I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, SO NO CRASHES OR INJURIES OCCURRED. POWER STEERING PUMP & FAN WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT HAVE NOT HAD IT DONE YET, AS I AM TOLD IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1500 FOR THIS REPAIR & I AM ABOUT 3000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY NOW. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 2002-2006 MINI COOPERS. *TR

COMPLETE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FRONT PASSENGER STRUT, STRUT TOWER, MOUNT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING CAUSED BY AN IMPERFECTION ON A PUBLIC, WELL TRAVELED ROAD. REPORTS ON ENTHUSIAST FORUMS OF OVER 216 OTHERS SUFFERING THE SAME FAILURE ON THE SAME MODEL CAR AND A REPORT IN THE SEPT-OCT 2007 EDITION OF MC2 MAGAZINE CITING THE NEED TO LOOK FOR THESE COMMON FLAWS ON THIS MODEL CAR WHEN CONSIDERING PURCHASING A USED ONE.

OUR 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH AN ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE WE FIRST PURCHASED IT IN JULY OF 2005. WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WE'VE CONTACTED THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES AND REQUESTED SERVICE APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD EACH TIME THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY A LOOSE GAS CAP. LIVING IN THE STATE OF NJ WHERE YOU CANNOT PUMP YOUR OWN GAS, WE CONSISTENTLY REMIND THE GAS ATTENDANT TO PROPERLY ATTACH THE GAS CAP AND WE CHECK THE CAP AFTER GETTING GAS. THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY THE GAS CAP, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. MY WIFE WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THIS OCCURRED. SHE WAS STUCK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED VERY SOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. CRACK STARTED AT TOP CENTER EXTENDED DOWN ABOUT 4 INCHES, THEN HORIZONTALL FOR ABOUT 4 INCHES AND IS NOW MOVING DOWN AGAIN. *NM

CRACKED WINDSHIELD 2005 MINI COOPER S. *JB

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATIC SUDDENLY STOPPED TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. CAR WAS ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD, ABOUT 4000 MILES ON CAR. I WAS ACTUALLY IN MOTION, AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING! I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. EML AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON ONCE THE CAR STOPPED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN WENT OFF, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS A FLUKE AND NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT (OTHERWISE I ASSUME THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON). THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS EXACTLY THE SAME SCENARIO AS THE FIRST. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MINI IS CALLING THIS "LIMP MODE", BUT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM MINI, OR ANYTHING INDICATING THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DID KNOW, BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ OF OTHERS WHO COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS!! YET MINI APPARENTLY DID NOT NOTIFY DEALERSHIPS, BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE I CALLED HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHICH I DESCRIBED, AND WASN'T GOING TO TAKE ME FOR SERVICE UNTIL 2 WEEKS LATER. I CALLED A SECOND DEALER WHO IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IT WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL. STILL I HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM MINI USA. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND IT WAS FIXED IN AN HOUR--THEY REPROGRAMMED THE DME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM MINI ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM! MAYBE THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY ME BECAUSE I HAD IT TAKEN CARE OF ALREADY, BUT HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, RATHER THAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I COULD BE DEAD NO

CONSUMER HAD 2005 MINI COOPER IN SHOP FOR COLLISION REPAIRS THAT WERE NOT MADE. *TS THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE BODY SHOP FOR OVER 2 MONTHS, BECAUSE THE AUTO BODY SHOP RECEIVED THE WRONG PART 3 TIMES. *JB

(1) EVENTS: DRIVING LONG DISTANCE, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS MAKING CLUNKING NOISES. I SLOWED DOWN, AND THE NOISE GOT WORSE. EVENTUALLY, I SLOWED DOWN, PULLED OVER, AND THE CAR KEEPS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN, AND THEN AFTER I STOPPED IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD ANYMORE. (2) FAILURE: LOST 3 OUT OF 4 LUG BOLTS ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, AS A RESULT, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL IS ALMOST FALLING OFF OF THE CAR. THE LEFT FRONT RIM WAS ALSO BENT. (3) CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, TOWED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALER, AND THE DEALER REPLACED 3 OF 4 LUG BOLTS AND ALSO REPLACED THE BENT RIM. *JB

FRONT WHEEL RUBBING NOISES AT LOW SPEED WHEN TURNING HARD LEFT OR HARD RIGHT. MINI DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL, NOTHING WAS DONE. *JB

I HAD MY BRAND NEW 2005 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATIC FOR LESS THAN ONE MONTH WHEN IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET - THE ENGINE JUST STALLED OUT OR WENT INTO WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS "LIMP MODE". LUCKILY, THE STREET WASN'T CROWDED AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BUT WHAT IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY???? I'VE SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND OUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND BMW KNOWS ABOUT IT, BUT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! BMW SAID IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE MADE UPDATES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN CORRECTED. I AM STILL AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY FOR FEAR OF BECOMING A STATISTIC! BMW SHOULD AT LEAST NOTIFY ALL MCS AUTOMATIC OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD! *JB

WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IT HAS FREQUENTLY GONE INTO WHAT DEALERS AND OTHER OWNERS CALL "LIMP MODE". IT BASICALLY LOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS AND IS ENTIRELY UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. IT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR ANY CAR TO STALL THIS OFTEN LET ALONE A NEW CAR. THIS CAR IS MONTHS OLD AND WE ARE HAVING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEMS. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS AND HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRING THEM ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED ANY OWNER OR DONE A FORMAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (ACCORDING TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE REP.). THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS CONSIDERING WHAT IS AT STAKE . THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL SAFETY PROBLEM NOT A CONVENIENCE ITEM FAILURE. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE TO ADDRESS THIS WITH YOUR DEALERS BEFORE IT STARTS HAPPENING TO YOUR VEHICLE. WE ONLY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE THINGS TO BE DONE WHEN ART DEALER LOOKED AT OUR VIN NUMBER AT OUR REQUEST. NO NOTICE WAS GIVEN, AND OTHERS SEEM TO REPORT THE PROBLEM CONTINUING AFTER THE CURRENT FIX IS APPLIED. GOOD LUCK! *NM

WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR LOST POWER TO THE WHEELS AND DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY UNTIL I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FOUND OR CORRECTED. A SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED A FEW WEEKS LATER, AGAIN AS THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS TIME, THE POWER RETURNED WITHOUT HAVING TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. *JB

DT: CONSUMER'S WIFE PARKED THE CAR ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IN THE DRIVEWAY, ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES LATER, SHE HEARD A LOUD CRASH. THE CAR WAS IN THE WOODS. THE CAR HAD ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY A TOTAL OF ABOUT 150 FEET. DEALER SAID THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING BRAKE. THIS WAS THE FIRST FAILURE. CONSUMER FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THE SAME THING.*AK *JB

ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AFTER TRAVELING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OR SO OUR MINI WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND GO INTO A "LIMP MODE" AS WE MOVE FROM EITHER A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE INTERSECTION CAUSING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION. THE VEHICLES SES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIMES TO GET THIS DEFECT ADDRESSED. MINI STATES THAT IT IS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT SOFTWARE. I NOW HAVE A THIRD VERSION OF THE SOFTWARE, BUT WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR TO "TEST" IT OUT. I HOPE EITHER MINI OR THE NHTSA WILL POST A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING, AND TURNING THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT OR NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. THIS HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES. OWNER HAD TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS . OWNER CONTACTED MINI-COOPER CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE OWNER CALL NHTSA AND REPORT THE PROBLEM. THE OWNER DID SEND AN E-MAIL TO INFORM NHTSA ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE OWNER DID NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHY VEHICLE FAILED. HE HAD NOT RUN OVER ANY KIND OF OBJECTS. WHEN STARTING THE CAR POWER STEERING WORKED, BUT AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 100 YARDS POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. OWNER PROVIDED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS AVAILABLE. THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR INJURY THAT COULD RESULT IN FATALITIES. THIS WAS A MINI-COOPER S CONVERTIBLE.*AK

STARTED VEHICLE IN THE EVENING WHEN LEAVING WORK THEN DROVE OUT ONTO THE STREET AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. THE DEALER SAID A TEMPERATURE SENSOR TOLD THE COMPUTER IT WAS OUT OF RANGE AND SENT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO A LIMP MODE. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE CAR IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO MAP SENSORS AND AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MOTOR, BUT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED UNTIL THEY CORRECT THE SOFTWARE. THERE ARE 7 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATICS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT THIS DEALER AND MANY MORE THROUGHOUT THE U.S.

PURCHASED CAR NEW 10/2004. IN FEBRUARY 2005 IT BEGAN TO ACT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO DIE AT LOW SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN FIRST STARTED. WHEN THE RPMS ARE LOW IT ACTS AS IF IT IS NOT GETTING FUEL. CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP RE: THIS PROBLEM WERE MET W/ "MINI KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A FIX BY MAY." I BROUGHT UP MY CONCERNS REGARDING SAFETY AND WAS TOLD TO "BE CAREFUL". HAVING THE CAR DIE IN MID-TURNS OR WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE ACROSS AN INTERSECTION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN TODAY AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MINI THERE IS NO FIX TO THIS PROBLEM AND OWNERS WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE GASOLINE IN THE USA IS "BETTER".I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS "UNFIXABLE" PROBLEM.NUMBER OF FAILURES NOTED WAS CALCULATED BY MULTIPLYING APPROX.# OF DAYS SINCE THIS PROBLEM BEGAN BY THE AVE # OF STARTS PER DAY.

DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN PEOPLE STARTING HONKING AND WAVING AT CONSUMER. BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER HAD DEALER COME AND GET VEHICLE, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. CONSUMER SAID THAT VEHICLE WAS IN HER POSSESSION FOR 24 HOURS WHEN BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE NEW FROM DEALER , WHO SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT. BUT CONSUMER HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO CHECK TO SEE IF BRAKE LIGHTS ACTUALLY WORKED. CONSUMER STATED THAT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT THIS HAPPENED AFTER DEALER HAD DONE THE SAFETY PREPARATIONS FOR DELIVERING THE CAR. DEALER SAID THAT THE PREPARATIONS WERE DONE, AND THEY CHECKED THE LIGHTS AND ALL THE FLUID LEVELS.*AK

WHILE STOPPED THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FOR 5-7 SECONDS.. THE ENGINE RPM DID NOT INCREASE EVEN WITH THE FOOT PEDAL PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THE RPM DID INCREASE THE CAR ACCELERATED NORMALLY UNTIL THE NEXT EPISODE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE SERVICED THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. *AK *BF *NM