2004 MINI Cooper Complaint Log

WHEEL BOLTS BROKE. PREVIOUSLY, I HAD THREE WHEEL BOLTS BREAK DURING REMOVAL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DENIED WARRANTY CLAIM AS RESULT OF POT HOLE. RECENTLY, I HAD A WHEEL BOLT BREAK DURING INSTALLATION. WHILE USING A TORQUE WRENCH, THE BOLT BROKE BEFORE REACHING THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. THE WHEEL BOLTS ARE FRAGILE AND FAILURE IN SERVICE COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A WHEEL. *TR

DRIVING DOWN ROAD STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILS. I BARELY MANAGED TO KEEP CAR ON THE ROAD. UNBELIEVABLE DIFFICULT TO STEER AND CRUCIAL TURN. HAVE YET TO REPLACE PART AND UPON RESEARCH FIND MINI KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND PUT OUT A DUCT WORK AND IMPROVED PUMP. THEY HOWEVER HAVE NOT VOLUNTARILY RECALLED VEHICLES TO RETROFIT. *TR

DRIVING TO WORK AND POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS FAILURE CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR, BUT IT TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING, IT IS LIKELY THAT SHE WOULD LOST CONTROL. *JB

I BOUGHT A USED 2004 MINI COOPER LAST YEAR. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS ON A CURVY ROAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD GET VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL, ESPECIALLY IN A SHARP CURVE. WITH NO DEALERSHIPS WITHIN 150 MILES I PUT UP WITH IT. NOW IT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME AND CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED WITHOUT TAKING THE BATTERY CABLE OFF THE BATTERY. IT RUINED 2 BATTERIES BEFORE I REALIZED IT WAS STAYING ON 24 HOURS A DAY. I BOUGHT THE REPAIR BOOK AND WIRING DIAGRAM CD'S TO FIND IT IS STRAIGHT WIRED FROM BATTERY TO INSIDE THE PUMP WHICH GLOWS BRIGHT RED AFTER RUNNING A FEW HOURS. IF I HAD ANY TYPE OF OIL LEAK, IT WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. I CONTACTED A REPAIR CENTER IN ATLANTA GA AND THEY CAN CHANGE IT OUT FOR ABOUT $1000+ FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE OPEN FACED FAN THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE IN THE PUMP. IT FAILED THE EXACT MONTH MY WARRANTY WAS OVER AND THEY SAID SORRY CHARLIE. CANNOT CURRENTLY PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED SO IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY YARD FOR ALMOST A YEAR. *TR

1) NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT LEADING UP TO FAILURE 2) POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, NO STEERING ABILITY IN VEHICLE 3) NO CORRECTION KNOWN FOR SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING. PARTS TO BE REPAIRED BELIEVED TO BE STEERING PUMP AND POTENTIAL STEERING RACK. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW CEASED OPERATION IN THE 'UP' POSITION. DUE TO THE VEHICLE DESIGN, THE TOP OF THE WINDOW GLASS CAN NOW POTENTIALLY CONTACT THE DOOR FRAME WHEN CLOSING, PRESENTING A BREAKAGE HAZARD. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, THE WINDOW BEGAN TO OPERATE, THEN FAILED AGAIN SEVERAL WEEKS LATER - CURRENTLY INOPERATIVE. WIDESPREAD EVIDENCE ON THE INTERNET OF SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE - MINI COOPER. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING, REQUIRING AN EXTREME EFFORT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL OR MAINTAIN WHEEL POSITION IF FAILURE OCCURS WHILE MANEUVERING ON A CURVED SECTION OF HIGHWAY. FAILURES BEGAN AS WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND IS NOW PERMANENT. BMW SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WERE FAMILIAR WITH PROBLEM, STATING THAT THE CAUSE WAS FAILURE OF THE ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING PUMP, A NON-REPAIRABLE PART. BMW HAD THE PART IN STOCK, AND WITH INSTALLATION, GAVE AN ESTIMATE EXCEEDING $600.00 TO REPLACE PUMP. DUE TO THE COST, I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIR DONE. *TR

THE STEERING FAILED ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER S WITH 84K MILE. THE POWER STEERING FAN FAILED CAUSING THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO BURN OUT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NTO DRIVABLE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE OCCURED AFTER THE VEHICLE REACHED IT DESTINATION AND WAS PARKED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LUG BOLTS SHEERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE BY HAND ON MORE THAN ONE WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HUBS.

BRAKE FAILURE - WHILE COASTING IN "BRAKE AND RELEASE TRAFFIC", THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT CATCH. LOOKING DOWN AT MY FOOT, I WATCHED MY FOOT FLOOR THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FELT NO BRAKE PEDAL CATCH. LOOKING UP, MY CAR CONTINUED ROLLING FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR SUSTAINED OVER $2000 DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT AND THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT DAMAGED. A MONTH PRIOR, THE MINI DEALERSHIP HAD DONE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BRAKE WORK ON MY MINI. BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, I ASKED MINI IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN AIR BUBBLE OR SOMETHING ELSE RELATED TO THE BRAKE JOB. MINI SAID NO; ANY PROBLEM WOULD HAVE OCCURRED A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE JOB; NOT A MONTH LATER. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MINI DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES. MINI SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS? I'M CONCERNED THAT MY BRAKES COULD FAIL AGAIN , THIS TIME WITH MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, EVEN DEATH! PLEASE HELP! *JB

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS INCURRED TWO CRACKED WINDSHIELDS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, REQUIRING THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED. EACH CRACK OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AFTER A SMALL PEBBLE NICKED THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER DRIVING FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS I FIND THIS RATE OF OCCURRENCE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE. ALTHOUGH THE ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD MAY BE AT A STEEPER GRADE THAN MOST VEHICLES, MINI HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS A STRONGER THICKER WINDSHIELD. A RESOLUTION IS NEEDED TO PREVENT FELLOW MINI OWNERS FROM PURCHASING REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. *JB

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S, DELIVERED IN JUNE OF '04, HAVING @ 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IS NOW ON ITS THIRD WINDSHIELD ALL DUE TO STRESS CRACKS. THE CRACKS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THERMAL INSTABILITY. I.E. COLD OUTSIDE/HOT INSIDE ETC. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF ONE 2003 MINI OWNER IN MA WHO HAS NOW HAD 6 WINDSHIELDS REPLACED SINCE PURCHASE. THE MINI COMMUNITY HAS DETERMINED THAT AFTERMARKET US MADE GLASS BY PPG DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPENSITY FOR SUCH FAILURES. I AM RELUCTANT TO CONTINUE GOING TO MY DEALER AS THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE FOREIGN MANUFACTURED OEM GLASS. ON THE OTHER HAND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WITH A NON OEM PRODUCT, OUT OF POCKET TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. FOR MUCH MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN REFER TO THE MINI COOPER OWNERS INTERNET WEB FORUM "NORTHAMERICANMOTORING .COM" THE DEFECT IS WIDE SPREAD FROM THE MINI'S INTRODUCTION IN '02 CONTINUING THROUGH TO '05 PRODUCTION MODELS. TO FIND THIS INFORMATION, GO TO "BENEATH THE BONNET" AND USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER FOR "CRACKED GLASS". YOUR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. FEEL FREE TO CALL ME IF I CAN BE OF HELP. SINCERELY, MARK WILLIAMS CFP *JB

SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON A 2004 MINI COOPER S IN A PARKING AT LOW SPEED. CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE BACK TO DEALER DUE TO HIGH GRIP THE CAR HAS. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP FOR POWER ASSISTED GEAR. COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IN A CORNER. MILEAGE 20,257. *TR

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAD BEEN PARKED, UNTOUCHED, IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 2 DAYS. I GOT IN IT LAST NIGHT AND FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS A VERTICLA CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD EXTENDING FROM THE TOP CHROME MOLDING 14" DOWN, PARALLEL TO AND 5" FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE LOCAL DEALER SAID THAT MINI HAD A PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE IN THE PAST "BUT NOT NOW". AT HIS SUGGESTION, I RAN THE TIP OF A BALL-POINT PEN ALONG THE CRACK AND FOUND A "CHIP" AT THE TOP OF THE CRACK. THIS "CHIP" IS SMALLER THAN THE TIP OF THE BALL-POINT PEN. I'VE HAD MANY NEW AND USED CARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST CASE WHERE SUCH AN INSIGNIFICANT "CHIP" HAS PROPAGATED TO A TOTAL FAILURE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT WITHOUT EVEN BEING VISIBLE FIRST.

A YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, THE FRONT DRIVER'S WINDOW'S AUTOMATIC MOTOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, THEN WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. THE DEALER FIXED IT SINCE IT HAPPENED TO BE UNDER FULL WARRANTY. TWO YEARS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR CEASED WORKING AT ALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS MAKING A SCRATCHING SOUND AS IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY ROLLED UP /OR DOWN. I ONLY HAD A FEW MONTHS LEFT ON THE WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER WAS REQUIRED AGAIN TO REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER MINI OWNERS THAT HAD TO REPLACE AT LEAST ONE WINDOW MOTOR AS WELL, BUT AT THEIR OWN COST SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT. IF THIS IS A INCESSANT AND OBVIOUS DEFECT BY MINI COOPER, IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR ADDRESSED IN A FAIR CONSUMER MANNER. *TR

CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON A MINI. CRACK EXTENDS FROM RIGHT EDGE AND GOES TOWARDS CENTER AND THEN TURNS UP TOWARDS ROOF - CRACK ABOUT 12" LONG. NO STONE CHIP ANYWHERE ALONG CRACK.*AK

COMPLAINT REGARDING THE POSITION OF THE HORN BUTTONS ON THE 2004 MINI COOPER S. *MR THE CONSUMER WOULD TRY TO HONK THE HORN BY PRESSING THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. *SC

WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY A VERY VERY SMALL PEBBLE SIZE STONE HITS UNDERNEATH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE WINDSHIELD IMMIDEIATLY SPIDERS ALL OVER THE WINDOW. I'VE BEEN TOLD ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BMW WINDSHIELDS WERE CORRECTED, BUT I'VE HEARD FROM OVER 20 FELLOW MINI OWNERS OF RANDOM CRACKING AND FAILURES WITHIN THE FIRST 2000 MILES!!! THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT ISNT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECUASE IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPACT.*AK

ON MARCH 5, 2005, A 2 INCH X 2 INCH L SHAPED CRACK WAS FIRST DEVELOPED AT THE MID BOTTOM SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE SHORT ARM OF THE L ORIGINATED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. ON THE NEXT DAY, AFTER PARKING INSIDE MY GARAGE OVERNIGHT, THE LONG ARM OF THE L PROPAGATED ANOTHER 2 INCHES. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING, THE CRACK FURTHER EXTENDED ANOTHER 1/4 INCH. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CRACK STARTED WITH NO OBVIOUS REASONS. THE ONLY SENSIBLE EXPLANATION IS DUE TO DESIGN OF THE BODY STRUTURE OR DEFECT FROM MINI COOPERS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSES STRESS TO THE WINDSHIELD. IT DOES NOT TAKE LONG TO LEARN FROM THE INTERNET MESSAGE BOARD THAT MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OR RECURRING INCIDENTS WERE ALSO REPORTED. ONE OF THE MESSAGE BOARD PARTICIPANT WHO INSTALLS WINDSHIELD FOR CAR SUGGESTED US TO FILE A COMPLAINT AT THIS SITE BECAUSE WINDSHIELD PROBLEM CAN BE FATAL BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWINGS: 1. ACT AS A SUPPORT FOR THE ROOF. 2. ACT AS A BARRIER TO PREVENT PASSENGER FROM EJECTING OF THE CAR.. CAUSE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED.*AK I STRONGLY URGE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY.

THE WINDSHIELD IN THE CONSUMER'S 2004 MINI COOPER CRACKED ABOUT 4 INCHES TO THE LEFT OF THE VIN NUMBER. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE EDGE AND MOVED UP TO THE RIGHT. *NM THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A STRESS CRACK. *JB

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2004, AND HAVE HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, MOST RECENTLY ON FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2012. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MINI COOPER DEALER AT LEAST FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED, SO HAS THE STEERING COLUMN, AS WELL AS THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT SPINDLE. STILL, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTION GOES OUT WITHOUT WARNING. IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THIS CAR TO DO MY JOB, AND I'M SPOOKED BY IT. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN 1 YEAR OF PURCHASE . ON MAY 24, 2006, WHILE DRIVING A SMALL OBJECT STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING A CRACK WHICH CAUSED THE FOURTH WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE TO MAKE THE WINDSHIELD CRACK SO EASILY. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE CRACKS WERE DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE OBJECT.

I WAS DRIVING NORMAL. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) THE CAR MOVE A LITTLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLED. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS HONKING AND I QUICKLY SHIFT TO N AND TRIED STARTING AND THE CAR STARTED. MY CAR HAS ONLY 1650 MILES. I CALLED MINI THE NEXT DAY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALLS OR ISSUES KNOWN TO MINI AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 MINI COOPER, THE POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER/CONTROL AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BY REPLACING THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

FIRST OCCASION - WINDSHEILD CRACKED ADJACENT TO VIN # LOCATION. SEPERATED FROM VEHICLE BODY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BUT TOOK 5 TO 6 WEEKS. EXCUSE WAS SUPPLIER CHANGED. SECOND OCCASION - ROCK CHIP ON INTERSATE. RESULT. SURFACE CHIP AND LAMINANT CRACK (1/4" TO 1/2" LONG). HAVE NOT REPLACED WINDSHIELD. WATCHING FOR ANY PROGRESSION IN SIZE. I'VE OWNED OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAD ROCKS AND SUCH COLLIDE WITH THE WINDSHIELD, BUT NONE THAT CRACKED SO EASILY.

(1) ON THURSDAY, JULY 3RD, I ATTEMPTED TO MANIPULATE A 90 DEGREE RIGHTHAND TURN IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S DURING MY VERY SHORT COMMUTE TO WORK AND DID SO ONLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTLY. FROM THAT POINT FORWARD MY CAR TURNS NEITHER LEFT NOR RIGHT PROPERLY AND ONLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR NOISES OF ANY KIND TO ALERT ME TO THE PROBLEM. MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER, WHO IS A TRAINED MECHANIC, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND IDENTIFIED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS THE PROBLEM. I ALSO SPOKE WITH SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HERB CHAMBERS BMW MINI OF BOSTON WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS EITHER A KNOWN AND/OR COMMON PROBLEM. THE PARTS DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE PUMP MANUFACTURER WHO MADE THE PUMP IN MY MINI IS NO LONGER MAKING PUMPS FOR MINI. (2) THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED THEREFORE MY MINI IS RELYING ON THE RACK AND PINION TO TURN. THE MINI TURNS ONLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY AND REQUIRES TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL AT ALL TIMES; THIS IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO DO WHILE NAVIGATING CORNERS AS I HAVE A STANDARD TRANSMISSION. THE MINI IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, SO I AM FORCED TO BORROW ANOTHER VEHICLE. (3) MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES ON IT AND MINI'S WARRANTY ONLY COVERS PROBLEMS UP THROUGH 50,000 MILES DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PUMP IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SAFETY HAZARD. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MY MINI REMAINS PARKED WHILE I AWAIT THE NEW POWER STEERING PUMP THAT I ORDERED AND PAID FOR. THE NEW PUMP IS MANUFACTURED BY A DIFFERENT COMPANY THAN THE DEFECTIVE PUMP THAT HAS FAILED. *TR

OUR MINICOOPERS, 2004, RECEIVED A VERY SMALL CHIP. THE NEXT MORNING HALF OF OUR WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THIS CHIP. MY HUSBAND SPOKE WITH STEVE, A MINI REP IN HOUSTON, AND WAS TOLD THE WINDSHIELD HAD BE RECALLED DUE TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF STRESS ON THE WINDSHIELD. HE TOLD STEVE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE CHIP IS SO SMALL LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE WERE TOLD WITH THE CHIP THAT THE WARRENTY WAS VOIDED. WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. STEVE WENT ON TO TELL OF 5 DIFFERRENT STORIES OF MINI OWNERS HAVING TO REPLACE THEIR WINDSHIELD IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. IF YOU LOOK AT MINI CHAT ROOMS, IT IS FILLED WITH MANY PEOPLE HAVING TO REPLACE THEIR WINDSHIELD, SOMETIMES MULTIPLY TIMES. IT JUST DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. SO MANY WINDSHIELD CRACKING DUE TO ROCK CHIPS. WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE CHIP TREATED, IF IT WEREN'T SO SMALL, SO A CRACK WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, BUT THERE WAS NO TIME, IT CRACKED OVERNIGHT. *AK

04 MINI COOPER S HAD A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN (PROBABLY STRESS). HAD FIXED 2 WEEKS AGO UNDER WARRANTLY. NEW CRACK HAS DEVELOPED ALREADY. IN THE PROCESS OF RESOLVING CURRENT DEFECT. *AK THESE VEHICLES HAVE A DESIGN FLAW. YOU GUYS NEED TO ADD MINI TO THE LIST OF YOUR CARS. I AM GOING TO SELECT BMW BECAUSE BWM OWNS MINI.

2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. *TGW