2006 MINI Cooper Engine Problems

OUR CAR HAS ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. WE ARE INFORMED BY 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS THAT IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION TOTALING $10,000. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THIS VERY ISSUE THAT SETTLED LATE LAST YEAR. BMW/MINI KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION AND SAID NOTHING. OUR CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE NOW AND IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE. IT IS WORTHLESS ESSENTIALLY AFTER BEING MAINTAINED PER THEIR GUIDELINES. WHEN DRIVING IT LOST CONTROL AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEARS. WAS STUCK IN 4TH GEAR ONE TIME AND WAS HARD TO STOP. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET CONTROL.

CAR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE SITING IN THE GARAGE.

LOUD NOISE/RATTLE AT IDLE. LOOSE CAMSHAFT TIMING CHAIN DUE TO TENSIONER FAILURE. IT WOULD APPEAR FROM SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM THAT DEALERS ARE REFUSING TO FIX SINCE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN MODERATE TRAFFIC (40MPH) WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY JERKED SO HARD IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I WAS FEELING THE JERKINESS SLIGHTLY AND INTERMITTENTLY (FELT LIKE DOWNSHIFTING). AFTER READING PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS IN MINI FORUMS, I'M STARTING TO THINK THIS COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF MY TRANSMISSION FAILURE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT BUT IF THIS CONTINUES, THERE COULD BE SOME MAJOR INJURIES INVOLVED. ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, MY MINI STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I GET MY CAR SERVICED REGULARLY SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW MY WATER LEVELS AND OIL LEVELS GOT SO LOW TO OVERHEAT MY CAR. AFTER READING UP ON THIS, OTHER MINI OWNERS FACED SIMILAR ISSUES. SO NOW, I AM REQUIRED TO CHECK WATER AND OIL LEVELS AT EVERY 1500 MILES TO AVOID OVERHEATING. A LITTLE HIGH MAINTENANCE? TELL ME ABOUT IT!! *TR

CAR LOST POWER AND STARTED RUNNING AND IDLING VERY ROUGH. SERVICE SHOP DISCOVERED THAT THE NYLON CAPS FOR THE HYDRAULIC LASH VALVES HAD DETERIORATED AND CRACKED AND IN SOME CASES HAD FALLEN COMPLETELY OFF HAVING A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON THE ENGINE COMPRESSION. THE ORIGINAL CAPS ARE BRIGHT YELLOW AND AFTER USE AND HEAT THEY TURN ORANGE/BROWN. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS SOME MINI'S HAVE STEEL LASH CAPS. SEEMS THAT A ENGINE COMPONENT SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT DAMAGE SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF NYLON/PLASTIC. THE CAR HAS A TOTAL OF 18 OF THESE LASH CAPS AND AT LEAST 12 ARE CLEARLY CRACKED. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FROM MINI OR IN THE AFTERMARKET. MINI'S ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ROCKER ARMS WHICH IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR WHEN THE ONLY FAILURE IS SMALL NYLON CAPS. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APP. 60 MPH, DOWNSHIFTED TO PASS AND EML LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER TO CAR WAS GREATLY REDUCED. FOUND OUT IT WAS A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION DAMPENER. NOTIFIED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. QUITE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR ALSO. CONTACTED MINI OF USA AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD TO BE DIAGNOSED BY A MINI DEALER FOR ANY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE, BUT WAS NOT GUARANTEED THAT ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. *TR

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 CONDITION AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS DEFECT COULD ALLOW THE MOTOR TO SHIFT, LEADING TO ACCIDENTS AND LOSS OF LIFE. HAVING BEEN AN AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC FOR YEARS, I NORMALLY EXPECT A MOTOR MOUNT TO LAST ABOUT 75,000 MILES. THIS UNACKNOWLEDGED MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS UNSAFE AND COSTLY TO REPAIR. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAD IT REPAIRED AT MINI OF NORTH SCOTTSDALE (AZ) AND IT COST ME ABOUT $245. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE SUPER CHARGER ASSEMBLY, WATER PUMP ASSEMBLY, BYPASS VALVE, AND THE ANTI FREEZE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,000.

PLETHORA OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. HEATED SEATS ARE A MAJOR CONCERN. THEY GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES, SEEM HAUNTED. SOMETIMES, THEY GET SO HOT THEY LEAVE BURN MARKS IN MY LEGS. I AM AFRAID OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE HEATED SEATS GET SO HOT, THEY LEFT BURN MARKS IN MY SEAT. AISIN 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPPED WITH "LIFETIME" FLUID, BEGINS SLIPPING GEARS AT 70K THE SUPERCHARGER HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE "DESIGN" OF THE SUPERCHARGER IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, I WAS FORCED BY BMWUSA TO PURCHASE A REMANUFACTURED SUPERCHARGER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM" I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT FROM FORUMS SUCH AS NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT BMW DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT ITS AT FAULT FOR HOWEVER THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THE WIDESPREAD HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW SUPERCHARGERS IS VERY LOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, HENCE ME PURCHASING A REMFGD ONE. REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED AT 40K QUOTED HUNDREDS TO REPLACE, NOT WORTH IT!!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY FAN BELT THAT CONTROLLED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER WAS LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,039.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH IN THE RAIN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE HYDRO-LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT AGREE WITH THE DEALERS DIAGNOSIS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. HE THEN SUGGESTED THAT THE DEALER FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

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

2006 MINI COOPER S. MAKES HORRIBLE ENGINE NOISE AND UPON INVESTIGATION MINI FOUND THAT THE AC COMPRESSOR IS OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 44K MILES AND HAS BEEN MINI MAINTAINED. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS CLOSE TO 4K WHICH IS ABSURD FOR A PART THAT SHOULD LAST.I FOUND A MECHANIC ( NOT MINI) THAT CAN DO THE WORK FOR 2,800 BUT EVEN THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A DEFECTIVE PART. MINI SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. NOW, WE CAN'T EVEN TURN ON THE FAN BECAUSE IT WILL TRIGGER A CHAIN REACTION OF PROBLEMS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 7 MPH THE LOW OIL PRESSURE SENSOR ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE CONTACT ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND UPON RESTART THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK WITHIN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,500.

2006 BMW MINI COOPER, 2 DOOR. CAR SUDDENLY LOSES POWER, SHUDDERS AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. OCCURS RANDOMLY. HAS OCCURRED 6 TIMES SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASED, MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE SEPTEMBER 2010. EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. EACH TIME DEALER SAID IT WAS FIXED. DEALER DOES NOT SHARE ENGINEERING INFORMATION; SO, I CANNOT DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE. DEALER HAD TO GET MINI COOPER ENGINEERS FOR CONSULTATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. REPAIR ORDERS MENTION A PART CALLED THE VANOS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SUDDEN LOSE OF POWER APPEARS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR. MINI COOPER OF NORTH AMERICA HAS SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM FOR THEM TO REMEDY. *TR

I OWN A 2006 MINI COOPER AND RECENTLY, AT 62,000 MILES HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE CYLINDERS LOSING COMPRESSION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILD-UP WHICH "PITTED" THE VALVES AS A RESULT OF ETHANOL IN GASOLINE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS BECOMING A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH MINI COOPERS BECAUSE THE CAR CAN NOT HANDLE THE GASOLINE WITH ETHANOL, AS THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE RUN ON PURE GAS. SO DUE TO THE ETHANOL MIXTURE, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. SHOULDN'T THESE CARS SOLD HERE IN THE UNITED STATES BE ABLE TO RUN ON THE GASOLINE THAT IS AVAILABLE HERE? I HAVE USED HIGH-OCTANE PREMIUM GAS ONLY IN MY CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, YET WAS STILL FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE PURCHASED THROUGH THE DEALER AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE MINI MANUAL IN TERMS OF FUEL TO USE. THEY TOLD ME THEY ARE SEEING THIS PROBLEM MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE MINI. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THIS IS A VEHICLE PROBLEM AND PERHAPS DESERVES A RECALL. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU CAN HELP ME WITH? THEY CLEANED, MACHINED AND TESTED THE CYLINDERS AND REPLACED THE VALVES AT A COST TO ME OF $4800. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS REACHING OVER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN THE TRUNK WHEN HER LEG WAS BURNED BY THE MUFFLER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE BRACKETS WHICH HELD THE MUFFLER IN PLACE HAD RUSTED, ALLOWING THE MUFFLER TO HANG. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS EMISSIONS WITHOUT REPAIRING THE MUFFLER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE MUFFLER BRACKETS REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

BRAND NEW VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN FOR REPAIR AT 7,308 MILES 1/27/10 VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO MISFIRES 1/27/810. MINI SERVICE CLEANED FUEL SYSTEM AND PROVIDED "COURTESY" FIRST TIME INJECTOR SERVICE. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME AND BROUGHT BACK THE NEXT DAY FOR THE SAME MISFIRE FAULTS 2/2/10, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AND FUEL RAIL WAS REMOVED. 7,318 MILES, 10 MILES LATER... THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN AGAIN FOR COMBUSTION MISFIRES 24,491 MILES 8/12/11 BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR STRANGE NOISE, MINI SAID IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. 24,783 MILES 8/18/11 VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN DUE TO ENGINE SEIZING...TURBO CARBON BUILD UP, TURBO FEED LINE ISSUES 33,124 MILES 01/31/12 VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES, BROUGHT IN TO SERVICE, MINI SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO INSPECT THE CAR CLOSER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I SCHEDULED A SERVICE AND LOANER FOR 2/1/12 (REPORT SAID THAT THERE WERE MISFIRE ISSUES, I WAS NOT INFORMED...UNTIL I NOTICED IT ON THE REPORT A WEEK LATER) 33,250 MILES 2/1/12 VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN ENGINE SEIZED, ENGINE COMPLETELY REPLACED. MINI CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NOT A LEMON IN ANY WAY AND THAT I WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR MY LEASE UNTIL THE CONTRACT END. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING A CAR, WITH A TRACK RECORD OF SEIZING OR MISFIRING AT ANY TIME ON A HIGHWAY OR ROAD, PUTTING ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

1/10/2010, I MY HEATER WAS BLOWING COLD AIR AND MY ENGINE TEMP INDICATOR WAS JUMPING AROUND. I CALLED MINI OF TOWSON AND TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE. I REMINDED THEM THAT BOTH AIR BAG AND FLAT TIRE INDICATORS HAD BEEN FLICKERING ON AND OFF SINCE THE LAST TIME I CAME IN ON JUNE OF 2009 AND THAT AS OF A FEW WEEKS AGO THEY HAD BOTH REMAINED ON. AT THAT TIME, NO ONE TOOK MY INQUIRY SERIOUSLY AND I WAS TOLD THE LIGHTS WERE COMING ON AS A RESULT OF THE PAST REQUIRED ENGINE WORK FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ENGINE, AND A SLOW LEAK IN ONE OF MY TIRES, WHICH I WAS INSTRUCTED TOO MONITOR BY FILLING-UP WHEN LOW AND TO IGNORE. I WAS INFORMED RECENTLY THAT I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR ($1000). I HAVE READ MANY OF POSTS ON THE MINIUSA WEBSITE THAT SAY THIS AS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINI'S BEING WIRED INCORRECTLY FORM THE MANUFACTURER; SOMETHING THAT COULD BE AVOIDED WITH EARLY DETECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL FAULTY INDICATOR LIGHTING. I WAS ALSO TOLD MY WATER PUMP IS NOW LEAKING COOLANT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ($900); SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN TOLD MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE EARLIER MANUFACTURING DEFECTS I HAD. ALSO, I AM ENROLLED IN THEIR TIRE AND RIM PROTECTION WARRANTY THAT STATES ANY TIRES OR RIMS THAT ARE DAMAGED BY NAILS, POT HOLES, ETC ARE REPLACED FOR FREE. THEY HAVE PATCHED 4 OF MY TIRES FOR NAIL DAMAGE; 3 OUT OF THE 4 TIRES CONTINUE TO LEAK AND I FEEL SHOULD BE REPLACED. LASTLY, MY MINI APPRAISED $6,500 BY THIS DEALER. I ASKED HOW MUCH THE VALUE INCREASES IF I COMPLETELY SERVICE THE CAR AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD INCREASE THE VALUE OF SERVICES RENDERED ($3,100) A TOTAL EST.VALUE OF $9,600. WHEN ASKED WHY MY MINI HAD DEPRECIATED SO MUCH I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE CARS EXTENSIVE SERVICE RECORD. SHE SAID BECAUSE OF THE DEPLORABLE SERVICE RECORD, MY CAR COULD NOT BE KEPT BY THE MINI DEALER AND THAT IT HAD TO BE SOLD AT WHOLESALE BECAUSE THE CAR IS CONSIDERED FAULTY. SHE SAID MY MINI WAS NOT SAFE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER RESELL STANDARD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO LOSE POWER; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT MANAGED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.