2006 MINI Cooper Suspension Problems

I HAVE HEARD FROM MORE THEN 3 DOZEN OTHER INDIVIDUALS OWNING BOTH THE MINI COOPER AND MINI COOPER S RANGING FROM YEARS 2006 TO 2010 THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS REGARDING THE AIR CV JOINT AXEL AND/OR POWER ARM CONTROL A CONSTANT PROBLEM REGARDING THE GENERAL MODULE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT. THIS ISN'T JUST A COINCIDENCE AND MAY END UP BEING THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IF ONE OR TWO OF THESE COMPONENTS ARE DEFECTIVE. FOR THIS MANY CONSUMERS TO BE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, SAME SOUNDS AND REVISITED VISITS TO MINI DEALER SHOPS AROUND THE GLOBE SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I KNOW FOR ONE THING THIS CONTROL ARM IS A HUGE PROBLEM IF IT FAILS CONSIDERING IT'S LOCATION COULD BE THE CAUSE OF MANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE DEATHS DEPENDING ON THE SPEED AND SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT WHEN IT TAKES PLACE. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY NOT ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE NOISE AND REACTION TO THE VEHICLE WHEN BEING OPERATED AND IT IS A SCARY THING. THEY WANT TO CHARGE A ABSURD AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT QUITE FRANKLY MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO, AND WASN'T BECAUSE A LOT OF CONSUMERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROCESS SUCH AS MYSELF UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN AN ATTORNEY FRIEND OF MINE STARTED TO DIG AROUND A BIT AFTER HEARING MY STORY AND THE STORIES OF MANY OTHERS I HAVE SPOKEN TOO.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SQUEAKED WHEN IT DROVE OVER A BUMP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STRUT MOUNTS WERE CRACKED AND THEY MADE THE REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

BACK IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2006 I PURCHASED A 06 MINI COOPER S (DEALERS DEMO WITH 380 MILES). THE WEEK AFTER I GOT IT, I NOTICED THAT IT PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE ROAD'S PITCH. AFTER THAT I NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT STARTED TO GET BAD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK A COUPLE OF THINGS INCLUDING THIS ONE AND THEY IGNORED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES SAYING IT WAS OK. MY BIG SURPRISE WAS YESTERDAY WHEN AFTER HAVING TO LEAVE THE CAR THE WHOLE DAY, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR HAS ANOTHER ISSUE NAMED "MUSHROOMING". THIS IS WHEN THE CAR GOT A HARD HIT AND THE STRUT TOWER PUSHES UP THE METAL WHERE IS ATTACHED TO CREATING A BUBBLE AND DAMAGING THE ALIGNMENT. HOW CAN THE STRUT TOWER MAKES THIS DAMAGE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE RIM FIRST?... ALL MY RIMS ARE OK, NO BENDS. INITIALLY THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME ALMOST $1700 TO FIX THE WHOLE ISSUE. I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE TOLD ME THAT AS A GOODWILL GESTURE THEY WOULD REPLACE THE STRUT TOWER, FIX THE PROBLEM AND GIVE ME TWO NEW TIRES, BUT IN EXCHANGE I'D HAVE TO BUY THEM THE TWO REAR TIRES FOR MY CAR FOR A PRICE OF $223.00 PLUS EXTRAS... THIS SOUNDS TO ME LIKE BRIBE... I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ABOUT THIS "MUSHROOMING" ISSUE AND I'VE FOUND THAT IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT HAS TO BE FIXED WITH AFTERMARKET PIECES AS A "REINFORCEMENT PLATE" AND/OR "STRUT TOWER BRACE". THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE METAL PIECE THAT HOLDS THE STRUT TOWER TO THE CAR IS TOO WEAK, SO THE METAL WOULD BEND SO EASY. THIS ISSUE CAN BE FOUND VERY CLEAR IN FORUMS AS WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM AND "WWW.SUNSHINEMINIS.ORG"; JUST SEARCH FOR "MUSHROOM". MINI WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER ANY PROBLEM RELATED TO HITS. I BELIEVE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THAT IS WHY THEY TRY TO IGNORE IT ALL THE TIME TELLING THE OWNERS THAT THE WARRANTY DON'T COVER THAT, BUT BEING A FACTORY'S DEFECT THEY HAVE TO FIX IT RIGHT AWAY AT NO CHARGE. *TR

DURING A SERVICE CALL ON OUR 2006 MINI COOPER, WE WERE INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT STRUT MOUNTS WERE BENT AND DAMAGED. THESE ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND IN ONE CASE HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE AT 20000+ MILES AFTER HITTING A BAD POTHOLE. THE CAR NOW HAS 34000 MILES AND HAD TO HAVE BOTH MOUNTS REPLACED. APPARENTLY THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT MINI/BMW IS NOT WILLING TO CORRECT ALTHOUGH THERE ARE AFTERMARKET REINFORCEMENTS AVAILABLE. A FURTHER SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT A LOT OF MINI & BMW OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, IN PARTICULAR THOSE WITH RUN-FLAT TIRES INSTALLED. *TR