2006 Mini Cooper Convertible

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 CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH OR LESS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT LOSS IN THE POWER STEERING. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL MANEUVERED WITH DIFFICULTY, EVEN THOUGH THE POWER STEERING HAD NOT COMPLETELY FAILED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IN OPERATION. IN ADDITION, A TICKING NOISE WOULD EMIT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. ALSO IN MAY OF 2009, THE ENGINE AND CLUTCH WERE REPLACED. MOST RECENT THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION AND THEY ADVISED THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE DEFECTS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,164 .

I HAD MY CAR FOR A WEEK AFTER GETTING IT BACK AFTER A VERY EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT AND TRIED TO TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE TURN AND I NARROWLY AVOIDED ENDING UP IN THE BAR DITCH. UPON, GETTING MY VEHICLE TO TOWN I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. MY POWER STEERING HAS FAILED AND I WILL PROBABLY BE REPLACING THE WHOLE SYSTEM AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE. AFTER PAYING 6500+ FOR A TRANSMISSION THAT WENT OUT THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, YOU CAN IMAGINE MY DISAPPOINTMENT AND FRANKLY, MY DISGUST. I CALLED THE CLOSES MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP (ABOUT 400 MILES AWAY) THEY OFFERED NO HELPFUL INFORMATION AND NEGLECTED ANY MENTION OF THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS COMPONENT, THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION, AND THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED LAST FALL. I FOUND ALL THAT OUT THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THIS YET BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM OVER THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HIM TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

I BOUGHT MY MINI COOPER TWO MONTHS AGO. IT IS A 2006 MODEL. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE NIGHT OF THURSDAY JANUARY 7TH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK. I LIVE ON A CALICHE ROAD SO NATURALLY, I THOUGHT I HAD KICKED UP A ROCK OR CLUNK OF DIRT AND IT HIT THE BODY OF MY CAR. THE NEXT MORNING I HEADED OUT TO GO TO CLASS AND LESS THAN 5 MILES (I LIVE OUTSIDE OF TOWN 30 MILES, SO YES I DO A LOT OF DRIVING, BUT MY 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA HANDLED IT FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND WHEN I FIRST ACQUIRED IT HAD 145,000 MILES AND WHEN I FINISHED 198,000 AND WAS STILL RUNNING FINE) DOWN THE ROAD I BRAKED TO TURN ONTO A DIFFERENT ROAD AND AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, THE ENGINE ROARED THE TACHOMETER SPRUNG UP, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE. THE MECHANIC I TOOK IT TO CONFIRMED THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS SHOT, NO DOUBT ABOUT, HOWEVER HE CANNOT TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT WITHOUT TAKING OUT MY TRANSMISSION AND LOOKING AT THE INSIDE AS THAT IS WHERE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE ORIGINATES. IT IS AN INTERNAL DEFECT THAT CONSUMERS HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. *TR

2006 MINI COOPER, FAULTY WIRING ON PASSENGER SEAT MATE SENSOR, THE WIRING HARNESS THAT COMES OUT OF THE FLOOR AND CONNECTS TO THE SENSOR MATE IN THE SEAT IS TO SHORT AND BECOMES DAMAGED WHEN YOU SLIDE THE SEAT BACK. THIS CAUSES AN ERROR IN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM MAKING IT THINKS THERE IS A SMALL CHILD OR NO ONE IN THE SEAT AND TURN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN THERE IS AN ADULT IN THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL NOT PROTECT THEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL, BEING THAT THE REPAIR CAN COST UP TO $1000.00 IF THE SEAT MAT SENSOR IS DAMAGED. THE COST MAY CAUSE OWNERS NOT TO REPAIR IT. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED FROM THIS. *TR