2006 Mini Cooper S

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING AT A LOW SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. ONCE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN OFF WITH THE KEY IN THE OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR HAD FAILED AND MELTED. THE POWER STEERING MOTOR, WIRES, BATTERY, PUMP, FAN, PRESSURE HOSE AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACED. AFTER REPAIRS, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE USING THE DIAGNOSTIC TOOL. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD MY I TURNED THE AC ON AND ABOUT 20MIN OF ME RIDING IN THE VEHICLE ME AND MY INFANT SON MY MY VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD HEAVY WHITE SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE 2006 MINI COOPER S. MY CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER WHILE ENGINE BAY STILL HEAVILY SMOKING I MANAGED TO GET CAR IN A NEARBY DEALERSHIP GET MY SON AND I OUT OF THE CAR I PUT WATER ON THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE THAT WAS BURNING TO KEEP THE REST OF THE CAR FROM BURNING UP.THE REST OF THE CAR I HAD TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY THE CAR WONT DO ANYTHING AT ALL THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OR THE WIRES BURNT UNDER THE HOOD.

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. I WAS ADVISED BY AN AUTHORIZED MINI COPPER MECHANIC THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR IS BAD. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MINI COOPER USA IS NOT OWNING UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL AND REPAIR WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A LIFE SAFETY PROBLEM. THE LEATHER SEAT IS PRACTICALLY NEW AND THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THIS FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR SEAT/EQUIPMENT. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR BMW'S WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING. *TR

AIRBAG PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS BAD $1500 TO REPAIR AND NO GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK CORRECTLY IN THE FUTURE. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED??? BMW WHO OWNS MINI COOPER RECALLED THIS SENSOR FOR THEIR CARS BUT WHY NOT THE COOPERS? I'M SO ANGRY THAT THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT MY FAMILIES SAFETY. AUTOMOBILES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AIRBAG SYSTEMS BUT THEY AREN'T REQUIRED TO WORK PROPERLY?? *TR

I BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER A 2006 MINI COOPER S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. TODAY I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT TO WORK HERE AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AFTER I GOT TO WORK I DECIDED TO GO GET BREAKFAST SO WHEN I WALKED OUT OF MY OFFICE I HEARD A CAR ALARM GOING OFF AND WHEN I ROUNDED THE CORNER I SAW MY DAUGHTER'S CAR BILLOWING SMOKE! I RAN INSIDE TO GET HELP AND WAS ABLE TO FIND TOOLS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I RAISED THE HOOD AND WAS MEET WITH A LOT OF HEAT, SMOKE AND A STRONG ODOR OF BURNT PLASTIC. THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING AND LIKE I STATED, HAD BEEN SITTING FOR OVER AN HOUR. AFTER CONDUCTING RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND OUT MINI USA HAD RECALLED SEVERAL MINI COOPERS FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP THAT HAD THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS. AFTER CALLING THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, AN HOUR AWAY, AND MINI USA I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL AND I AM LEFT TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR MYSELF. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME A COST OF $1000 TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. DURING MY ONLINE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER MINI OWNERS WITH THE SAME YEAR MODEL THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT MINI USA ISN'T WANTING TO FULLY COVER THE REPAIRS. I AM GLAD I WASN'T DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED! *TR

DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON PARKWAY. ENGINE MADE CLUNK AND LOST POWER. PULLED CAR ONTO SHOULDER AND STARTED WITH WHITE SMOKE UNDER HOOD, PROGRESSING TO BLACK SMOKE AND FLAME. EXITED CAR AT FIRST SIGN OF SMOKE. CAR BURNED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, MOVED INTO CABIN. FINAL DAMAGE WAS A TOTAL. FRONT END OF CAR IS COMPLETELY BURNED. FIRE IN CABIN MELTED DASHBOARD, MOVED ACROSS AND MELTED CEILING, AND MELTED FRONT WINDSHIELD. TOOK PICTURES OF FINAL DAMAGES AT GARAGE FOLLOWING INCIDENT. *TR