2006 Mini Cooper S

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THEY DID NOT STATE IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,500.

I HAVE A 2006 MINI COOPER JOHN COOPER WROKS GP. THE DSC (DIRECTIONAL STABILITY CONTROL), LOW TIRE WARNING LIGHT, AND ABS (ANTI LOCK BRAKING) WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AS I TRAVELED ON THE INTERSTATE. NO INCIDENT OCCURRED TO CAUSE A FAILURE. THE ABS AND DSC SYSTEMS DO NOT WORK, OR WORK INAPPROPRIATELY. DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER MINI COOPER OWNERS WITH THE SO CALLED WORKS BRAKES, I FIND OUT IT IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM. *JB

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

I HAVE HAD A SECOND STRESS FRACTURE IN MY FRONT WINDSHIELD IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS AND MINI USA DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH STRESS FRACTURES, BUT WILL NOT FESS UP TO IT. THEY ARE STATING THAT THERE IS A PINHEAD SIZED CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, BUT SINCE WHEN WILL A PINHEAD SIZED CHIP CREATE A FOOT LONG FRACTURE IN MY WINDSHIELD. *AK

AS THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED THERE WAS A GRINDING AND SLIPPING NOISE THAT DEVELOPED FROM FULL STOPS. THIS USUALLY ONLY HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN FIRST GEAR. THIS BEGAN WITH FEWER THAN 3,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT WAS FIRST MOST NOTICEABLE IN COLD AND WET WEATHER. IT WAS NOW PROGRESSING TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN. SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON FORUMS, SUCH AS THE WEBSITE FORUM FOR MINIS, NORTH AMERICAN MOTORING. *AK