2005 MINI Cooper Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that there was water accumulated on the passenger's side front floorboard. The contact stated that the heater was causing some undisclosed issues. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System). The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the sunroof drain tubes were clogged, the drain tubes were cleared, and an undisclosed reprogramming was completed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 172,843.

Driving at approximately 10-15 miles an hour entering a parking lot when I noticed flames coming out of the hood scoop of my 2005 Mini Cooper S. After brief inspection from my mechanic, it is believed to have been caused by the wiring harness for ABS or possibly the power steering unit since the fire originated from the rear/right hand side of the engine and those two components. I have a claim opened with USAA but during simple research, I have found tens, if not close to a hundred issues with similar characteristics. I know I am not the first R53 Mini Cooper (2002-2006 run) with this problem and this should be considered a hazard and public safety issue. I have included the link to many of the cases captured by the North American Motoring Association (a primarily North American Mini car association) which details 24 pages of these issues. https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/73527-spontaneous-engine-bay-fires.html?ispreloading=1

WHEN ADJUSTING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, I CONDUCTED TROUBLESHOOTING. I VERIFIED THAT THE WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTORS FOR THE AIRBAG SENSORS UNDER BOTH SEATS HAD COME LOOSE, AND CERTAIN WIRES DE-PINNED. THE CAR WAS RUNNING, AND PARKED WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

I GOT HOME FROM WORK PARKED CAR AND HEARD A WHINING NOISE UNDER HOOD I COULD SEE SMOKE AND BURING SMELL COMING FROM STEERING COOLING FAN THE FAN STAYED ON AND WENT INTO EXTREME HIGH SPEED AND CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND WIRING BURNING ,I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DISCONNECT BATTERY WHICH STOPPED FAN AND ELECTRICAL BURNING I HAVE CAR PARKED IN DRIVE WAY AND CONTACTED MY INSURANCE TO FILE A CLAIM ,I AM AFRAID TO START CAR AND NEED TO HAVE CAR REPAIRED

2005 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE ELECTRONIC FAILURE. CONSUMER HAS ANOTHER VEHICLE COMPLAINT LISTED IN ARTEMIS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS VEHICLE WAS A COMPUTER TEST CALLED COMPREHENSIVE COMPONENT KEPT READING INCOMPLETE. THE DEALER FOUND AN INTERNAL SHORT INSIDE THE ENGINE BASIC CONTROL COMPUTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC HARDWARE WAS $1968 WHICH WAS EXCESSIVE. *JB

POWER STEERING PROBLEMS, AIR BAG OFF AND ON, CLUTCH WENT OUT NEAR ACCIDENT, ELECTRICAL ISSUES(MANY) WINDOWS UP AND DOWN ON THEIR OWN, EVER BRAKE NOT WORKING PROPERLY NUMEROUS ITEMS I HAVE THEM DETAILED ON PAPER

I GOT IN MY VEHICLE AND SHUT THE DOOR. I TURN THE KEY TO ON, THE LOCKS WENT DOWN (LOCKS USUALLY GO DOWN WHEN CAR IS IN GEAR AND MOVING) I TURNED THE KEY FURTHER TO START THE ENGINE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN, THE SUN ROOF WOULD NOT OPEN, THE FOB WOULD NOT WORK, AT THAT POINT I WAS LOCKED IN MY CAR. I HAD TO KICK OUT THE WINDOW TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. WHEN I DID GET OUT, I RE ENTERED THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD AND JIGGLED THE BATTERY CONNECTION. I SHUT THE HOOD AND TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND IT STARTED. I NOTICED AS I WAS DRIVING IT HOME THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE STEERING COLLUM WERE NOT WORKING AND THAT WHEN I PARKED IT AT HOME THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON. *TR

2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH AN OCCUPANT POSITIONED IN THE SEAT. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR EVEN WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE ILLUMINATION NO LONGER CONTINUED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THE PASSENGER SEAT MAT SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *TR

OCCUPANT SEAT SENSOR FAILURE IN PASSENGER SEAT, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STOPS AIRBAG OPERATION. I SEE THAT NHTSA HAS CONTACTED BMW FOR THIS PROBLEM AND FOR THIS MODEL YEAR; HOWEVER, BMW/MINI WON'T TAKE BLAME FOR AIRBAG FAILURE. BMW TAKES IRRESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE THAT EVEN THOUGH CAR HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES, SAFETY IS MY PROBLEM, NOT THIERS. AS A SIDE NOTE, DEALER SAYS PART IS $1200 PLUS INSTALLATION AND REPROGRAMMING. BMW, THE ULTIMATE DRIVING (AND KILLING) MACHINE. *TR

DRIVING TO WORK IN THE AM. I SMELL SOMETHING IN THE CAR. WHEN I LOOK AT MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT I SAW SMOKE. PULL OVER AND GOT A BETTER LOOK AT IT. I HAVE A HOLES IN MY CAR SEAT AND THE TWO VEST THAT I PLACE ON THE SEAT. IT APPEARS THE HEATED SEAT HAD A ELECTRICAL FAILURE. TOOK CAR TO MINI DEALER. THEY SAID IT REAL ODD THIS HAPPEN. THEY ALSO NICE TO SAY I WOULD HAVE TO PAID TO FIX IT. LOOK AT MANY SITE ON INTERNET AND SEEN BMW/MINI AND OTHER COMPANY HAVE ISSUES WITH HEATED SEATS. IT DO NOT SEEM TO ODD TO ME. I DID NOT EVEN HAD THE HEATED SEAT ON BECAUSE NO ONE WAS SEATING THERE. *TR

SON RETURNED FROM TOWN, A 10 MINUTE DRIVE, PARKED CAR IN GARAGE. NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE COMING FROM THE CAR. OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SMELL OF FIRE WAS OVERWHELMING. TOP OF STEERING FLUID PUMP APPEARED TO BE CHARRED. FAMILY AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR TO DEALER, SOME 35 MILES AWAY. AFTER STARTING CAR, ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL RETURNS. *TR

AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY IN DASH AND PASSENGER AIRBAG "OFF" ILLUMINATES ABOVE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN MY 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. WHEN SOME SITS IN THE SEAT IT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN YOU CHECK THE CONNECTORS UNDER THE SEAT IT GOES OFF WITH WIGGLING. DIAGNOSED BY MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP AS "CRACKED SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR" INSIDE THE SEAT. NOT REPAIRABLE ONLY REPLACEABLE. AIRBAG WILL NOT GO OFF IF PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. MINI COOPER HAS COVERED THIS FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT MY CAR IS NOT COVERED. INCURRING ME A $1600 QUOTE FOR MAKE MY CAR SAFE FOR PASSENGERS. *TR

EARLIER IN THE DAY I TOOK THE CAR ON A DAY TRIP TO LAKE TAHOE DRIVING A COMBINATION OF INTERSTATE AND MOUNTAIN PASS ROAD. 3 HOURS LATER, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO RUN AN ERRAND AND CAME HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED. 10-15 MINUTES LATER WE HEAR THE CAR ALARM GOING OFF. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS HIGH PITCHED WINING ALSO. WHEN I OPENED UP THE DOOR THE PUT IN NEUTRAL, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANELS WERE ALL ON WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION. OPENED THE GARAGE AND MOVED THE CAR TO THE DRIVEWAY AND AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I USED AN EXTINGUISHER UNDERNEATH WHERE ORANGE GLOW WAS VISIBLE. THE GLOW OF THE FLAMES WERE TOWARD THE BACK PART OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LOW. SAW NO VISIBLE FLAMES IN THE MAIN COMPARTMENT WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED OPEN WHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THEY USED A GARDEN HOSE TO COOL ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SUGGESTED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY WHICH I DID. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MINI DEALER IN RENO, NV. *TR UPDATED 8/8/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS THAT SEEMED TO HAVE CAUSED AND WERE DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT WERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING COOLING FAN, AND ELECTRICAL HARNESS ALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2005 MINI COOPER S. UPDATED 08/14/2012 *JS

ALL BULBS ARE GOOD BUT YET I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ARE TURNING SIGNALS TOP BRAKE LIGHT IS ALL I HAVE WHEN I TURN ON SIGNALS WINDOWS GO DOWN SUNROOF OPENS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RESISTANT TO STARTING ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL SHORT IN THE ELECTRONIC WATER PUMP. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE SHORT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN . THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

I USE MY MINI COOPER THE NIGHT BEFORE PARKING IT AT AROUND 10:00PM THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 22ND, 2011. THE NEXT MORNING WENT TO WORK AS USUAL BY MASS TRANSIT. AT AROUND 8:00AM I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR TELLING ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MY BUILDING HAD SEEN THE CAR SMOKING AND BY THE TIME HE CAME BACK TO GRAB AN EXTINGUISHER THE CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OF IN SHORT TIME AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSURED THE FIRE WAS OFF SPREADING FIRE RETARDANT, A POWDER TALC LIKE OVER THE AREA THAT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS OVER THE RIGHT SIDE GRILLE BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD. THE ESTIMATE OF RECORD PREPARED BY GEICO ADJUSTER DESCRIBES DAMAGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, DASH PAD CROSSMEMBER, SUPERCHARGER, AIR GRILLE AND MUCH MORE PARTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TOTAL LOSS BY GEICO AND CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO TRY TO SETTLE BUT HAVEN'T BECAUSE THE ESTIMATE THEY GAVE ME FOR THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS VERY LOW COMPARED TO WHAT I PAID FOR IT AND THE LOW MILEAGE OF IT. THIS IS TERRIBLE SINCE I HAVE NOT FINISH PAYING THE CAR, I'M SHOCKED A CAR CAN CATCH FIRE BY ITSELF I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE CAN HELP ME WITH THE PROBLEM OF MINI COOPERS CATCHING WHILE PARKED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET TODAY JAN 17TH, 2012. OR GUIDE ME IF THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DO SOMETHING REGARDING THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THE MODEL OR YEAR MY CAR WAS MADE. *TR

MY 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER A SHORT TRIP, NOT RUNNING. I CAME OUT OF A STORE AND SAW SMOKE POURING OUT FROM ALL AROUND THE HOOD AREA. I RAISED THE HOOD AND THE SMOKE BEGAN TO SUBSIDE. SMELLED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING OF ANY KIND. THE REPAIRS INCLUDE THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, RESERVOIR, POWER STEERING PUMP FAN. AT A TOTAL OUT OF POCKET OF $1900.00. *TR

2005 MINI COOPER PASSENGER LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT ANY PASSENGER SITTING. HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE GOES AWAY. WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND STARTED AGAIN, THE PASSENGER LIGHT STAYS ON AGAIN. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER RECALLS FOR DIFFERENT YEARS, WHY 2005 IS NOT A RECALL? *TR

PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT, ILLUMINATES 3-4 SECONDS AFTER ENGINE START, ALONG WITH THE RED AIR BAG FAILURE LIGHT, ON THE MAIN SPEEDOMETER. THIS OCCURS, WHETHER THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT, OR NOT, DUE TO THIS SAFETY DEFECT. MINI COOPER DEALERS, DENY THIS IS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I HAVE FOUND OVER 40 OTHER COMPLAINTS REGISTERED ON THIS EXACT DEFECT !!! MAJOR REPAIR COST FROM THE DEALER, TO CHANGE THE WHOLE BOTTOM SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY, WHICH INCLUDES THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG SENSOR, THAT SEPARATES FROM THE SEAT CUSHION, AFTER A SHORT TIME! *JS

I WAS TRAVEL AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH, WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY DOWN TO 15 MPH. THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF, BUT I COULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 15 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC FLOW WAS SPACED SO I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS MALFUNCTION WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS SAID TO GONE INTO "LIMP MODE". THE ELECTRONIC BELT WAS REPLACED THAT APPARENTLY CONTROLS THE VEHICLE FUNCTION AT A COST OF $3400.00. *TR