2005 MINI Cooper Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Coop S Hardtop. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the vehicle alarm activated inadvertently and the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that he lifted the hood open and noticed fire coming from underneath the engine. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 60K MILES BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S MADE IT HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION. BMW HAS TO PAY FOR IT.

A "POP" WAS HEARD WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON I95. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE CONSIDERING WHEN THE "POP" OCCURRED, MY MINI LOST POWER. AS I WAS PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. *TR

MY PROBLEM IS WITH A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHY IS THEIR NOT A RECALL ON THE WATER PUMP? IT HAS BEEN KNOW FOR GOING OUT PREMATURE AND BMW HAS REDESIGNED THE NEW PUMPS WITH A METAL IMPELLER INSTEAD OF PREVIOUS PLASTIC. TALKING TO THE DEALER, THEY MADE ME FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY WATER PUMP MADE IT TO 50,000 MILES STATING THEY REPLACE MANY WATER PUMPS IN THE 1ST GENERATION SERIES AROUND 20,000 MILES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS IS DANGEROUS, AS THE FAILURE CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING AND REQUIRES YOU TO SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CARS ARE NOT MADE TO OVER HEAT. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE CHANCE OF A FIRE. BMW KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT IS NOT RECALLING THE WATER PUMPS UNTIL 2006-2011. I THINK THE 1ST GENERATION MINIS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RECALL AS MOST MINIS INCLUDING MINE HAS/HAD A WATER PUMP ISSUE AND WOULD LIKE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I HAVE CAUGHT MINE EARLY BUT ONLY BECAUSE I JACK UP MY MINI TO CLEAN THE UNDERBODY ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. MINI COOPERS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR WATER PUMPS, THERMOSTATS, AND POWER STEERING, FAILING. I AM 18 YEARS OLD AND WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS CAR TO TRAVEL FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO WISCONSIN IN THE FUTURE, YET IF MY COOLANT SYSTEM (WATER PUMP OR THERMOSTAT) COULD GO OUT AGAIN AT ANY TIME AND COST A FORTUNE TO REPLACE AND LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY. I WILL BE TAKING A PLANE EVERY TIME I TRAVEL A FEW HUNDRED MILES AND RENT A CAR. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED! I JUST PAID 1200 FOR MINI TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP THAT SHOULD HAVE HAD AT THE LEAST 30-50 THOUSAND MILES MORE. *TR

LAST DECEMBER MY STEERING WENT OUT ON MY CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS IN THE PROCESS. I CALLED MINI NORTH AMERICA TO DISCUSS MY FINDINGS AND TO SEE IF A RECALL WAS IN THE WORKS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT STATED SHE WASN'T AWARE OF ANY. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER AND HAD TO HAVE 4,000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. WATER PUMP, SUPER CHARGER AND SEVERAL BEARINGS. I THEN GET A LETTER IN EARLY JUNE OF 2013 STATING THAT A RECALL WAS IN THE WORKS AND TO SEND ALL MY INFORMATION IN FOR POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT I QUALIFY AND THAT A CHECK WAS GOING TO BE CUT AND SENT OUT BY THE END OF JUNE OR EARLY AUGUST. WHEN THE CHECK DIDN'T ARRIVE, I CONTINUED TO CALL MINI NORTH AMERICA AND I KEEP GETTING THE RUN AROUND. I WAS TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE LATE SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER. I JUST CALLED AGAIN TODAY AND NOW I'M TOLD IT WILL BE CUT BEFORE THE NEW YEAR. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE PUT SOMEONE'S HAND ON THE FIRE AND GET THIS RESOLVED? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S OUT OF NO WHERE BURIED THE NEEDLE ON THE THERMOSTAT AND WAS COMPLETELY OVERHEATED. UNABLE TO DRIVE ANY FURTHER AS I SMELT SMOKE AND POSSIBLY A SWEET SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HAVE NOW SEEN THAT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON ALL MINI COOPERS S FROM 2006 TO 2011, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE 2005 DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME PUMP ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD ETC. AS THOSE AND I FEEL THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE ALSO RECALLED FOR THIS ITEM. OBVIOUSLY, I CAN NOT DRIVE IT AND THE PRICE IS OUTRAGEOUS TO FIX IT. *TR

ENGINE COOLING FAN LOW SPEED STAGE FAILURE. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OF COOLING FAN FOR THE SAME MODEL UP TO MODEL YEAR 2004. BUT MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THUS, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE MODEL YEAR 2005. *JS

2005 MINI COPPER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE AUTOMOBILE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE PARKED, A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE MINI COOPER ENGINE HAS AN INTERNAL THERMOSTAT THAT IS PLASTIC, WHEN MINE CRACKED AND LEAKED I HAD NO SIGNS SHOWING THAT. THE ENGINE ONE DAY GOT HOT, I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND STOPPED. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND I NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THIS HAPPENS ALOT. *TR

ON MARCH 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM DINNER IN NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA WHEN I MADE A STOP AT THE LOCAL POST OFFICE. I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ERRANT BEHAVIOR WITH THE CAR. I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE TO MAIL A PACKAGE, PARKED THE CAR, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, LOCKED THE CAR WITH MY WIFE INSIDE THE AUTO, AND WENT IN. WHEN I RETURNED APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES LATER I FOUND MY WIFE IN THE CAR IN A GREAT STATE OF PANIC WITH SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY UNLOCKED THE DOORS WITH MY CAR KEY, MADE SURE THAT MY WIFE WAS OUT OF THE CAR, AND WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE BOTH WITNESSED A SMALL FIRE BURNING UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT QUICKLY ARRIVED, OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CONTACTED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MINI ON THE 13TH WHO INFORMED ME THAT SOMEONE FROM BMW WOULD BE CONTACTING ME REGARDING THE CAR. I TOWED THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE AND TOWED IT TO BOB SMITH BMW IN CALABASAS ON SATURDAY THE 14TH. BOB SMITH BMW HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A RENTAL CAR IN THE INTERIM. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM BMW FROM A STEVE KOSSAR ON MARCH 17TH, WHO REQUESTED THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. WHEN I SPOKE WITH SUSAN AT BOB SMITH BMW LATER THAT WEEK I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL PARTS. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA WOULD BE ASSIGNING AN ENGINEER WRITE A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE MINI AND THAT BOB SMITH BMW WOULD NOT RELEASE THE CAR TO ME UNTIL THEY RECEIVED WORD FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA THAT THE CAR WAS SOUND. SINCE THEN I HAVE PLACED TWO PHONE CALLS TO MR. KOSSAR AT BMW ON APRIL 1 AND APRIL 7 AND LEFT MESSAGES ASKING FOR A STATUS REPORT ON THE CAR. TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY AND NO WORD ON THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ALL BEGAN TO POINT TO ZERO. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE RPMS BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ERRATICALLY, AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE AIR CONDITIONER ALSO SHUT OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND AS HE EXITED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING GASKET, PRESSURE HOSE AND GASKET, FAN AND MOTOR, VALVE COVER, ENGINE HARNESS, AND THERMOSTAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER REPAIRS BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,900.

AROUND JUNE 2008 MY MINI COOPER S 2005 BEGAN EXHIBITING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENT SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT RPM. I EXPERIENCED SLOW, OR SLUGGISH ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON SPORADICALLY. I TOOK MY MINI, WHICH WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY IN FOR SERVICE TO BMW/MINI OF SAN ANTONIO AND WAS REASSURED THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING NORMAL SHIFTING MECHANICS. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO DETECT WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I EXPERIENCED THESE IDIOSYNCRATIC ISSUES CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEGAN TO NOTICE THE CAR JUMPING HIGHER AND LOWER IN SPEED DURING ACCELERATION IN MORE REGULAR INTERVALS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 THE ENGINE WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR, SECONDS AFTER FAILING TO CHANGE GEARS EFFECTIVELY. AT TIMES, THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DROP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I BEGAN TAKING MY CAR INTO A BMW/MINI CERTIFIED SHOP IN AUSTIN, TX. AFTER MUCH TIME, MONEY, AND TROUBLE, PLUS MANY VISITS TO THE MECHANIC, MY MINI COOPER'S CONDITION DETERIORATED COMPLETELY. WHILE IN BUSY TRAFFIC MY MINI LURCHED FORWARD AND STALLED COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING BEFORE I COULD GET IT OFF THE BUSY ROADWAY. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY VEHICLES BEHIND MINE, THESE DRIVERS HAD TO MAKE EXTREME EVASIVE MANEUVERS IN ORDER NOT TO HIT ME, THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM, OR BE REAR ENDED THEMSELVES. THIS UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS INCIDENT ENDANGERED MY LIFE, AND WAS THE LAST FOR MY MINI, RESULTING IN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN JULY 2011. I SOUGHT OPINIONS ON MY OPTIONS, SHOP QUOTES TO FIX MY VEHICLE, ALL AROUND $10,000. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED OR ALTERED, IT STANDS AS IT DID THE DAY OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE SHOP TO STORAGE. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE DOCUMENTED. WHY WAS THERE NO RECALL? CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW JERSEY. *TR

OUR 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH AN ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE WE FIRST PURCHASED IT IN JULY OF 2005. WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WE'VE CONTACTED THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES AND REQUESTED SERVICE APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD EACH TIME THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY A LOOSE GAS CAP. LIVING IN THE STATE OF NJ WHERE YOU CANNOT PUMP YOUR OWN GAS, WE CONSISTENTLY REMIND THE GAS ATTENDANT TO PROPERLY ATTACH THE GAS CAP AND WE CHECK THE CAP AFTER GETTING GAS. THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY THE GAS CAP, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. MY WIFE WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THIS OCCURRED. SHE WAS STUCK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED VERY SOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IT HAS FREQUENTLY GONE INTO WHAT DEALERS AND OTHER OWNERS CALL "LIMP MODE". IT BASICALLY LOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS AND IS ENTIRELY UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. IT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR ANY CAR TO STALL THIS OFTEN LET ALONE A NEW CAR. THIS CAR IS MONTHS OLD AND WE ARE HAVING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEMS. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS AND HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRING THEM ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED ANY OWNER OR DONE A FORMAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (ACCORDING TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE REP.). THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS CONSIDERING WHAT IS AT STAKE . THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL SAFETY PROBLEM NOT A CONVENIENCE ITEM FAILURE. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE TO ADDRESS THIS WITH YOUR DEALERS BEFORE IT STARTS HAPPENING TO YOUR VEHICLE. WE ONLY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE THINGS TO BE DONE WHEN ART DEALER LOOKED AT OUR VIN NUMBER AT OUR REQUEST. NO NOTICE WAS GIVEN, AND OTHERS SEEM TO REPORT THE PROBLEM CONTINUING AFTER THE CURRENT FIX IS APPLIED. GOOD LUCK! *NM

ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AFTER TRAVELING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OR SO OUR MINI WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND GO INTO A "LIMP MODE" AS WE MOVE FROM EITHER A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE INTERSECTION CAUSING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION. THE VEHICLES SES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIMES TO GET THIS DEFECT ADDRESSED. MINI STATES THAT IT IS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT SOFTWARE. I NOW HAVE A THIRD VERSION OF THE SOFTWARE, BUT WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR TO "TEST" IT OUT. I HOPE EITHER MINI OR THE NHTSA WILL POST A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *JB

STARTED VEHICLE IN THE EVENING WHEN LEAVING WORK THEN DROVE OUT ONTO THE STREET AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. THE DEALER SAID A TEMPERATURE SENSOR TOLD THE COMPUTER IT WAS OUT OF RANGE AND SENT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO A LIMP MODE. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE CAR IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO MAP SENSORS AND AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MOTOR, BUT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED UNTIL THEY CORRECT THE SOFTWARE. THERE ARE 7 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATICS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT THIS DEALER AND MANY MORE THROUGHOUT THE U.S.