2012 MINI Countryman Complaint Log

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH MY 2012 COUNTRYMAN ALL4 S CLUTCH. THE CAR SIMPLY WILL NOT GO UP HILLS. LIVING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN IN MULTIPLE SITUATIONS WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT ENGAGE, RESULTING IN STALLING AND A BURNING CLUTCH. I'VE HAD TO STOP AND MOTION FOR PEOPLE TO GO AROUND ME TO AVOID ROLLING BACK INTO THEM. I TOOK IT IN TWICE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. NOT SURPRISINGLY, AT 9,500 MILES, MY CLUTCH COMPLETELY BURNED OUT 200 MILES FROM HOME. AT FIRST, MINI SAID MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER AND TRIED TO CHARGE ME ~$3,000, BUT AFTER COMPLAINING, THEY AGREED TO COVER 75%. THEY TOLD ME THE NEW CLUTCH IS UPGRADED/IMPROVED; HOWEVER, I STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES ON HILLS AND HAVE TO AVOID THEM, OR TAKE OUR OTHER CAR IF DRIVING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AS CITED ON MULTIPLE AUTO REVIEW SITES. I RECENTLY ASKED MINI TO BUY-BACK MY COUNTRYMAN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CLUTCH PROBLEMS, AND BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THERE IS A HILL (EVEN A SMALL ONE). THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLY "NO". I AM FRUSTRATED AND FED UP WITH THE LACK OF CONCERN BY MINI...THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM AND ARE DOING NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. I CANNOT KEEP THIS CAR, BUT CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO SELL TO AN UNSUSPECTING INDIVIDUAL. *TR

ON 3/6/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 4,743) MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE DRIVING IN OUR 2012 MINI COUNTRYMAN S AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH REDUCED POWER ON THE FREEWAY AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER WAS RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO US. ON 5/15/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 9,318) THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND THE CAR AGAIN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VALVTRONIC ACUTATOR. ON 7/27/12 (VEHICLE MILEAGE 13,140) THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN (ENGINE WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITH LOSS OF POWER AND MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE STRANDED ON THE FREEWAY 100 MILES FROM THE DEALER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLES COMPUTER WAS RESET. I REPORTED THESE SERIES OF INCIDENTS TO MINI USA CUSTOMER CARE AS I DO NOT BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE FOR FEAR OF HAVING MY WIFE AND KIDS STRANDED AGAIN AND HAVE REQUESTED A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE OR REFUND. *TR