2010 MINI Clubman S w/SAB

6/21/2018, MY 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN S DEVELOPED SERIOUS DEFECTS. I DROVE MY CAR ON THE LEFTMOST LANE OF THREE-LANE BOSTON TURNPIKE. CLOSE TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I BRAKED TO DECELERATE VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION. BOTH BATTERY AND STARTER WORKED. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART THE ENGINE IN FAILURE. I BLOCKED TRAFFIC DURING RUSH-HOUR. SEVERAL CARS TOOK ACROSS ROAD CURB AND PASSED TO MY LEFT. IT MADE ME AND MY SON IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. UNTIL A TRUCK DRIVER CAME TO HELP ME TO PUSH MY CAR OFF ROAD. AFTER DIAGNOSIS AND ANALYSIS IN LOCAL AUTO SHOP, MECHANIC FOUND OUT THE VEHICLE COMPUTER ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WAS FAULTY, NOT SUPPLYING POWER TO THE IGNITION COILS. I WAS CHARGED $2298.13 TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE ECM AND $150 FOR THE TOWING SERVICE. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BUT I BELIEVE I AM STILL ENTITLED TO A FREE REPAIR BECAUSE THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A SERIOUS DEFECT IN A CAR WHICH HAS ONLY RUN A LOW MILEAGE OF 47,812 MILES INDICATES IT WAS NOT OF ACCEPTABLE QUALITY. I AM A CAREFUL AND CONSCIENTIOUS OWNER, AS THE GENERAL CONDITION OF THE CAR SHOWS. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO THE CAR TO CAUSE THIS DEFECT. THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IS NOT MOVING MECHANICAL PARTS. IT IS SUPPOSED THAT IT HAS MUCH LONGER LIFE TIME. THE DEFECT FORCED ME TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON REPLACEMENT COSTS. TO OBTAIN BMW REIMBURSEMENT IN FULL, I CALLED 1.866.ASK.MINI (275-6464) AND TALKED TO A REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ESCALATION MANAGER. THE ESCALATION MANAGER EMPHASIZED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED AT A MINI SERVICE CENTER (DEALER). IF MY CAR WAS REPAIRED AT MINI CENTER, THEY WOULD ARRANGE A SOLUTION HOWEVER MY BROKEN CAR WAS FAR FROM DEALERS IN EITHER PEABODY OR BOSTON. I FILE A DEFECT PETITION TO NHTSA. I REQUEST THE AGENCY DO A BASIC REVIEW OF MY CONCERN AND PROVIDE A WRITTEN DECISION ON WHETHER IT WILL BEGIN THE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION.

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) FAILED AT 88400 MILES AND I HAD TO PAY OVER $1300 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. MINI COOPER ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON SELECT 2007-2009 MODELS TO REPLACE THE HPFP AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE OF THIS HPFP PROBLEM IN SO MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE R14 ENGINE. OUR VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009. MINI COOPER IS SAYING THAT OUR VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THEIR WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS FUEL PUMP WAS ONE OF THE FAULTY UNITS THAT PROMPTED THE REQUIREMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION AND THAT MINI SHOULD REIMBURSE US FOR THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACEMENT PLUS TAX. THE VEHICLE STARTED ACTING UP WHEN IT WAS STARTED IN A STATIONARY POSITION.

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MAKES VERY LOUD RATTLE WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. COST $1500. KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO REPAIR OR RECALL

THE VEHICLE IS A 2010 AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. IN 2012 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT IDLED AND RAN ROUGH. THE DEALER REPAIRED AND/OR REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES ON IT. IN SEPTEMBER 2015 THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT IDLED AND RAN ROUGH. THE DEALER AGAIN REPAIRED AND/OR REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MILES ON IT. AS OF TODAY, 10/07/15, THIS VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL AND THE DEALER WILL NEED TO BE CONTACTED FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE ALL SERVICE RECEIPTS FOR REVIEW.

RATTLING SOUND DURING START UP AND EARLY IN IN DRIVING SEQUENCES, THAT COMES ALONG WITH A LOSS OF POWERE OR ACCELERATION. THE RATTLING SOUND CAN BE HEARD FROM THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE (PASSENGER SIDE) . *TR

COLD START KNOCKING NOISE, AFTER DRIVING OUT MY LOT THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY TURN OFF AND HAVE TO START UP AGAIN. RATTLING SOUND CONTINUES.... *JS

2010 MINI CLUBMAN S TIMING CHAIN BROKE. SLOWED WITH NO POWER ACCELERATION. THEN NOTHING. INSTANTLY SHATTERED INTO PIECES. (PRODUCED "DEATH RATTLE" AND AND THEN SHATTERED.) *TR

MY 2010 COOPER CLUBMAN S RECENTLY HAD ITS TIMING CHAIN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO MINI'S SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED IT. IN FACT, I WAS ON MY WAY TO A SCHEDULED SERVICING OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE MOTOR FAILED. IT STARTED WITH A LOUD RATTLING NOISE FROM THE MOTOR, WHICH MADE THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY SOUND LIKE EITHER A DIESEL ENGINE OR A CHAINSAW SLICING THROUGH SOMETHING. THEN AS I SLOWED DOWN IN TRAFFIC, THE RPMS ON THE CAR BEGAN TO SPASTICALLY JUMP. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT A BUSINESS COMPLEX PARKING LOT WAS IMMEDIATELY ACCESSIBLE. AS I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP IN THE LOT, THE MOTOR CUT OUT AND REFUSED TO START. I WAS LESS THAN A HALF MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER! THE SERVICE REP FIRST TOLD ME MY TIMING CHAIN HAD SLIPPED. THEN SHE CALLS BACK THREE HOURS LATER TO TELL ME THERE'S REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A VALVE ISN'T UNDER COMPRESSION. THIS MORNING SHE INFORMS ME THAT I'M LOOKING AT POSSIBLY REPLACING MY MOTOR. THIS CAR WAS WORKING FINE ON THURSDAY WITH NO SIGN THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE OF MY MOTOR WOULD HAVE BEEN BEYOND DANGEROUS HAD IT HAPPENED NOT TWO MINUTES PRIOR WHEN I WAS PULLING OFF OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT NONE OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED IS COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED MAINTENANCE PLAN. I DID A LITTLE DIGGING AND DISCOVERED THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS PROBLEM APPARENTLY A COMMON ONE, BUT MINI HAS FACED - OR IS CURRENTLY FACING - SEVERAL POTENTIAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS OVER THIS FAILURE FOR MANY OF THEIR MODELS MADE DURING THE 2008-2010 YEARS. *JS

MY FATHER PURCHASED A 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN S IN LATE 2009. HE HAS MAINTAINED PROPER MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR SINCE DAY ONE. IN FEBRUARY 2014 HE GAVE THE CAR TO ME. THE CAR ONLY HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT AND WE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND WE TOOK IT TO MINI OF LOUISVILLE. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR OVER 1 MONTH TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY BECAUSE THE PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IF WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IT COULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL EVEN WHILE DRIVING. IF IT IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER, AND FOR OVER 30 DAYS, I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER MINI'S ARE HAVING THE SAME REPAIRS. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIRS WERE JUST UNDER $2800. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT AND WAS JUST SLIGHTLY OVER THE WARRANTY, WHERE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED AT NO CHARGE. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING AND IS WORSE THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE REPAIRS AND WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR BACK FOR 3 DAYS. I HAVE READ MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE 2010 MINI. I ALSO SAW THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST BMW FOR THE 2002-2008 MINI COOPER FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT: ON A HOT DAY, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, DRIVERS SEAT OCCUPIED AND RECLINED. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES UPON RESTART OF VEHICLE. FAULT WAS RESET BY DEALER WITH NO EXPLANATION. SECOND TIME SAME SITUATION; HOT DAY, PARKED, DRIVER SEAT OCCUPIED AND RECLINED, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES UPON RESTART. DEALER REPLACED AIR BAG DUE TO ELECTRICAL CABLE FOR DRIVERS SEAT AIRBAG BEING NEARLY CUT IN TWO BY SHARP EDGE OF SEAT FRAME. *TR