2018 Mini Countryman 5 HB FWD

•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I had brake caliper repaired on front right wheel, on 5/5/20. Had to have service on same brake caliper on 10/5/21 - revealed caliper froze causing excessive bakes wear. •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential of brake failure. •Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Dealer repaired work- Passport Mini of Montgomery County, 820 Russell Ave, Gaithersburg, MD, 20879 •Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Unknown •Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

Steering is becoming stiffer. Seems like there is new or added restistance when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is going slower.

I WAS PULLING INTO SHOPPING CENTER ALL DASHBOARD LIGHT UP WARNINGS ETC. STARTED TO HEAD HOME BECAUSE OF PRIOR INCIDENT WITH COMPUTER FAILURE. CAR STOPPED MID INTERSECTION AND WENT DEAD. PUT IT IN PARK RESTARTED AND DROVE HOME. HEADLIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. CALLED SERVICE TO TOW TO DEALERSHIP REPAIR. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO TURN OF LIGHTS, NO LUCK. CAR REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD AT THAT POINT OF A POSSIBLE RECALL, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF WHAT. CAR REPAIRED. AS SOON A LEASE IS UP IT IS GONE! *TR

VEHICLE'S SWITCH CONTROLLING HEADLIGHTS WAS LEFT IN THE "PARKING LIGHTS ON" MODE INADVERTENTLY (IT OPENED TERMINAL 15 PER MINI). CAR WOULD NOT START LESS THAN 12 HOURS LATER. MINI REPORTS THAT THIS "DAMAGED THE BATTERY BEYOND REPAIR" AND SAID IT WAS NOT SUBJECT TO WARRANTY REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE USER HAD OPERATED THE SWITCH. IF THIS HAPPENED FOR MANY MINI OWNERS, PEOPLE WOULD BE STRANDED AND LEFT IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION. FURTHERMORE, THIS IS CLEARLY SOMETHING MINI IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE AND CLASSIFY AS USER ERROR WHEN IT IS A DEFECT. MINI CHARGED $600+ PLUS DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE AND PHYSICALLY INSTALL THE NEW BATTERY. THE DEALER REP SAID HE HAS PERSONALLY SEEN 6 OTHER VEHICLES THIS YEAR ALONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

WHEN STOPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY GOES TO THE FLOORBOARDS. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO REPEATEDLY PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT TO PREVENT RUNNING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY DROVE THE CAR BUT COULDN'T FINE ANY PROBLEMS. THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAK DOWN IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE WITH TIME. I BELIEVE THAT I AM QUALIFIED TO WRITE ABOUT THIS AS I WAS, WHEN YOUNGER, A TOP MECHANIC FOR PORSCHE AND VOLKSWAGEN.

THE VIN [XXX] IS NOT RECOGNIZED ON NHTSA OR SAFECAR WEBSITE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP HAVE MY OLD ADDRESS (NOT PROVIDED BY MYSELF) IN THEIR SYSTEM. GENERAL HELPLINE REPRESENTATIVES TOLD ME TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER REFERRED ME TO DEALERSHIP. I CALLED YOUR GENERAL NUMBER AGAIN LAST WEEK AND THE WOMAN DISPARAGED ME AND LAUGHED AT ME. NO ONE WILL HELP ME FIX THIS SAFETY (COMMUNICATION) CONCERN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND IS WOBBLY WHILE IN MOTION, ESPECIALLY MORE UNSTABLE IN WET CONDITIONS AND MINI COOPER SAYS IT IS AN UNEVEN TORQUE ISSUE RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL/GAS ENGINE AND CANNOT BE FIXED. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR 11 MONTHS AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T REPLACED THE VEHICLE WITH A SAFER VEHICLE OR EVEN TALKED WITH ME ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE WILLING TO DO TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP AND BMW HAVE IGNORED ME AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE MATTER.