Other Restraint System Info: Dual-stage suppl. restraint system (SRS) certified to the advanced airbag requiremnets of FMVSS 208, S14.
Plant City: Oxford
Plant Country: United Kingdom (UK)
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: Cooper
TPMS: Direct
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2002
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED A PRE-OWNED MINI COOPER WITH 34,000 MILES ON IT. 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED A "STUDDER/HESITATION" ON TAKE OFF FROM A DEAD STOP IN FIRST GEAR. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC TO DEMONSTRATE THE PROBLEM. ON THE TEST DRIVE, THE CAR MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND ALL GEARS FAILED. THE CLUTCH AND GEAR SHIFT FELT NORMAL, BUT NO GEAR WOULD ENGAGE. THE CAR WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. AT THAT POINT THE CAR HAD 35,000 MILES ON IT. BECAUSE IT WAS 4 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, MINI REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I FOUND NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THE MIDLAND TRANSMISSIONS BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR RECEIVED THE NEWER GETRAG TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE MIDLANDS WERE DISCONTINUED IN 2004 IN FAVOR OF THE MORE RELIABLE GETRAG TRANSMISSIONS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING. IT WAS A DANGEROUS AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN A CAR THAT SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE IN TRAFFIC. *JB
2011
POWER TRAIN
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I FILED A COMPLAINT THE FIRST TIME IN 2012. HERE IS THE COMPLAINT THAN AND IT IS A REPEAT OF THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHECKED THE WEB AND OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME DESIGN PROBLEM I HAVE SPENT $1,100 ALREADY AND NOW AN REQUIRED TO PAY ANOTHER $1,400 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I WENT ON-LINE AND OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I WROTE THE DEALER AND MINI-COOPER/BMW ABOUT THIS AND RECEIVED A RUDE DENIAL. HERE IS THE ISSUE (#2): "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR LINK BECAME STUCK AS THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE FROM A DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT COFFEE HAD LEAKED INTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED ADVISED THAT BECAUSE THE CUP HOLDER WAS ABOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER, THE DESIGN WOULD ALLOW ANY SPILLED LIQUID TO EASILY ENTER THE SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 03/23/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE COFFEE HOLDER SITS RIGHT OVER THE AREA WHERE THE DEALER SATED COFFEE RUINED THE TRANSMISSION COMPONENT. IT IS NOT SEALED AND THE PLACEMENT OF A LIQUID HOLDER OVER A VULNERABLE EXPENSIVE PIECE OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROTECTION IS A NEGLIGENT DESIGN. UPDATED EVOQ 04/18/12" [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR