Is there any issues you've heard of from various MINI owners that might be of a safety concern for MINI owners? I'm looking for items that don't already have a recall. Also, this must not be a one time occurrance. It must be something experienced/reported by more than a couple of MINI owners.

Example: * stalling when launching...car might slow/stall when pulling into traffic. . Then this became a recall and was fixed by revised ECU programming.

 

The factory shift ****... This thing gets extremely hot when you have a sunroof the other day I had a red ring on the palm of my hand, where the chrome on the shift **** is.

 

well i have a 2005 mini cooper and let me tell you.... i tried to get onto a short freeway ramp with the AC on and with the pedal to the metal i almost did not make it on without getting smashed. i always turn off the AC when getting onto the freeway but it was raining and humid. so if i turned it off the windows would fog almost instanly. no vision or no power. pick your poison i guess. the AC feels like it takes at least 30% of the engines horsepower when running. when its on the car lurches when starting from a stoplight. if thats not dangerous im not sure what is. still love my car.

i used to have a 2004 MCS and i dont remember it being any better either.

 

I'm not aware of any safety issues which have not been addressed. Of the ones which have been addressed, none seemed major really.

 

The major safety concern is the muscular stress put on your face muscles from smiling so much!

 

Cracking strut mounting plates under normal wear. I've heard this from a few different people...and also mine were cracked and got replaced under warranty.

 

In this country there are groups of people that complaint about anything and everything. According to a select group, the MINI is downright dangerous to drive with the A/C on, hesitates and threatens to stall. Others claim the A/C right down sucks and fails to cool down the interior.


The list goes on and on. May be the MINI after all is the diredct descendant of the Yugo.

 

I put a stainless steel shift **** on my BMW and got a big surprise after leaving it parked in a sunny parking lot for the first time. I got a similar **** for my expected MC (UUC stainless RK3). Now I've learned to throw a baseball cap over it when I leave it parked for a while.

 

I'm not sure what these look like. I'm pretty ignorant about things under the hood. Could someone post a pic so I know what to look out for?

 

FYI, the stock gearshift **** in the '05 MC/MCS is now made of chromed plastic (Vs metal in previous years) to address the later complaints about it being too hot/cold to the touch.

 

I am not sure if you have read this one yet, but there is a medical study currently under way. There seems to be a link between Mini driving and some lower leg, shoulder and arm problems. It appears the study is focussing on the concern about swelling of the lower right extremity while driving and soreness developing in the shoulders and forearms. The theory is the soreness is the result of repetitive stress to the joints of the upper extremities. Tho actual measurements of the right lower extremety have not shown excessive swelling, there does appear to be a distinctive weight difference in the right lower extremety after a short period of driving.

Keep the right foot to the floor and aim for the twisties in the name of medical science!

 

I've had an array of problems with my MCSC since it hit about 2500 miles. The most persistent of which has been a chronically lit 'check engine soon' light. I'm in the process of arranging to have it brought back to the dealer for the 4th time. NO, its not the gas cap...that has been checked multiple times, with no leak, and even replaced once, because they weren't sure what else to do. Last time they did a smoke test and replaced the pump that pressurizes the system. 1 day after I got it back, there goes the light again. Doesn't seem to effect the driving, but....
Oh...and yesterday the convertable roof poped a line of some sort that keeps part of the right interior flap down...so that's good.
My dealership has offered to pick up one months car payment, so that's a start.
Still a fun car to tool about in, just wish it was built by Toyota or Honda.

 

I have owned 3 MINIs and they have been better than the Hondas/Acuras I owned for 12 years.

My '04 MCS had only 1 scheduled service stop in 16 months and 17K miles of service. Sold the car early February and still looked felt like new. No rattles, no problems, ran like the finest Rolex.

My new '05 MCS has 1,800 completely troublefree miles in over 2 months since taking delivery. Very solidly built car. No unscheduled dealer visits as of yet.

The wife's '02 Cooper CVT with nearly 30K miles, still going strong and it is a hard working daily driver.

So my point is, not all of them are bad.

Hondas and Toyotas have problems too. Go to www.edmunds.com and read how people complain about them, from rattles and squeaks, to failed transmissions, sludged engines and peeling paint jobs. The grass is not greener on the other side I am afraid.

Good luck with your MINI, Once the engine light problem is solved, you'll experience a nearly bulletproof product that puts most of the Asian offering to shame.

 

Major safety issue. Do NOT put your tongue on the metal gear shift **** if you live in St. Paul, MN. in January!

 

Is this guy for real Sounds like he doesn't know how to drive. Of all the 4 bangers I've owned the mini is least affected by the AC.

 

I've had a bad wheel speed/ flat tire sensor activate my ABS while in a parking lot. That sucked. Fortunately I didn't hit anyone, but it was close.

Apart from that... The car has been flawless.

As far as the AC affecting the acceleration and engine power....

uhhh no. Never. Nada. Nil. It's fine.

 

yes bambam, im for real. and out of all the 4 bangers i have ever driven the mini is by far the worst with the AC on.

your statement shows your complete and utter ignorance. look here and read up on your mini knowledge.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=44839

 

BG-44K time?

 

Hmmm...I have no problem with Wanda's performance with the a/c on...at almost 48K miles, too. She's gone full steam ahead through 116-degree heat with the a/c blasting, no problemo!:smile:

I do have a problem with the interior passenger door handle having been "fixed" 5-6 times at 3 different MINI dealerships, and it cannot hold the fix! It is tweaked, with the housing that also holds the H/K speaker, loose.

I think that if a passenger needed to exit my MINI in a hurry, that it could be considered a safety issue, not being able to get the door open fast enough. As it stands, I have to use the toggle switch to unlock the door so it will open. Then the handle doesn't go back into place, properly. This is getting old!


Clover

 

Ok, well, I will get into this one a little, with my input...

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...callsearch.cfm

you can do a search on the vehicle of your choice to see which has a saftey recall. This is a helpful site for those interested. Im sure this has been posted somewhere on here before so sorry for the re-post.

 

There aren't any, are there? My insurance agent says MINIs are proving to be solid little cars that hold up very well in accidents. I think they have a 4 star safety rating, including offset. Jimbo

 

 

I had the same problem with my driver's side in cold weather. The cable between the interior handle and the locking mechanism would freeze so the cable would bind. I could pull it once, but it wouldn't return because of the binding. it's seems this should be a no-brainer for a dealership. mine was replaced and haven't had a problem since. are they changing the cable or the latch or what?

 

Not sure. I've had them order replacement housings, including the speaker and the doorhandle, several times. I don't know if they've ever actually removed the door panel to go inside and see about the cable. Thanks for your suggestion. I'm calling the dealership on Monday to see if my MA can intercede and help me get it sorted out ONCE AND FOR ALL, dangit!


Clover

 

Big one. MANY complaints. Failing window regulators. Can't get out of the car in an accident if the door is inop (tweaked body) and the window won't open because the STUPID regulator has failed.