Safe yourself the hell, if you ever need a serious service at a MINI Dealer, don't take your MINI to Keeler!

As I have already posted, my vehicle had aftermarket parts, however, I took them out (long ago) and then recently I faced some serious turbo failure.

The following weeks were filled with phone calls and emails which went back and forth. However, before I sent my car in I took the inlet tube off and had a look out of curiosity. The rubber reducer from the inlet pipe had cracked and a large portion went into the turbo.

Well... Keeler told me my warranty was void because of "outside influence" (refering to the aftermarket parts I once had) and that a nut or bolt had gone through the turbo. Although I was pretty sure it was the rubber reducer chunks I decided that fighting with them would get me no where (I have lost this battle before with keeler when my clutch shredded to hell at 10,000mi, fyi. back then I was told by MINI USA that my aftermarket parts did not void any warranty, it was because the clutch is not covered under the powertrain warranty, Keeler continued to insist it was my aftermarket parts).

Pickup day... $4,051 dollars later I arrive at the dealer, I sign the Credit Card receipt, I walk out to my car and I have asked for all the parts that have been removed and replaced. I open the box (before leaving) and surprisingly...no rubber reducer. So I walk back in and ask, "Where could this reducer be." The service manager goes into the shop, comes back 5min later and says they put it back into the car (mind you this reducer is missing 1/3 of its original self and is all cracked to hell and they put it BACK into the car), mind you he also just told me that the only thing they found in the intercooler was rubber chunks (no nut, no bolt...just rubber bits and pieces).

Now, not only did they void my warranty based on something they told me was no longer true, but they also put the part that they knew and I knew (and I had told them I knew) back into the car!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!

I talked to the service manager (he had to walk over from their Mercedes dealer). I explained my story, and told him what happened, and all he told me was, "I don't believe that rubber part could cause that much damage and it makes no since to put that broken piece of rubber back in when they just did 4,000 in repairs." I told him, "Well I disagree with you because your service advisor just told me that all they found were bits of rubber, and they just took my car back in after they were just about to let me leave with the only thing that could have caused the damage because it is missing a large chunk of rubber. Let me repeat that, they just put a broken part back into my car, that I just paid over 4,000 to get fixed, and that part just happens to be the one part that could have caused the damage in the first place."

Do you guys and gals think that the chunk of rubber was likely the cause or my problems? Do you think my warranty should have been voided or not?

I'll post a picture or the rubber reducer that they put back in, and all the rubber chunks they were able to remove from my intercooler.

 

If that is the case, why didn't YOU replace the rubber reducer while it was apart?

 

That sucks when dealer acts like this. Check this out and good luck.


Will using 'aftermarket' or recycled parts void my warranty?
No. An 'aftermarket' part is a part made by a company other than the vehicle manufacturer or the original equipment manufacturer. A 'recycled' part is a part that was made for and installed in a new vehicle by the manufacturer or the original equipment manufacturer, and later removed from the vehicle and made available for resale or reuse. Simply using an aftermarket or recycled part does not void your warranty. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void your warranty or deny coverage under the warranty simply because you used an aftermarket or recycled part. Still, if it turns out that the aftermarket or recycled part was itself defective or wasn't installed correctly, and it causes damage to another part that is covered under the warranty, the manufacturer or dealer has the right to deny coverage for that part and charge you for any repairs. The FTC says the manufacturer or dealer must show that the aftermarket or recycled part caused the need for repairs before denying warranty coverage.

 

Images of the broken reducer that the put back into my car

 

They put that back in? How can you not see it's broken? Wow.

 

Well when I asked for it they went and looked for it. Then when they realized they put it back in the car they told me they did that just for the test drive to make sure it was working. Which is mind boggling...why would they not put in a new one right then, (especially if they know that is what cause the damage) they obviously had one in stock and replaced it right away.

 

Start climbing heads. Don't give up. If that is the factory part the warranty it is a no brain er. If it was an aftermarket part, go after them for this.

 

If I had seen the broken reducer before it caused the turbo failure I would have, however I checked the reducer before the car was towed and after the car was damaged, there would be no other way for me to know unless I randomly checked that inlet from time to time, and I wouldent replace that part because that would be my only evidence of part failure. Sorry if there was some confusion over my explination.

 

So how does the turbo look? Like it sucked a nut or bolt? Once they told you the warranty is void and it will cost $4K didn't you consider taking it to an indy shop. They probably could have done that job for half that.

Kinda similar thing happened to me with an '09 Caddy. The timing chain was bad while still under warranty so I took it to the dealer who diagnosed the problem and said the warranty would cover it. Later in the day they called me back saying once they opened up the engine they found it sludged up and the warranty is void. They said I could pay about $2,500 to do the job on my dime, pay $650 and they'll put it back together so I can drive it out, or pay $400 for the work they've done and I could tow it out. After going back and forth with the service manager I agreed to pay an hour labor and I would tow it out. I ended up doing the work myself for about $500 in parts.

 

Well I had the car shipped there and assumed it would be under warranty. They also changed how much it would cost several times.

 

At the speeds a turbo spins, anything can damage it. They still may say you working on it damaged the part which failed. I would get a lawyer and start that route. No sense in being nice anymore, that isn't going to work. Document everything, email the complaints so hopefully you get in writing the facts as you have outlined here in their own words.

 

I was going to call the company that makes the turbo and see if I can get a statement from someone. I mean, it basic knowledge that almost anything can damage a turbo, hence the need for a filer (as well as for the engine itself).

Anyone know if a specific company is responsible for the manufacture of the turbo?

 

My 1st car was a Cherokee and I had a similar issue with a dealer and a recalled part. Well long story short the dealer was double dipping by charging me, the company and not fixing the problem. I broke down out of state and another dealer revealed this. I went over their head and jeep gave me $2k. And caught the original dealer in the lie

I would go to Mini. Has anyone done this and had luck?

 

BorgWarner is the company that makes the turbo, I'm going to call them later this week after the holiday to get a statement from them. This will likely end up in me taking the dealer or MINI...I need to figure out who exactly, to small claim court (luckily claims were just raised to 5,000) so I can actually do that still.


Still dumbfounded that they put that 2 dollar part back into my car!!!!

 

Keep us posted and again good luck