Hi there,
I would really appreciate if you could share your experience of how did you make the BMW to repair the tensioner, even though it is no longer under warranty. We bought a 2007 Mini Cooper and only drove it for a few weeks, when found out about this manufacturer flaw. We contacted them and we were told that the unable I help us. How did you manage to repair your car?
I would really appreciate any information from you.
Thanks,
Karina

 

You say your car's a Mini Cooper; the defect apparently affects only S models.

MINI knows the VINs, and finds the owner and address via state registration records, and then sends them a letter detailing how to get the issue repaired: i.e., call the dealer ASAP and they'll fix it for free.

If your car is a base MINI (not an S) you won't get the letter because it doesn't affect your car.

 

It does affect Mini Cooper and Mini Copper S apparently there countless number of Mini Cooper 2007-2009 owners who had the same issue with their vehicles. In NYC where I am located there is a class action law suit going on about the flawed designed of the tensioner.

 

I don't think MINI has acknowledged an issue with non-S models and non-S models are not part of the service bulletin as far as I know.

Maybe you could join a lawsuit with other non-S owners as part of a class to see if you can force MINI to fix yours too?

I have an '09 MSC; I was just answering your question regarding our experience(s) with getting MINI to fix the issue. They sent me a letter, I took it to the dealer, and they fixed it, free. They also fixed for free the turbo heat shield and the oil pan gasket as it was apparently leaking (which I'm not sure about as my car NEVER used any oil).

Good luck getting it fixed if your car is affected. I hope MINI do the right thing.

 

I appreciate your response. Did you contact them prior receiving the letter from them? Did you call them and explain the problem you are experiencing? Thanks

 

I had contacted them once prior while the car was still under warranty, and they said they didn't know of the issue and they weren't going to fix something that wasn't a known issue, warranty or not, even though the issue was well-known at the time. In fact, some folks on this forum said that their dealers were installing longer/stronger tensioners to patch over the issue, but it seemed to be on a dealer-by-dealer basis, and unfortunately, my 2 dealers (Tempe and Scottsdale) were apparently not doing this, or at least the guy on the phone knew nothing about it. I could hear the rattle upon start up from the time I bought the car with 7K miles on it. They insisted that it was normal valve noise/direct injector noise. I've been a mechanic/tinkerer since roughly 5-6 y/o, so I knew that was nonsense. Then after the warranty expired, I got a letter from them stating that yes, they ARE aware of the issue, and that I should bring my car it and they measure the chain deflection. At 68 mm, they replace the whole cassette (chain, guides, tensioner, etc.). Mine was at 68 mm, so they replaced it. The repair bill (which was zeroed out) said they removed pieces of the chain guides from the bottom of the timing cover, and fixed all that other stuff for free, so mine was apparently a ticking time bomb that got fixed in time. Tempe also gave me a free loaner for the day they had my car, and even worked to return an expensive pair of sunglasses I left in the loaner. They were excellent once MINI issued the Sservice bulletin. However, I located the tools and cassette and was planning on doing the service myself anyway, but the parts and tools were roughly $600 at the time at PROMINI.com. I just checked, and it's about the same. Again, however, I'm not aware of this issue happening with the non-S models. Can you post a link to info on this? I'd be curious to see it, and what non-S owners are doing to get this fixed (my gf has a non-S, so it'd be good to know if her car is affected). Thanks!

 

Potential used Mini buyer here... Yikes, I thought the N18 engine started in 2008.... Oh geez.....

 

Thank you, http://www.law360.com/articles/53059...-engine-defect here is a link about a class action law suit in NY, you can simply google Mini Cooper timing chain MC.

 

Yes, I've seen multiple suits and stories, and the only known issue I've come up with is the r55/56/57 (Clubman S, Hatch S, and Clubman S) MCS issue that BMW finally responded to with the service bulletin. I've never seen any base Coopers reported to have this widespread of an issue as I think they use different tensioners and chains, but anything's possible!

Thanks!

 

Thanks for the pointer to the Khan lawsuit. That now counts as the second actual lawsuit I've been able to confirm as actually filed with regard to the timing chain issue. Unfortunately, for some reason I can't get PACER to respond right now so I can try to pull down the complaint, so I'll wait to assess the quality of the lawsuit. The one summary I saw indicates the plaintiff filed his complaint because MINI refused to make a warranty repair because he was outside the 36,000 mile limit. Any complaint that makes such a basic error (assuming that summary is correct) is difficult to take seriously. Claiming it creates a safety issue because the chain is inside the engine is pretty questionable as well (frankly, any safety claim related to the timing chain is suspect imo).

 

There is another in NJ/Illinois/Georgia based upon MINI USA/BMW's claim that the timing chain had a service interval of 120K miles and the engine computer doesn't monitor it. So a couple folks had theirs fail at 75K and 90K respectively, and sued as they never got to the 120K service mark specified by MINI USA/BMW.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/...es-080113.html

Also, as an FYI, when mine was fixed at no cost, they told me there was a 2-year/unlimited mileage warranty on all the work and parts they did. So if the new one fails or wears again within 2 years, they'll have to fix it again or repair/replace any damage it causes. So that made me feel a bit better, FWIW.

 

Thanks. I have the Skeen suit. I doubt that one is going to succeed.

 

I'm sure there are 50k other similar stories out there, mine included. I would never have any dealer work on my Mini even under warranty! Their labor rates are ridiculous and the same genuine Mini parts are sold hundreds less on ECS Tuning! I just had my clutch components and flywheel replaced and the dealer couldn't match for the parts that sold hundreds less on ECS Tuning.

 

UK owner 2009 Mini Cooper S bought new 7 miles on the clock. First heard an engine rattle at start up at 5000 miles. Internet search revealed I was not alone. All sorts of theories Vanos units oil pump etc etc. on 10,000 miles the rattle was more persistent and frequent so dealer informed, by now internet sites citing timing chain problems, the dealership answer new tensioner installed under warranty . Problem went away. 24,000 miles problem returns. Post oil change problem occurrence less. At 47,000 miles sounds like a buzz saw competing with a tractor engine., it came as no surprise to me when the dealer announced it needed a chain replacement ,chain guides etc etc under a good will gesture contribution by me $350. Car always serviced and repaired by original dealer. I accepted the offer. Car now sounds and goes like a dream now done 52,000 miles, engine still performs like new no hint of a rattle.
I would like to thank northamericanmotoring members for posting to this site as the information in the forum has given me the knowledge to make informed judgements and choices over the past 5 years about this distressing issue.
A special thanks to Systemlord whose advice has always been sound and on the money, his opinions are always well founded and respectful.
To close In my humble opinion the oil level and oil quality play an important role in the chains longevity. As the oil /filter ages oil levels drop quicker, inspections need to be more frequent. Levels half way down the stick are not adequate to give full lubrication -- levels to the top have to be strictly maintained,yes these cars use excessive oil by today's standards. Running the car with well worn
oil say that's done 20k + miles at lower end stick levels will undoubtably cause timing chain problems. However such prudent measures will only delay the onset of the inevitable rattle as I like others hope and believe it was a faulty batch of poor quality chains that caused the problems not the gear design, I certainly hope this is the case as I want to keep the mini for several more years without the death rattle returning as I do love driving it.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

I take action when my dipstick is at the halfway mark, I added a half a quart yesterday. I have probably already stated this, but there is a way to be sure that your timing chain is properly tensioned at idle by listening to the sound of your timing chain sliding against the plastic guides, the sound is unique and unmistakable.

When I purchased my MCS I never heard the sound of my timing chain slide against the plastic guides, in fact when I first heard this sound after replacing the entire timing chain components I thought the rattle was coming back. Back in 2007 I bet new owners were unaware of how much oil these N14's go through in such a short time, less oil in your crankcase means less oil for your tensioner.

Typically I bet most ran below one or even two quarts of oil before it was known that N14's burn oil faster than most imports, I'm sure that once it was known about the oil consumption it was probably to late for the tensioner and the timing chain. It seems now I hear less and less about timing chain failures.

 

Just wanted to post an update for those videos I posted within the last few pages. I took the car to mini and they found the guide to be broken. so new tensioner, chain, guide. $2300, 3rd party warranty covered it.

it appears the sound in the videos I posted is the vacuum pump. since it made the same noise when I got the car back. I disconnected the pump and the sound was gone. I don't know if the mechanic just assumed it was the timing chain rattle sound or if they heard something besides the vacuum pump.

 

I wonder why you paid so much more than I did via extended warranty company, the total for my timing chain, tensioner and guides was $1600. I still have the invoice.

 

i attached my invoice. I think part of the 2300 is a $99 diagnostic fee for the turbo oil line that the warranty wouldn't cover.

 

I bought my mini with 37000 miles on it. I noticed some rattle on start up. I just have two months of warranty left so I took it in right away. The service tech said the timing chain was repaired at 12000 miles a couple years ago. They did go ahead and check it and found the chain was slightly out of spec. The dealer put in all new timing chain components.The tech told me this was an updated repair with different parts than the original. It was all done under warranty. Hopefully its done for good.

 

That's kind of nuts considering the oil line to the turbo had the recall for the heat shield to prevent it from going bad, and now that it has Mini doesn't want to pay for it even though it's clearly a defect.

 

yeah. its pretty lame. if you ask mini I think they will say the heat shield is to prevent oil coking and not mention the rubber o-ring. I replaced my feed and return lines with the detroit tuned one.

 

I have an 09 S with 86000 on the odometer and haven't had any problems with the chain or tensioner yet. I have also never received anything from MINI as far as a service bulletin or anything about it.

 

I would call them and see if its part of the campaign. I don't know if they'll fix it if your engine fails because of it.

 

I put my vin into their website and it shows there are no open campaigns for my car. I had that little turbo line heat shield put on earlier this year because it showed up back then.

 

what website? my car wasn't part of the campaign either but still had a broken chain guide.