What 69 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mini Cooper S Hardtop

Freeze plug randomly popped out while driving causing vehicle to stall in the middle of traffic almost causing a major accident and or death. Research indicates there has been numerous complaints by Mini Cooper owners experiencing the same issue of a premature unexplained failure with no action taken from Mini to mitigate this safety issue. I’m lucky to be alive.

NHTSA ODI 11574805

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED CLASSIC MINI COOPER AT 440-585-9910 (LOCATED AT 2573 SOM CENTER RD, WILLOUGHBY HILLS, OH 44094) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,320.

NHTSA ODI 11209000

THE 2013 COOPER S WE STARTED HAVING ISSUES ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHERE THE CAR HESITATED TO ACCELERATE, AS IT IS USUALLY DESCRIBED IN THE SERVICE HISTORY. WHAT HAPPENS IN REAL DRIVING SITUATIONS IS THAT WHEN YOU CRUISE AT AROUND 2,000 RPM AND THEN DECIDE TO ACCELERATE THE CAR LOSES THE POWER, COMPLETELY! SO BASICALLY, WHEN YOU'RE ON THE FREEWAY OR ON A TWO-WAY ROAD AND DECIDE TO OVERTAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE MINI WILL NOT ONLY NOT ACCELERATE, BUT JUST COMPLETELY LOSE POWER FOR A SECOND OR TWO. IT IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. AT THE BEGINNING IT WASN'T TOO FREQUENT, BUT RECENTLY IT STARTED DOING IT ALL THE TIME, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MINI SERVICE REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS, PERFORMED SOME CLEANING AND ALSO SUGGESTED TO ME TO USE A FUEL ADDITIVE WITH EACH FUEL UP. NONE OF THOSE THINGS HELPED, THE ISSUES PROGRESSIVELY STARTED TO GET WORSE. IT ALL STARTED WHEN THE ODOMETER WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 75 AND 80 THOUSAND MILES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT AROUND 97,000 MILES THEREFORE SLOWLY REACHING ITS WARRANTY END (100,000 AND/OR 6 YEARS). DURING MY RECENT SERVICE APPOINTMENT AT MINI OF RENO I INSISTED ON REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT AT THIS STAGE MINI OF RENO, NOR MINI USA KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND ONLY THING THEY CAN TRY IS ATTEMPT ON CLEANING THE CARBON BUILD-UP, WHICH THEY QUOTED ME $1386,86, MAKING IT CLEAR AT THE SAME TIME, THAT THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT AND THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. CONTACTING MINI USA YIELDED NO RESULTS, THEY DIDN'T OFFER TO FIX OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11124763

64,000 MILES - WINTER 2017 MY 2013 MINI COOPER PACEMAN SALL4 WAS TAKING ON WATER IN THE BOOT- DIDNT KNOW IF IT WAS FROM MELTING SNOW ETC. IN CAR. DRIED OUT. WATER CAME BACK AND FLOODED BACK SEAT FLOOR. BROUGHT TO MINI- THEY TOLD ME I HAD A TAILLIGHT SEAL LEAK WHICH CAUSED WATER TO GET DOWN INTO THE CAR WHICH FRIED A COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLLED MY AWD AND OTHER THINGS. AWD IS NOT OPTIONAL WHERE I LIVE. MY WARRANTY HAD JUST ENDED. THE QUOTE FOR THE WORK WAS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. I CONTACTED MINI CORPORATE THEY OFFERED TO COVER 15% OF THE BILL. I DENIED THAT AND CLAIMED IT ON MY INSURANCE WHICH NOW SHOWS NEGATIVELY AGAINST MY CAR. I DIDNT EVEN KNOW A TAILLIGHT SEAL COULD LEAK? THEN TO HAVE A COMPUTER GET FRIED AS A RESULT OF IT. THIS IS A MINI DEFECT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR IT. NOT TO MENTION MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR SEVERAL WEEKS OF REPAIR. THEY HAD TO COMPLETELY TAKE THE CAR APART TO DRY EVERYTHING OUT, ORDER PARTS AND REPLACE IT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11120591

I JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2013 MINI COOPER LAST YEAR ON NOVEMBER 2012. SOMETIME DURING LAST WEEK SEPTEMBER 18, 2013, I DROVE HOME FROM WORK TURN OFF MY CAR BUT THE KEY WOULDN'T RELEASE. I HAVE TO PRESS MANY TIMES FOR IT TO RELEASE. THE NEXT DAY HEADING OUT TO WORK, START THE CAR BUT THE GEAR SHIFT GOT STUCK. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT TO REVERSE. I CALL THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE MINI DEALER CALLED TO NOTIFY THAT THEY WILL NEED TO STAY OVERNIGHT AS IF THEY SAID THEY ARE WAITING FOR ONE PART TO COME IN. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER CALL ME TO ADVISED THAT COFFEE HAD LEAKED INTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND CAUSE THE FAILURE. AND TOLD ME IT WILL CAUSE $1,500 FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY WON'T COVER IT, IT WILL COME OUT FROM MY POCKET. SO I TOLD THEM NOT TO DO ANYTHING, THAT I WILL COME AND PICK UP THE CAR. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10545544