What 9 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Mini Cooper S Hardtop

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2016 MINI COOPER S. CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING AN SMOKE APPEARED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED HIS WIFE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE WHOLE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE LOT AND DEEMED A TOTALED LOST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND SENT A FIELD INSPECTOR WHOM COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER MOTOR CITY MINI (29929 TELEGRAPH RD. SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FIRE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMANT 41,000.

NHTSA ODI 11322865

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL OF A DRIVEWAY, FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED AND NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE APPLIED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11245046

I PURCHASED THIS MINI COOPER S ON MARCH 16, 2016 AND IT HAD 47,282 MILES ON IT. I ALSO BOUGHT A LIMITED 90 DAY WARRANTY OFFERED BY BUDDY'S AUTO SALES OF SPRINGFIELD, MO. I TRAILERED THE CAR TO PHOENIX WHERE MY SON WAS TO ATTEND A MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC SCHOOL IN OCTOBER. ON OCTOBER 07, 2016 WE UNLOADED IT FROM THE TRAILER AND PARKED IT AT A HOTEL. THE NEXT MORNING MY SON (A CERTIFIED MECHANIC) WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK ON THE CAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. ASSUMING SOMEONE WAS IN THE CAR, HE RAN TO IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND SMELLED OF MELTING WIRES/METAL. HE GOT A PAIR OF PLIERS FROM THE HOTEL AND UNHOOKED THE BATTERY BEFORE THE CAR COULD BURN ITSELF TO THE GROUND. AS SOON AS WE COULD GET A DEALERSHIP ON THE PHONE, WE HAD IT TOWED THERE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A LARGE RECALL ON BMW POWER STEERING PUMPS AND THEY LOOKED IT UP TO SEE IF MINE WOULD BE COVERED. IT WASN'T. IT COST $3,823.22 TO GET THE CAR BACK AND THEY HAD THE VEHICLE UNTIL OCTOBER 14, 2016, CAUSING ME TO MISS MY FLIGHT HOME. IF THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM, WHY WASN'T MY MINI COVERED? AFTER HAVING THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED ON MY MINI COOPER S AND FINALLY RECEIVING THE CAR BACK AFTER A WEEK, I DROVE IT FROM TEMPE TO PHOENIX WHERE I WAS STAYING AND HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE AS SOON AS I GOT IT HOME. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STEER. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD JUST HAD IT REPAIRED AND THEY SAID THAT I WOULD ONCE AGAIN HAVE TO PAY THE TOW BILL TO GET IT BACK TO THEM BUT THAT IF THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS THEIR FAULT FOR NOT FIXING SOMETHING, THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TOW BILL. AFTER RECEIVING THE CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME, THEY CLAIMED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS AN UNRELATED PROBLEM TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I HAD TO PAY THE TOW BILL AS WELL AS THE REPAIR BILL.

NHTSA ODI 10985774