2006 MINI COOPER S Power Train Problems

STEERING PUMP TRANSMISSION WEENING NOT WANTING TO CHANGE GEARS RIGHT

Mileage: 140,000

2006 MINI COOPER S WITH 66000 MILES HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION DUE TO LOSS OF FORWARD PROPULSION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 66,000

I AM ORIGINAL OWNER. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SLIPPING AND HARD SHIFTING. AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL. 70,000 MILES. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING. BMW TOLD ME TO SELL IT RIGHT AWAY. $9,000 TO REPAIR. SHOULD BE RECALLED. VERY UNHAPPY. PLEASE HELP. *TR

VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL ISSUES. LATEST IS TRANSMISSION WHICH SHIFTS ERRATICALLY FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE'S TACHOMETER TO RACE FROM 2,000 RPM TO NEARLY 8,000 RPM WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATES/JERKS FORWARD ERRATICALLY. THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE THAT WOULD COST $10,500 TO REPAIR/REPLACE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT MINI COOPER S TRANSMISSIONS YET THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *JS

Mileage: 99,000

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND/3RD GEAR AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP. THE GEARS WOULD SHIFT ERRATICALLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER AND WE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND A MESSAGE SHOWS UP "EP" WHICH MEANS TRANSMISSION IS ON EMERGENCY. *TR

Mileage: 58,136

LA TRANSMISION ESTA FALLANDO,CUANDO LLEGA A LAS 2100 RPM EL SIGUIENTE CAMBIO O SEA LA 4TA CAMBIO NO ENTRA O TARDA EN ENTRAR LO Q PASA ES ENTONCES SUBEN LAS RPM Y SE ACELERA EST ES CONSTANTE ,EN LAS PRIMEROS MINUTOS TRABAJA BIEN LUEGO DE UNOS CUANTOS MINUTOS DE RODAR ESQUE COMIENZA A MOLESTAR NECESITA ARREGLO INMEDIATO. *TR

38,000 MILES: AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FOR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT STAYS ILLUMINATED. AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON AFTER VEHICLE HAS STARTED AND DOES NOT TURN OFF. 54,900 MILES: AISIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED THEREBY MAKING THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE CAR SHOWED SIGNS OF GEAR CHANGE SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MANUAL VALVE BODY AND INTERNAL GEARS. REQUIRED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD. *JS

Mileage: 38,000

I AM CURRENT OWNER OF A 2006 MINI COOPER S. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AROUND APRIL 2006. OVER LAST 2 MONTHS, I HAVE STARTED TO SEE A PROBLEM WITH POWER TRAIN. THE CAR JERKS HORRIBLY WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHEN IT TRIES TO CHANGE TO HIGHER GEARS. THIS HAPPENS EITHER IN THE "DRIVE" MODE WHERE THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES THE GEARS OR WHILE DRIVING IN "M/S" MODE WHERE THE DRIVER GETS THE OPTION TO CHANGE THE GEAR. OVER LAST 1-2 WEEKS, THE VEHICLE JERKS WHEN I SWITCH FROM PARK TO REVERSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $8500. MY CAR HAS AROUND 96,500 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL. WHEN I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN ABOUT 2 TO 3 CARS HAVING PROBLEM (JUST WITHIN THAT DEALERSHIP) IN RECENT TIMES (THE PERSON I TALKED TO WAS RELATIVELY NEW). IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR TRANSMISSION TO REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. IN ADDITION, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SEEMS LIKE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE GIVEN JUST ONE DEALER HAS SEEN A FEW OF THESE AND A QUICK SEARCH INDICATES A NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS OF MINI COOPER S ENCOUNTERING THIS ISSUE OVER LAST 12 TO 18 MONTHS (TRANSLATES TO TRANSMISSION SYSTEMATICALLY BREAKING AFTER ABOUT 7 TO 8 YEARS OF OPERATION). THE PROBLEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN COLLISIONS SINCE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED. *TR

Mileage: 94,500

TRANSMISSION STARTING BUCKING AND CAUSING UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION THE ONLY "FIX" IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A $9,000 COST. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR INOP RENDERING AIRBAG UNSAFE. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION WITH NEW SENSOR MAT. 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND SHIFTING HARD. OCCASIONALLY, RENDERS CAR POWERLESS AS IN NEUTRAL EVEN IF IN TRAVEL LANES MAKING UNSAFE TO OPERATE. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF VALVE BLOCK. SERVICING OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID IS NOT REQUIRED BY MINI/BMW BUT SAME TRANSMISSION IN OTHER BRANDS DO. VW RECOMMENDS ATF REPLACEMENT AT 40K MILES AND DOESN'T HAVE PROBLEMS WITH VALVE BLOCK FAILURE.

Mileage: 90,000

IN SEPTEMBER 2012 THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE AND THAT MINI SAYS IT NEVER NEEDS TO BE SERVICED OR HAVE THE FLUID CHANGED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IT GOT WORSE AND I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FORTUNATELY I NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILING TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TRADED IN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD COST $10,000.00 TO REPLACE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AT ANY SPEED, THE AUTOMATIC POWER TRAIN DOES NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. IT WILL SHIFT UP, AND DOWN, AND NOT ENGAGE THE PROPER GEAR. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WILL "WIND-UP", THEN JUMP INTO A GEAR. AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. *TR

Mileage: 117,000

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I FELT THE CAR JERK FORWARD AND THEN IT FELT AS IF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEARS. MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND DRIVE TO THE LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP, WHICH WAS LUCKILY ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND WAS QUOTED $9,000 REPAIR COST. WHEN I ASKED THE MECHANIC WHY THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED THIS EARLY, TOLD ME THEY HAD NO IDEA. HOWEVER, WHEN I ASKED ANOTHER EMPLOYEE HOW MANY OTHER CARS HAD THEY SEEN WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, HE RELUCTANTLY ADMITTED "QUITE A FEW". *TR

Mileage: 93,000

MY MINI COOPER S 2006 HAS BEEN RANDOMLY BANGING INTO GEAR AND WAS DIAGNOSED BY NORTHWEST MINI AS NEEDING A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR $8361.00 (BEFORE TAX). PROBLEM CAUSES CAR TO LOOSE ACCELERATION AND POWER. *TR

Mileage: 61,482

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS ALONG THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE TACHOMETER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. ..UPDATED 07/11/12 *BF THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN CHANGED DOWN TO 2ND GEAR( THE VEHICLE HAS SIX FORWARD GEARS) CAUSING HUGE ACCELERATION AND THEN SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC WORK BY THE MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TACHOMETER HAD FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND GEAR. THE FAILURE ALSO NECESSITATED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION.

Mileage: 54,000

PURCHASED 2006 MINI COOPER S BRAND NEW AT A MINI DEALER IN BOSTON. THE VEHICLE HAS 108K HIGHWAY MILES. I HAD SERVICED THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER UNTIL WARRANTY RAN OUT AND TRANSITIONED TO A NATIONAL CAR CARE CHAIN. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE VEHICLE SLIPPING BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR WHEN TRAVELING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND THEY INDICATED THAT I SHOULD BRING IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. DELIVERED THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MY CVT TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE RE-MANUFACTURED. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP IS LEAKING AND FAILING. THE POWER STEERING FAN HAD SEIZED AND WAS LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE MINI DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME OVER 10K FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT ONLY DID NOT INQUIRE ABOUT POWER STEERING AND THERE WERE NO PROGRAMS FOR CUSTOMERS IN THIS SITUATION. THIS COST IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP WILL DO THE REPAIRS FOR 6K. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

PLETHORA OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. HEATED SEATS ARE A MAJOR CONCERN. THEY GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES, SEEM HAUNTED. SOMETIMES, THEY GET SO HOT THEY LEAVE BURN MARKS IN MY LEGS. I AM AFRAID OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE HEATED SEATS GET SO HOT, THEY LEFT BURN MARKS IN MY SEAT. AISIN 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPPED WITH "LIFETIME" FLUID, BEGINS SLIPPING GEARS AT 70K THE SUPERCHARGER HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE "DESIGN" OF THE SUPERCHARGER IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, I WAS FORCED BY BMWUSA TO PURCHASE A REMANUFACTURED SUPERCHARGER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM" I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT FROM FORUMS SUCH AS NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT BMW DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT ITS AT FAULT FOR HOWEVER THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THE WIDESPREAD HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW SUPERCHARGERS IS VERY LOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, HENCE ME PURCHASING A REMFGD ONE. REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED AT 40K QUOTED HUNDREDS TO REPLACE, NOT WORTH IT!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 60,000

I PURCHASED AT 2006 MINI COOPER AUTOMATIC IN JULY 2010. OCTOBER 2010 I HAD THE KIDS IN MY CAR, KEY IN MY HAND, CAR TURNED OFF AND IN PARK. THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, DRAGGING ME AND I HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP ROLLING AND NOT ROLL INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC. I WAS WORRIED MY KIDS WOULD BE HIT. MINI USA CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW I AM TOLD MY BACK BRAKES ARE WORN, I AM SCARED THEY DID NOT LOOK AT MY VEHICLE PROPERLY, DID NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY AND AM SCARED MY CAR WILL ROLL AGAIN. I ALWAYS PARK MY CAR AND PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I NEVER LEAVE IT JUST IN PARK. I NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE THESE CARS AND MY CAR IS TRULY SAFE. MINI USA AND THE DEALER THAT CERTIFIED MY CAR HAVE BOTH FAILED TO TAKE THIS DANGEROUS MANNER SERIOUSLY. I COULD OF BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT AND MY CHILDREN KILLED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

I PURCHASE MY 2006 MINI COOPER S NEW ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SINCE I PURCHASED IT. IF YOU ARE GOING DOWN A HILL IT DOWNSHIFTS EXTREMELY HARD CAUSING A WHIPLASH EFFECT. CARS HAVE ALMOST HIT ME FROM BEHIND MANY TIMES. ADDITIONALLY WHEN GOING UP A HILL SUCH AS A FREEWAY ON-RAMP, THE CAR WILL JUST REFUSE TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY. I HAVE SPOKEN MANY TIMES TO MINI HEADQUARTERS AND THE CONSENSUS IS THAT IS HOW THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE. THEY TOLD ME TO BUY A NEW ONE NOW BECAUSE THEY DON'T USE THAT TRANSMISSION ANY MORE. THEY ALSO TOLD ME TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE CAR IN THOSE SITUATIONS. I SAID IF I HAD WANTED TO SHIFT MANUALLY I WOULDN'T HAVE PAID FOR AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR RESPONSE. I AM DISABLED AND ON A LIMITED INCOME. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR AND MORE IMPORTANTLY I COULDN'T MORALLY SELL THIS ONE WITH THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. *TR

TRANNY WENT ON MY 2006 S MANUAL AT 20K, 3 WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BROUGHT IT IN 5 WEEKS EARLIER WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. THEY SAID ?THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM?. I REALIZE NOW THAT THEY CHOSE THESE WORDS CAREFULLY. 5 WEEKS AND 1000 MILES LATER, JUST OUR OR WARRANTY IT BLEW. SAID THE TRANNY FLUID WAS DARK AND FULL OF SHARDS. DID THEY NOT CHECK THIS LAST MONTH????? THEY TOLD ME 6K TO FIX IT. I BLEW A GASKET. HE CALLED ME BACK A FEW HOURS LATER AND SAID MINI WOULD PROVIDE THE PARTS FOR FREE IF I PAID $1300 LABOR. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON THEIR MINI'S, MANY MORE THEN I HAVE SEEN WHEN I HAVE DONE SEARCHES ON OTHER ISSUES. I THINK THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

2006 MINI COPPER S. I BOUGHT IT WITH 15997 MILES ON THE CAR. THE CLUTCH WENT OUT 3000 MILES LATER AND THE MINI DEALERSHIP WAS ASKED TO CHECK OUT THE CAR ESPECIALLY THE CLUTCH ONLY 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED BEFORE THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING. NOW THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IS NOT COVERING BY THE WARRANTY AND THEN INFORMS ME THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD CLUTCH TO BE INSTALLED IN THIS VEHICLE.... ONE WAS REPLACED AT 8000 MILES AND THEN ANOTHER AT 11000 MILES (FIRST OWNER) AND NOW AGAIN AT 19000 MILES. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I HAVE RESEARCHED WITH MANY OTHER MINI OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES. SOME MAY HAVE STARTED THEIR OWN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.....PLEASE ADVISE! *TR

Mileage: 19,500

AS THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED THERE WAS A GRINDING AND SLIPPING NOISE THAT DEVELOPED FROM FULL STOPS. THIS USUALLY ONLY HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN FIRST GEAR. THIS BEGAN WITH FEWER THAN 3,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT WAS FIRST MOST NOTICEABLE IN COLD AND WET WEATHER. IT WAS NOW PROGRESSING TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN. SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON FORUMS, SUCH AS THE WEBSITE FORUM FOR MINIS, NORTH AMERICAN MOTORING. *AK

Mileage: 3,000