2004 MINI COOPER Power Train Problems

2004 MINI COOPER PURCHASED NEW APROX 62 MILES ON IT AND THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS GONE & THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND WANT THIS FIXED AT NO COST TO ME. AT APROX. 50 TO 60 MPH THE CAR ENGINES GOES WAY BEYOND THE PROPER RPM.

Mileage: 62,000

I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR ABRUPTLY SLOWED DOWN THEN SPED UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING, IF ANOTHER CAR WAS BEHIND ME, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE. NOW MY CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS GONE. AFTER REACHING OUT TO MINI USA, THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND IT'S PASS THE WARRANTY DATE. IF THE FOLKS AT MINI USA HAD BEEN HONEST WITH ME I COULD HAVE MADE THE DEADLINE FOR A SETTLEMENT PERTAINING TO THE SAME PROBLEM THEY CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT. THIS PRODUCT NEED TO BE RECALLED! AFTER DOING EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THE CVT TRANSMISSION HAVE HAD PROBLEMS ALL ALONG AND THE COMPANY HAVE BEEN SETTLING CLAIMS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO RUN HARD WORKING FOLKS INTO DEATH BECAUSE THEY KNOW MOST OF US CAN'T AND WOULDN'T PURSUE THIS MATTER. IT WILL COST ME 6500.00 FOR THE PART AND ANOTHER $2200 FOR LABOR, THE CAR IS NOW VALUED AT $5500.00. IT THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS?

Mileage: 52,000

ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER, BASE, WITH CVT, IT THE RPMS JUMP TO ~3800 BETWEEN 50-65 MPH. WHEN I ACCELERATE TO ABOVE 65, THE RPMS RETURN TO THE NORMAL RANGE. UPON SLOWING DOWN, THE RPMS THEN JUMP AGAIN BETWEEN 50-65. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

1) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BUSTED. CAR STALLED DANGEROUSLY ON THE HIGHWAY. 2) POWER STEERING PUMP BUSTED. STEERING LOCKED DANGEROUSLY ON THE ROAD AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2004 MINI-COOPER R50 AND PAID EXTRA FOR INSTALLATION OF A CVT TRANSMISSION. THE CVT ' (SPORT MODE)' FAILED IN 2010, JUST 2 YEARS AFTER ITS WARRANTY EXPIRED AND WITH ONLY 35,147 MILES DRIVEN. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT COULD COST BETWEEN $2,000 AND $9,000 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE SPORT MODE' FUNCTION, AND SINCE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS STILL OPERATING, WE DECIDED TO AVOID THE UNCERTAINTY OF COSTLY REPAIRS AND MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE DRIVES THIS VEHICLE. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE LEARNED OF OTHER PREMATURE CVT FAILURES AND THREE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUITS REGARDING THIS TRANSMISSION: AARONS V. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC [XXX],BONOMO V. BMW[XXX], AND BOURNE-MILLER V. BMW[XXX]. PREMATURE 'SPORT-MODE' FAILURE CAN CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO A $9,000 TRANSMISSION WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES ON U.S. HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEEDS. CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS DO NOT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE 'OPTED-OUT' OF PARTICIPATION IN THEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE EXTENT OF PREMATURE CVT FAILURES IN THE MINI-COOPER AND ISSUE A RECALL APPROPRIATE TO REMEDY THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY DEFECT. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF MORE INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED. UNDER PENALTIES OF PERJURY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA I SWEAR THAT THE FORGOING DETAILS ARE ACCURATE AND TRUTHFUL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 35,147

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER IT HAS RECENTLY REACHED 87000 MILES AND THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. NORMALLY YOU CHANGE YOUR TRANSMISSION FUEL EVERY 25,000 TO 50,000 MILES. MY MODEL MINI COOPER HATCHBACK DOES NOT COME WITH A RESERVOIR TO CHANGE SUCH A FUEL IT WAS A GUARANTEE BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THESE MODELS WOULD NOT NEED SUCH A SERVICE AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE FINE THROUGHOUT THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY MINI OVER 50MPH DUE TO THE INCREASE OF RPM'S. WITHOUT THE SPEED INCREASE IT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAYS AS I NORMALLY WOULD. A CVT TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT COULD COST THOUSANDS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY SAFETY ITS POSSIBLE THAT MY TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL WHILE MOBILE. THATS MY MAIN CONCERN. I RECENTLY READ THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LAWSUIT ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES. IT IS BMW'S DUE DILIGENCE TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER SEEING HOW THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS ARE OPERATING THIS MACHINERY ON A DAILY BASIS. *TR

Mileage: 87,000

I WAS DRIVING DOWN I80 AND MY CAR STARTED TO KICK AND SPUTTER THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND I DROPPED SPEEDS AND ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME HE SWERVED HONKED HIS HORN AND GAVE ME THE FINGER. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER BLEW OUT AND I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE HEADGASKET AND REFURBISH THE ENGINE. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR IT WOULD PERIODICALLY KICK AND STALL OUT ON ME I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER SHIP THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST THE ENGINE BREAKING IN. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I SAW THE OIL WAS A LITTLE LOW AND AGAIN IT KICKED AND STALLED. I TOOK IT BACK IN THEY SAID THEY HAD TO REPROGRAM THE TRANNY. *TR

Mileage: 34,700

2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER REQUESTS ASSISTANCE FOR HAZARDOUS VEHICLE TRANSMISSION AND STEERING WHEEL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY.

I WAS YIELDING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON GREEN. THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. IT WAS A RELATIVELY HOT DAY. WHEN I WENT TO GO I SHIFTED INTO GEAR AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO TURN. AS I FURTHERED DOWN THE ROAD TO MY EVENT AND WAS USHERED INTO THE PARKING LOT BY TRAFFIC CONTROL, THE POWER STEERING DIMINISHED MORE AND MORE AS I DROVE ON. BY TIME I GOT TO A PARKING SPACE, I COULD JUST BARELY TURN INTO MY SPOT. A FEW HOURS AFTER THE EVENT I TURNED ON MY CAR AND IT DROVE AS NORMAL AGAIN. AFTER THIS POWERSTEERING FAILURE I HAD A POWER STEERING FLUID FLUSH DONE. IT HAS BEEN A BIT OVER A YEAR SINCE THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, BUT IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS I'VE LOST MY POWER STEERING ABOUT TEN TIMES. IT'S ALWAYS WHEN I'M AT A SLOW SPEED OR STOPPED. USUALLY SHUTTING THE ENGINE ON AND OFF AGAIN WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT ONCE IT DID NOT. I LEFT THE CAR ALONE FOR A FEW HOURS AND WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN IT WAS LIKE NORMAL. IT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN HOT WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILS. I KEEP MY CAR IN A GARAGE SO IT IS SELDOM BAKING IN THE SUN. WHEN THE POWER STEERING GOES, IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR IS GRIPPING BACK AND GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE. I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER AND I LIVE IN A FLAT AREA WHERE DRIVING IS A SIMPLE TASK. *TR

Mileage: 76,020

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN 2004 MINI COOPER FAILURE AT 98K MILES. COST TO REBUILD QUOTED AT $5K-$8K. *JB

Mileage: 98,000

I HAD ONLY HAD MY MINI FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND WAS DRIVING FROM HUNTSVILLE, AL TO TUSCALOOSA, AL FOR AN EVENT FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CVT WENT OUT AND I HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE TO GO. THEN WHEN I GOT IT FIXED THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ABOUT 2,000.00 DOLLARS BUT WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP IT WAS 6,000.00. THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO 1/2012 MY POWER STEERING STARTED MESSING UP AND TOOK TO MY MECHANIC. HE THOUGHT IT WAS HOPEFULLY JUST A LOOSE HOSE AND GOT IT WORKING AGAIN. HOWEVER TWO WEEKS AGO IT WENT OUT AGAIN AND HE CHECKED IT OUT AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS TOAST. DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 100,000 MILES ON IT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH IT. *TR

Mileage: 824,000

VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MINI COOPER AND THE CORPORATION OF BMW ON HOW THEY HANDLED MY ISSUES WITH MY 2004 MINI. I CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES IN RAMSEY, NEW JERSEY WITH THE REPAIRS THAT WERE RECALLED. I HAD PRINTED THE RECALLS AS EVIDENCE THAT THERE WERE IDENTICAL ISSUES AS THE REPAIRS NEEDED TO MY CAR! THE DEALERSHIP IGNORED AND REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE RECALLS ON PAPER AND TO MY DISMAY I WAS FORCED TO PAY OUT-OF-MY-OWN POCKET! I HAD NO CHOICE BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN TO DRIVE A 'SAFE' VEHICLE. TO MY DISAPPOINTMENT I HAD TO RETURN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME AND ADDITIONAL ISSUES THAT WERE NO REPAIRED! THE NEXT DAY THE MANAGER ASSURED ME THAT ALL WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND THE CAR WAS FINALLY SAFE! WRONG AGAIN! WITH ADDITIONAL CALLS TO BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND BMW I STILL DID NOT HAVE A SOLUTION NOR A SAFE CAR! . THE ISSUES WERE: 1.BRAKE LIGHT BEING REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEN CAUSED A FIRE. 2.STEERING 3.STABILITY CONTROL ULTIMATELY, I HAVE CONTACTED NHTSA SEVERAL TIMES TO ASSIST AND THE RESPONSE WAS TO CONTACT THE DEALER. I'M AT THE POINT I NEED TO NOW TAKE THIS TO A NEW LEVEL TO RESOLVE THIS SITUATION. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER WITH 87,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE TOTAL CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT TOOK PLACE LAST FRIDAY 07/29/11. I WAS ENTERING INTO A LARGE INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR STARTED BUCKING AND RATTLING. I JUST MADE IT INTO A HESS STATION PARKING LOT (THANK GOODNESS THERE WAS ONE THERE) WHEN IT WOULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE TRANS WAS DEAD AND I WAS GOING TO NEED A NEW ONE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE AREN'T ANY REBUILT OPTIONS AND THE NEW TRANS IS GOING TO COST ME $5000 + $1200 FOR LABOR. I HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF RESEARCH ON THESE CVT TRANSMISSIONS AND APPARENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM AND BMW/MINI HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I THINK IT IS A DISGRACE THAT THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND COST PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP!!!! *TT

Mileage: 87,000

2004 MINI COOPER WITH 60K MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS ADVISED BY MINI COOPER DEALER NEEDS REPLACEMENT, MAKES WHINING NOISE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. HAVE NOT DRIVEN CAR SINCE APRIL 2011. CAN NOT AFFORD $5K REPLACEMENT COST. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COPPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH IN ORDER TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO INCREASE SPEED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AND WAS TOLD TO ONLY USE PREMIUM GASOLINE. THE CONTACT MADE THE CHANGE AND WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000.

Mileage: 58,000

HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER WITH 65,000 MILES TOTAL AND ONLY 6200 MILES IN LAST 20 MONTHS AND CAR SERVICED REGULARLY. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NOW STARTED TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND MINI SERVICE REPROGRAMMED TRANSMISSION BUT PROBLEMS HAVE RECURRED AND AGAIN MINI WANTS TO REPROGRAM TRANSMISSION. IF THIS DOES NOT WORK, TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT COST OF $6500.00. THERE IS NO REPAIR OR REBUILDING OF THIS TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION BUT BMW HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ANY PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE MADE CAR STOP IN TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 117,000

2004 MINI COOPER WITH MOTOR MOUNT, ELECTRICAL, FLAT TIRE SENSORS ISSUES. CVT TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT RECOMMENDED. *TGW ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED; DEAD NO POWER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS SITTING IN THE GARAGE UN-DRIVABLE BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE $8,000 TO REPLACE THE CVT TRANSMISSION. *JB

MY 2004 MINI COOPERS TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 80K MILES WITH NO WARNING. LUCKILY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY, WHERE I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE COST OF REPLACING THE TRANNY WAS $7,000. MINI USA WAS USELESS WHEN I PLEADED WITH THEM TO HELP ME. AFTER READING ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE CVT TRANS, I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE WAS NO RECALL. I WILL NEVER BUY A MINI AGAIN. I STILL OWE $11,000 ON THE CAR AND CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

PURCHASED A 2004 MINI COOPER A YEAR AGO, WITH A MILEAGE OF 17,000 MILES. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 4,000 MILES, THE CAR BROKE DOWN AND WAS SENT TO LOCAL MINI DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION WAS DIAGNOSED WRECKED, AND DEALER OFFERED A REPLACEMENT (ONLY SOLUTION) WITH A RE-FURBISHED CVT TRANSMISSION FOR $9800. AFTER NEGOTIATION, I HAD MINI COVER THE PARTS AND I PAID LABOR. BUT I HAVE SEEN ON SO MANY FORUMS THAT ALL CVT TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAILING SO I WONDER WHY THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS. MY CVT FAILED WHEN THE CAR HAD 21,000 MILES! *TR

Mileage: 21,000

OUR 2004 MINI COOPER (CVT) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 74,000 MILE ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 74,000

2004 MINI COOPER NON S , TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO A MIDLAND TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 110,000

TRANSMISSION GAVE WAY. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AND LOCKED UP CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT 40MPH. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SLIDE. HOWEVER I HAVE SPOKEN TO BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURE AND THEY BOTH ADMIT THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE VEHICLES BOTH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL ARE WEAK AND CAN CAUSE FAILURE AT ANY SPEED WHICH WILL RESULT IN LOCKUP OF THE FRONT TIRES. NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM OTHER MINI COOPER OWNERS SHOW THE SAME. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN THIS VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW IT NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO PUT A REBUILT UNIT IN PLACE WITH THE SAME WEAK GEARS. MINI NO LONGER WARRANTIES THE REPAIRS AS OF 2008 BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. I GOT LUCKY BUT I CARRY MY 3YR OLD SON WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME AND THIS DOES NOT FEEL LIKE A SAFE VEHICLE CONSIDERING OUT OF NOWHERE WITH NO WARNING THIS FAILURE COULD OCCUR AGAIN. BOTH MINI USA, BMW HAVE BEEN VERY UNHELPFUL IN THE MATTER UNLESS I'M WILLING TO PAY OVER $1000 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MINI COOPER DEALER JUST TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. *TR

Mileage: 51,234

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT, QUOTED PRICE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING $7,000 MINIMUM. DEALER REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Mileage: 56,700

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT, QUOTED PRICE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING $7,000 MINIMUM. DEALER REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Mileage: 56,700

I WAS DRIVING NORMAL. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) THE CAR MOVE A LITTLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLED. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS HONKING AND I QUICKLY SHIFT TO N AND TRIED STARTING AND THE CAR STARTED. MY CAR HAS ONLY 1650 MILES. I CALLED MINI THE NEXT DAY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALLS OR ISSUES KNOWN TO MINI AT THIS TIME. *AK

Mileage: 2