2007 MINI COOPER Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

THE MINI MADE A BEEPING NOISE / WARNING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED THE CAR. IT WAS VERY SLUGGISH TO START SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC (NOT THE MINI DEALER IN MY TOWN WHICH HAS A HORRIBLE SERVICE DEPARTMENT.) THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A FAILING TIMING CHAIN AND EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT. REPLACED TIMING CHAIN, CHAIN TENSIONER, ADJUSTER UNIT CAM, GUIDE RAIL, SLIDE RAIL, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, GASKET RING, VALVE COVER GASKET, DRIVE BELT, IGNITION COIL, SPARK PLUGS ... EVERYTHING. THIS FAILURE COULD GAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC WITHOUT MY IMMEDIATE ACTION TO STOP THE CAR AND TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC. IT WAS A $3,000 + FIX. *TR

Mileage: 64,690

THE CAR HAD A HARD TIME GETTING UP TO 65MPH . THERE WAS A LACK OF ACCELERATION FROM A DEAD STOP TO CRUISING SPEED. THE CAR HAD A WATER PUMP AND RADIATOR INSTALLED 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO MY TROUBLE. MINI TOLD ME THAT MY TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD BROKE .I NEEDED TO HAVE A NEW TIMING BELT INSTALLED BECAUSE IT HAD STRETCHED .IT WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO KEEP THE TIMING CORRECT .I ASKED WHY WHEN THEY CHANGED TO WATER PUMP THEY DIDN'T SEE THE BROKEN TENSIONER. THEY HAD NO ANSWER . *TR

Mileage: 152,000

SO, I HAVE ONE OF MANY THOUSANDS OF BAD THERMOSTAT HOUSINGS PART #11537534521( COOLING SYSTEM) . NONE OF THE PARTS HOUSES HAVE THEM IN STOCK. MINI SAID THAT THERE ARE 17,000+ OF THEM ON BACKORDER. 17,000! THIS APPEARS TO AFFECT MINIS FROM 2007 THROUGH 2010. SO, MINE SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR AN INDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. NOBODY ACTUALLY KNOWS WHEN (IF) THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE PART HAS BEEN ON BACKORDER FOR A LONG TIME.THERE ARE GUESSES FROM SEPTEMBER 12TH TO OCTOBER 10TH. MOSTLY JUST SHOTS IN THE DARK, SO THEY CAN AT LEAST TELL YOU SOMETHING! THESE PARTS HAVE BEEN FAILING PREMATURELY FOR 6 YEARS, AND NOW LOOK AT THE MESS. MINI IS NOT EXACTLY PRO-ACTIVE. CERTAINLY OUR FIRST AND LAST MINI. I HAVE CONTACTED MINI AND BMW TO ASK WHAT THEIR SOLUTION WILL BE FOR ALL THE AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. ALL THEY DO IS TAKE MY NAME AND NUMBER AND TELL ME THAT THEY WILL CALL BACK . THEY NEVER DO . I AM HOPELESS WITH OUT A CAR THAT CAN NOT BE FIXED DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER ( MINI) NO HAVING REPLACING PARTS AVAILABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE . PLEASE HOLD MINI AND BMW ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

I'VE BEEN A LOYAL MINI COOPER FOR YEARS NOW BUT RECENTLY MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I GOT IT TOWED, AND THEY SAID MY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAME OFF AND LITERALLY SLICED SOME PART OF THE ENGINE. THERE HAS BEEN TALKS ABOUT THE "RECALL," BUT THEY HAVE NOT MADE IT OFFICIAL BECAUSE IT WILL COST THEM MILLIONS TO DO SO. MINI COOPER DID CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE DEFECTED TIMING CHAINS AND I KNOW SOME DEALERSHIPS CHANGED THE TIMING CHAIN FOR FREE BECAUSE OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT. MINI COOPER DID NOT INFORM ME ANYTHING AND NOW I HAVE TO EITHER PAY 5000 DOLLARS TO GET A USED ENGINE OR SELL MY CAR. I WORK FULL-TIME AND NOW I DON'T HAVE A CAR. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

I'VE BEEN A LOYAL MINI COOPER CUSTOMER FOR YEARS NOW BUT RECENTLY MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I GOT IT TOWED, AND THEY SAID MY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAME OFF AND LITERALLY SLICED SOME PART OF THE ENGINE. THERE HAS BEEN TALKS ABOUT A "RECALL," BUT THEY HAVE NOT MADE IT OFFICIAL BECAUSE IT WILL COST THEM MILLIONS TO DO SO. MINI COOPER DID CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE DEFECTED TIMING CHAINS AND I KNOW SOME DEALERSHIPS CHANGED THE TIMING CHAIN FOR FREE BECAUSE OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT. MINI COOPER DID NOT INFORM ME ANYTHING AND NOW I HAVE TO EITHER PAY 5000 DOLLARS TO GET A USED ENGINE OR SELL MY CAR. I WORK FULL-TIME AND NOW I DON'T HAVE A CAR TO DRIVE TO WORK. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE COMMONLY REFERRED TO BY MINI OWNERS AS "THE DEATH RATTLE". THE DEALER CLAIMS THE ISSUE IS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF BEING 1.5 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. BUT DOZENS OF OTHER OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING LOW ON OIL. I SUSPECT THE LOW OIL LEVEL IS A COVER ALLOWING THE MANUFACTURER TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NO OIL INDICATOR LIGHT IS TRIGGERED AT THAT LEVEL. MINI IS TAKING ACTION ON THIS ISSUE BUT HAS STOPPED SHORT OF ISSUING A RECALL. AS SUCH, THOUSANDS OF MINI OWNERS RISK SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THEIR ENGINE AT SPEED AS A RESULT OF POTENTIAL TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. FURTHERMORE, MOST OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR (BETWEEN $1,200 - $1,700) TO PREVENT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A DEFECT. IT REQUIRES CORRECTIVE ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2007 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED ANTI-FREEZE. THE DEALER ADDED ANTI-FREEZE TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

Mileage: 33,000

I HAD THIS CAR SERVICED ABOUT 4 TIMES DURING THE 4 YR WARRANTY PERIOD. JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD, THE CAR WAS CHECKED FOR BRAKE JOB AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP LEAKS. I THINK THE COOLANT PROVABLE WAS LEAKING PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY BUT I WAS NOT INFORMED. I BOUGHT 3 CARS IN 2007 (HONDA AND LEXUS) AND NONE OF THEM HAS THIS ISSUE. 1. ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS. REPLACE WATER PUMP. 2. ENGINE HOOD LATCH WON'T OPEN. FAILED REMOTE LATCH. THE MINI COOPER ESTIMATE WILL COST ME $800 TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP. I ALSO OVERHEARD FROM ONE OF THE MINI OWNER LAST SAT, 26NOV2011 DURING MY VISIT TO THE DEALER THAT HE ALSO HAS THE SAME ISSUE LEAKY WATER PUMP. *KB

Mileage: 49,025

STRANGE ENGINE KNOCKING/RUBBING NOISE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT APPEARED TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT TO THE DEALER TWICE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR

Mileage: 47,000

MINI COOPER, 2007, 81000 MILES. WITH MINIMAL ADVANCE WARNING (A RATTLE THAT BEGAN WHEN CAR WAS STARTED THAT MORNING) TIMING CHAIN BROKE, LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. CAR WAS STOPPED AND BLOCKING TRAFFIC ON BUSY TWO LANE BRIDGE DURING MORNING COMMUTE UNTIL IT WAS TOWED AWAY. NO PREVIOUS ISSUES, WARNINGS EMERGED FROM THIS VEHICLE. WAS MAINTAINED REGULARLY AND BECAUSE OF NOISE ON START, I WAS INTENDING TO TAKE IT IN IMMEDIATELY. IN FACT, I WAS ON THE WAY TO THE GARAGE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. *TR

Mileage: 81,000

I OWN A 2007 MINI COOPER. THE TAIL PIPE IS LARGE EXTENDS BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE BUMPER. I HAD DRIVEN MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES AND PARKED IT, THEN OPENED THE BACK TO RETRIEVE SOME ITEMS FROM THE CARGO AREA. MY LEG CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TAIL PIPE AND I RECEIVED A SEVERE BURN WHICH WAS EXTREMELY PAINFUL AND BECAME BLISTERED. THE BURN WAS LARGE AND IN THE SHAPE OF A HALF MOON. THERE IS STILL A SCAR ON MY LEG FROM THIS. I CONTACTED BMW MINI NORTH AMERICA, TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND SENT THEM A PICTURE OF MY LEG WITH THE BURN ON IT. THEY ARRANGED FOR ME TO BRING MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE AN ENGINEER EVALUATE THE CAR FOR ANY DEFECTS IN THE TAILPIPE. LATER I WAS TOLD THAT THE TAILPIPE WAS MANUFACTURED PROPERLY AND I SHOULD JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH IT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE IS A WARNING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THE CAR REGARDING THE TAIL PIPE. I LOOKED IT UP AND IT SAYS "DO NOT TOUCH HOT EXHAUST TAIL PIPES. OTHERWISE THERE IS A RISK OF BURNS". UNFORTUNATELY, THE TAIL PIPE IS IN A POSITION WHERE A PERSON'S LEG WOULD NORMALLY BE WHEN RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM THE CARGO AREA OF THE CAR. AND SINCE IT PROTRUDES PAST THE BUMPER, IT IS DIFFICULT NOT TO TOUCH IT. *TR