2004 MINI Cooper S Problems

WAS DRIVING CAR ON 18 JULY 2020 AND POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING AND MADE STEERING DIFFICULT, ALSO COOLANT FAN,LOW SPEED AND HIGH SPEED STOPPED WORKING SAME TIME AS POWER STEERING QUIT. THE ASC LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WILL NOT TURN OFF. NO BLOWN FUSES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR BY DRIVERS KICK PANEL. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A STATE ROAD WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK PRESENT. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MINI OF STEVENS CREEK LOCATED AT (4201 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SANTA CLARA, CA 95051), AND DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

THE POWER STEERING IS VERY STIFF TO DRIVE AND CANNOT DRIVE MY COOPER BECAUSE I CAN NO LONGER STEER THE VEHICLE.

I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, THE WHEEL GOT SO TIGHT AND I HIT THE CURB. THANK GOD I WAS IN A SCHOOL ZONE AND THEREFORE I WAS DRIVING SLOW. AFTER THAT, I NOTICED THAT SAME DAY THAT MY BATTERY WAS DRAINED WHEN I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK. I GOT A JUMP BUT THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN I STOPPED FOR GROCERIES. I FIGURED SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE BATTERY (WHICH IS FAIRLY NEW) OR THE ALTERNATOR. I TOOK MY CAR TO A SHOP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS FINE. BUT THEY ALSO SAID THERE WAS A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM MY POWER STEERING PUMP. I BOUGHT POWER STEERING FLUID THINKING THAT WAS THE REASON, BUT AFTER I POURED SOME ITS STILL THE SAME. I STARTED RESEARCHING AND I FOUND OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND ITS A DEFECTIVE ISSUE FOR THIS MINI GENERATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED AND BOTH FRONT WINDOWS HESITATED TO ROLL UP AND DOWN. ALSO, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE BUCKLED OR UNBUCKLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A POSITIVE CABLE IN THE FUSE BOX THAT MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD DESTROY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CAUSE A FIRE, AND KEEP THE AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING IN A CRASH. THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CABLE WAS BEING STRETCHED AND THE CENTER SWITCH PACK CASE WAS SEPARATED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE WINDOWS TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,500.

THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR HAS FAILED ON MY 04 MINI COOPER S. UPON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, I'VE FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER MINI COOPER OWNERS HAVE THE SAN=ME RECURRENT ISSUE. MINI COOPER NEEDS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. *TR

ALL MODELS FROM 2005 ONWARD HAVE BEEN RECALLED, YET EARLIER MODELS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH NON FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON CONTINUALLY, AND THERE ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH WIRING, PRESSURE MATS AND CONNECTORS IN THESE VEHICLES. BMW IS INTENTIONALLY IGNORING THESE ISSUE. MY OWN PERSONAL VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM AND AS A GOVERNMENT MANDATED SAFETY DEVICE I BELIEVE THAT EARLIER MODELS OF MINI COOPERS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL!

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ILLUMINATED. WE ARE UNSURE IF THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. WE HAVE NOT RUN DIAGNOSTIC CODES ON THE SYSTEM.

WAS DRIVING CAR ON 18 JULY 2020 AND POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING AND MADE STEERING DIFFICULT, ALSO COOLANT FAN,LOW SPEED AND HIGH SPEED STOPPED WORKING SAME TIME AS POWER STEERING QUIT. THE ASC LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WILL NOT TURN OFF. NO BLOWN FUSES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR BY DRIVERS KICK PANEL. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A STATE ROAD WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEER AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK THE CAR HOME, DID NOT SEE FLAMES, PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY SWITCHED CARS AND LEFT. RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT MY MINI WAS ON FIRE AND I NEEDED TO RETURN TO MY HOUSE.

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS A PASSENGER SEAT BELT/AIR BAG LIGHT THAT IS ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS SPORADIC, AND CONNECTING THE SEAT BELT WOULD CAUSE THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. NOW IT IS LIT ALL THE TIME, WHETHER THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT OR NOT. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE SENSOR IS BAD AND WILL COST $1600 TO FIX, WHICH INCLUDES COMPLETELY REPLACING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MOST CONCERNING. OBVIOUSLY, THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE FOR THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. WHAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY PASSENGER IS GRAVELY INJURED (OR KILLED!)?? UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE READ THAT BMW HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR BMW MODELS WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MINI COOPER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, AS THEY ARE MADE BY BMW, OFTEN USING THE SAME PARTS! WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT?!? *TR

UNABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FROM THE INSIDE; IMMEDIATE FAILURE. AT ABOUT 36,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 60,000 MILES, THE DRIVER'S DOOR COULD ONLY BE OPENED BY PULLING ON THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE MULTIPLE TIMES OR OPENING THE WINDOW & USING THE OUTSIDE HANDLE. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A CABLE THAT COMES OFF A PULLEY IN THE OPENING MECHANISM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CABLE IN ITS PROPER POSITION; THE FIX LASTED ABOUT 2 YEARS BEFORE RE-OCCURRING CAUSING THE CAR TO FAIL STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THIS IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO MINI/BMW AND IS REPORTED IN MANY ONLINE MINI COOPER FORUMS. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED AND BOTH FRONT WINDOWS HESITATED TO ROLL UP AND DOWN. ALSO, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE BUCKLED OR UNBUCKLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A POSITIVE CABLE IN THE FUSE BOX THAT MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD DESTROY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CAUSE A FIRE, AND KEEP THE AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING IN A CRASH. THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CABLE WAS BEING STRETCHED AND THE CENTER SWITCH PACK CASE WAS SEPARATED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE WINDOWS TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,500.

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS A PASSENGER SEAT BELT/AIR BAG LIGHT THAT IS ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS SPORADIC, AND CONNECTING THE SEAT BELT WOULD CAUSE THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. NOW IT IS LIT ALL THE TIME, WHETHER THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT OR NOT. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE SENSOR IS BAD AND WILL COST $1600 TO FIX, WHICH INCLUDES COMPLETELY REPLACING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MOST CONCERNING. OBVIOUSLY, THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE FOR THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. WHAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY PASSENGER IS GRAVELY INJURED (OR KILLED!)?? UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE READ THAT BMW HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR BMW MODELS WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MINI COOPER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, AS THEY ARE MADE BY BMW, OFTEN USING THE SAME PARTS! WHERE IS THE OVERSIGHT?!? *TR

WHEEL BOLTS BROKE. PREVIOUSLY, I HAD THREE WHEEL BOLTS BREAK DURING REMOVAL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DENIED WARRANTY CLAIM AS RESULT OF POT HOLE. RECENTLY, I HAD A WHEEL BOLT BREAK DURING INSTALLATION. WHILE USING A TORQUE WRENCH, THE BOLT BROKE BEFORE REACHING THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. THE WHEEL BOLTS ARE FRAGILE AND FAILURE IN SERVICE COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A WHEEL. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LUG BOLTS SHEERED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE BY HAND ON MORE THAN ONE WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HUBS.

WAS DRIVING CAR ON 18 JULY 2020 AND POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING AND MADE STEERING DIFFICULT, ALSO COOLANT FAN,LOW SPEED AND HIGH SPEED STOPPED WORKING SAME TIME AS POWER STEERING QUIT. THE ASC LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WILL NOT TURN OFF. NO BLOWN FUSES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR BY DRIVERS KICK PANEL. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A STATE ROAD WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEER AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK THE CAR HOME, DID NOT SEE FLAMES, PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY SWITCHED CARS AND LEFT. RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT MY MINI WAS ON FIRE AND I NEEDED TO RETURN TO MY HOUSE.

THE TIRE WILL NOT SEAL TO THE RIM BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NIPPLES IN THE RUBBER AROUND THE RIM OF THE TIRE. THE BACK SIDE SEAL CAN NOT HOLD TIRE PRESSURE BECAUSE OF THE NIPPLES. ALL FOUR TIRES WOULD NOT HOLD THE TIRE PRESSURE. BUILD DATE (4612) BOUGHT DISCOUNT TIRES 5540 ARAPAHO RD. DALLAS, TX 75248 972-385-0700. THEY WARRANTY THE TIRES & I BOUGHT DIFFERENT BRAND OF TIRES. I WAS SHOWN WHAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE TIRES & TOOK A PHOTO ON THE NIPPLES. I WAS CHARGE OTHER INSTALL FEE. THE OTHER TIRES THAT I PICK WERE THE SAME COST YOKOHOMA S WHICH THE CAR HAD BEFORE WITH ZERO ISSUES. ALL THE TIRES COULD NOT KEEP THE SAME TIRE PRESSURE WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO DRIVE POORLY. I TOOK PHOTO OF THE SMALL NIPPLES IN THE SEAL AREA. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER THAT HAD NINE MONTH OLD PIRELLI EUFORI RUN FLAT TIRES ON ALL FOUR WHEEL THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. I USED THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL MONTHS AND NOTICED ABNORMAL HANDLING ON THE VEHIICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TIRE STORE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAS SPLIT DOWN THE CENTER GROOVE OF EACH TIRE (PHOTOS AVAILABLE). ON THE MOST BADLY DAMAGED TIRE, THE STEEL BELT WAS VISIBLE AND HAD NEARLY WORN THROUGH THE STEEL BELT. THE STORE MANAGER WARNED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE EXISTING SET OF TIRES. *TR

MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE I ACCELERATED AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER. ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT I COULD NOT GET ANY SPEED. EML MESSAGE LIT UP ON DASH. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, LOSING POWER AS I MERGED WITH TRAFFIC THAT WAS GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I MANAGED TO LIMP TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUTTING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING RESET SOMETHING AND EML MESSAGE DISAPPEARED AND ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. GOOGLING PROBLEM SHOWED MY EXPERIENCE WAS NOT UNIQUE AND THAT COULD EXPECT IT TO OCCUR AGAIN. AND IT SEEMS DEALER CAN ONLY DIAGNOSE SOURCE OF PROBLEM IF ERROR MESSAGE IS ON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED SUDDENLY. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS THEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

I WAS PARKED ONE AFTER NOON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND I HEARD A CRACKLING SOUND COMING FORM THE ABS PUMP. THERE WAS A SMALL PUFF OF SMOKE AND THEN THE SOUND STOPPED. AT THIS POINT I WENT ABOUT MY BUSINESS AND RETURNED TO MY 2004 MINI COOPER S AND THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WERE OUT. A FEW DAYS LATER I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE BMW DEALER AND AFTER A FEW TESTS THEY DETERMINED IT WAS JUST BAD FUSES. A WEEK HAS PAST AND I HAVE HAD NO OTHER PROBLEMS. *TR

SUPERCHARGER FAILED AT 60,950 MILES, RESULTING IN COMPLETE REBUILD OF UNIT. FAULTY GEAR AND LUBRICATION DESIGN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH WHEN THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED BEFORE BUT NOT AS EXTREME AS THE MOST CURRENT FAILURE. THE CONTACT COULD BARELY MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN AND ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,053 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 4,509 UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ ALSO, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER GRID BURNED THROUGH THE COVER AND THE DRIVERS JACKET. THE SECOND SEAT COVER BURNED THROUGH ALSO AND MADE A HOLE IN THE PASSENGERS COAT. UPDATED 03/18/11

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS 48,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I CANNOT CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE AND A HOST OF SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE COOPER. I THINK THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED FOR SAFETY ISSUES. THANKS, KAREN *TR