Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 MINI Cooper submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
No air or blower or heat to defog windshield. Water in driver-side foot well. Power steering intermittent fault. Engine continues running and panel gauge lights remain on with ignition off and key removed.
NIGHT DRIVING IN COLORADO MTNS. LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER AND POWER STEERING FAILED. FOUND SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURNED OFF LIGHTS AND ENGINE. RESTARTED AND TURNED LIGHTS BACK ON TO RESUME DRIVING WITHIN A FEW MINUETS LIGHTS FLICKERED AND POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. HAD TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MILES UNTIL IT WAS SAFE TO PULL OVER AGAIN. ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF HEAD LIGHTS AND USE FOG LIGHTS ON COUNTY DIRT ROAD, STILL LIGHTS FLICKERED/DIMMED AND POWER STEERING FAILED. CURRENTLY VEHICLE IS PARKED AND WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO RESEARCH RECALL MATTERS WITH THIS MALFUNCTION. SUPERIOR DRIVING SKILL IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE WITH NONFUNCTIONAL POWER STEERING. AVERAGE OPERATORS WILL HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING SAFE OPERATION OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THIS ISSUE WILL LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE IF NOT ADDRESSED. NEAREST DEALER FOR MINI IS 130 MILES DISTANT. *TR
DRAIN HOSE FROM SUNROOF DRAIN RUNNING DOWN A-PILLAR CAME DISLODGED THROUGH "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" CAUSING MASSIVE FLOODING TO THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR. IT WAS RENDERED UNSERVICEABLE AND TOTALED, ON JUNE 16, 2014, BUT UNCOVERED BY INSURANCE. THIS WAS NOTHING THAT I WAS AWARE OF THAT WAS AN ISSUE, NOR WERE ANY RECALLS EVER ISSUED ON THIS ISSUE. I HAD IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN 2012, 2 YEARS AGO, FOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS MERELY THE BATTERY, SO THEY REPLACED IT AND IT SEEMED TO BE FINE, BUT THEY SAID TO KEEP THE BATTERY AS A BACK UP "JUST IN CASE" BECAUSE IT STILL APPEARED TO BE A GOOD BATTERY. THEN LATER IN 2013, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MINI DEALER FOR GENERAL SERVICE AND I SAID I NOTICED WATER IN THE BOOT (TRUNK) AND FOR THEM TO CHECK THE HATCHBACK SEAL TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY LEAKS, THEY SAID NO, AND NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION WAS DONE FOR EITHER EVENT. I BELIEVE THAT BOTH THESE EVENTS WERE RESULTS OF THE FAULTY DRAIN HOSE FROM THE A-PILLAR BEING DISLODGED FOR SO LONG. TODAY, THE AUTOMOBILE LEFT MY POSSESSION, TO AN AUCTION HOUSE. I WANTED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT YOU, THE NHTSA CAN PERHAPS HAVE MINI ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND HAVE THEM CHANGE THEIR VEHICLE'S SUNROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE DOESN'T HAVE A CAR TOTALLY RUINED BY FLOODING DUE TO THIS DEFECT IN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN. AFTER VIEWING SOME MINI FORUMS, I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR MINI COOPER. I'M VERY SAD, BECAUSE I HAPPENED TO REALLY ENJOY THIS CAR, AND IT WAS TOTALLY FUN TO DRIVE. I WAS ADVISED BY A FRIEND WHO IS A MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC AND MY INSURANCE AGENT TO FILE THIS REPORT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, IN HOPES THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT THIS. TOO MANY PEOPLE DON'T SPEAK UP, AND I AM NOT ONE TO LET SOMETHING DONE WRONG TO ME GO WITHOUT A FIGHT! DO ALL YOU CAN TO RECTIFY THIS ISSUE WITH MINI! *TR
GOT IN CAR ONE MORNING AND NOTICED WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED IN CENTER FROM TOP OF WINDSHIELD AND FROM BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD, AND I'M HOPING THE CRACK DOESN'T MEET IN THE MIDDLE! *TR
MY 2003 MINI COOPER HAS A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT RESULTED FROM STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. IT IS L-SHAPED AND IT STARTED AT THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *TR
BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS ARE STUTTERING WHEN I TRY TO ROLL THEM UP OR DOWN. THIS IS WHEN I AM EVEN ABLE TO GET THEM TO WORK. FOUND THAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT, THEY WON'T WORK AT ALL!! MEANING I AM HAVING TO WAIT FOR IT TO COOL DOWN TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN IF I AM LUCKY AND HAVE ON ONE OCCASION GOT STUCK IN MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CAR DOOR HANDLE ALSO WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE AND I COULDN'T OPEN THE WINDOW TO OPEN THE DOOR, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE I HAD A CHILD WITH ME. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AND JUST GOT MY DOOR REPAIRED AND STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH THE WINDOWS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A DRIVE THROUGH, OR AT MY PREVIOUS APT YOU HAD TO ENTER A CODE TO GET INTO THE GATED COMMUNITY AND I HAD TO GET OUT OF MY CAR TO DO THIS, AND I LIVE IN COLORADO, AND IT GETS VERY COLD. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, DUE TO MANY FORUMS AND OTHER MINI OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES! FROM FORUMS SHOWS THAT EVEN REPLACING THE MOTOR WON'T FIX THE ISSUE, WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY!! THIS NEEDS TO A RECALL ONCE AGAIN, CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP GETTING THIS FIXED AND DISHING OUT MONEY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE A KID WITH ME FROM TIME TO TIME. UNACCEPTABLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE ALSO REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL PAN LEAK. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MOTORS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, SHE COULD STILL HEAR THE MOTOR FAN RUNNING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND FAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. ALSO, ALL OF THE WINDOWS ON HER VEHICLE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY OPEN. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN DEACTIVATED THE CONVENIENCE POWER SYSTEM FOR THE POWER WINDOWS. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
I WILL BE INSTALLING WHAT WILL BE THE THIRD MANUAL 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION IN MY MINI. SAME PROBLEM, SEEMS TO BE THE FINAL DRIVE BEARING IS FAILING LIKELY DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. I HAVE RECORDS OF ALL SERVICE AND CHECK IT REGULARLY AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN LOW. THE BEARING IS APPARENTLY NOT GETTING A PROPER SUPPLY OF FLUID. PROBLEM NUMBER TWO, MY POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED ON ME ONCE. IT EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE HOSES BASICALLY GOT TOO HOT AND BLEW UP. I FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO LIMP IT TO A SHOP WITHOUT ANY FIRE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE POWER STEERING FAN CONTINUED TO RUN EVEN WHEN THE IGNITION WAS SHUT OFF, NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PUMP THIS TIME WHICH COST ME $500 INSTALLED WITH A REMANUFACTURED PUMP. THIRD, I HAVE HAD TO PUT THREE WINDSHIELDS IN THE CAR. NONE OF THESE REPAIRS WERE WARRANTED! MINI NEEDS TO SUCK IT UP AND CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE SHODDILY MADE CARS, THEY HAVE MADE THEIR MONEY AND DON'T CARE TO HELP WITH ANYTHING. I AM A LOYAL BMW CUSTOMER BUT I THINK I WILL STICK WITH THE OLDER MODELS NOW AS THEY AREN'T IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK ON AND FIND PARTS FOR. GOD KNOWS I WILL NOT PAY 23 GRAND FOR THIS NIGHTMARE AGAIN. *TR
THE POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO OPEN. DURING THE EVENT OF A CRASH WHERE THE WINDOW IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF EGRESS, THE ELECTRIC OPERATED WINDOW MAY NOT OPEN UNDER ITS OWN POWER. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER WILL NOT FIX. *NM
DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW DOES NOT OPEN WHEN TOGGLE IS DEPRESSED, DUE TO MOTOR FAILURE INSIDE THE DOOR. THIS ELIMINATES A MEANS OF EMERGENCY IN SITUATIONS WHERE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN. IT ALSO REDUCES MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH PERSONS OUTSIDE THE CAR UNLESS DOOR IS OPENED --AGAIN A CONCERN IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OR IN A MOVING VEHICLE AS THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THEIR HANDS FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND OPEN THE DOOR. WINDOW POWER FAILURES HAVE HAPPENED ONLY IN SUMMER SO FAR. OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE WINDOW "STUTTERING" AS IT IS OPENED/CLOSED; WINDOW STICKING BRIEFLY BEFORE IT OPENS AND WINDOW TOP EDGE CATCHING EDGE OF CAR AS IT CLOSES SO THAT THE WINDOW DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. --ALL ELECTRICAL ISSUES. ACTIONS TAKEN: THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM MANY MINI OWNERS HAVE, AND REPLACEMENT MOTORS APPEAR TO WORK TEMPORARILY THEN DEVELOP THE SAME SYMPTOMS. HOPEFULLY, WE WILL NOT BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED TO USE THE WINDOW AS AN EMERGENCY EXIT BEFORE A DEPENDABLE MOTOR IS PRODUCED! QUESTION: DOES THE POWER WINDOW SYSTEM MEET THE NHTSA STANDARDS IN TITLE 49, PART 571.118? *JB
2003 MINI COOPER WINDSHIELD FAILURE. SPONTANEOUS CRACK ALTHOUGH DEALER INSISTS IT WAS A PIN HOLE SIZED HOLE THAT CAUSED IT. REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. 2ND TIME IT'S HAPPENED AND WAS COVERED FIRST TIME UNDER WARRANTY. APPARENTLY HAPPENS VERY REGULARLY TO MINI AND AT $1078. COMPLETE...THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD CERTAIN SPOTS THAT COULD NOT TOLERATE ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF THE WINDSHIELD BREAKS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN.*AK
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 MINI COOPER, I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK BEGAN UNDER THE TRIM, MOVED UP, TURNED A FEW INCHES UP, AND THEN SPREAD TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. TWO WEEKS LATER, I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR IT'S FIRST SCHEDULED OIL SERVICE, WHERE I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR, PETER WARK OF MINI OF THE MAIN LINE IN BALA CYNWYD, PA, ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD. HE PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE POINT OF A SMALL SCREWDRIVER AND RUN IT ALONG THE CRACK. ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH ABOVE THE TRIM, AND IN A PLACE WHERE IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR A ROCK TO HIT, THE SCREWDRIVER CAUGHT A SMALL NICK IN THE GLASS, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND. HE INFORMED ME THAT THAT NICK WAS CAUSED BY A ROCK, WHICH CAUSED THE CRACK, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. HE THEN TOLD ME ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS THEY USE OF GLUEING THE GLASS ON CAUSES THE ENTIRE BOTTOM FEW INCHES OF GLASS TO BECOME VERY WEAK, AND THAT ANYTHING HITTING THE GLASS IN THAT AREA, EVEN A TINY ROCK, WOULD CRACK THE GLASS. I FOUND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE, SO I CALLED THE MINI CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AT 1-866-ASK-MINI. I SPOKE TO A "MARTY" WHO MERELY REPEATED OVER AND OVER THAT HE WAS "SORRY THEY MADE THAT DETERMINATION, BUT A ROCK CHIP IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY." AFTER RECEIVING NO HELP FROM THE COMPANY, I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE GLASS. I FEEL THAT THE REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED BECAUSE THE WAY THEY MANUFACTURE AND ATTACH THE GLASS CAUSES WEAKNESS, AND THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR SUPPLYING A CUSTOMER WITH A WARRANTY. I HAVE VIDEO AND PHOTOS OF THE CRACK AND NICK, AS WELL AS RECEIPTS FOR THE REPAIR. THE CRACK WAS FIRST NOTICED AND SPREAD AUGUST 12, 2004 AND MY SERVICE APPOINTMENT WAS AUGUST 24, 2004.*AK
SPONTANEOUS CRACK FORMING IN MINI COOPER WINDSHIELD. OVERNIGHT, A CRACK APPEARED IN MY WINDSHILED STARING AT THE BOTTEM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, MOVING DIRECTLY UPWARD ABOUT 5 INCHES THEN ANGLING 90 DEGREES TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE OFR SEVERAL INCHES. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IN 6 MONTHS THAT THE SAME FRACTURE HAS APPEARER OVERNIGHT. FIRST WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED.*AK
WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON MY MINI COOPER FROM DEBRIS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINI COOPERS. DOZENS AND DOZENS OF MINI OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS ON WWW.ROADFLY.ORG. THE WINDSHIELDS ON THESE CARS ARE PRONE TO CRACKING. I'VE ONLY HAD MY CAR FOR 1.5 YEARS AND ONLY HAVE 5000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD SOMETHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IF SO MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, IT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO WARRANT SOME SORT OF INVESTIGATION INTO THESE WINDSHIELDS AND WHY THEY ARE SO PRONE TO CRACKING. *AK
THE SLIGHTEST PEBBLE CAUSES STARS, CHIPS, AND CRACKS IN MY MINI COOPER WINDSHIELD. I'M ON MY THIRD ONE AND IT ALREADY HAS 2 STARS AND A CHIP. I'M TIRED OF REPLACING IT, BUT IT'S A STRUCTURAL SAFETY ITEM.
THE MINIS WINDSHIEL BEING SOFT AND WEAK WHICH LEAVES IS MORE PRONE TO PITTING, CHIPPING AND TO CRACKING. *AK
MINI COOPER WINDSHIELD IS THIN AND WEEK. THERE IS NO AFTERMARKET GLASS FOR IT EITHER SO REPALCEING GETS PRICY.*AK
CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT QUICKLY GREW TO SPAN ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.*AK
THIS CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. SO FAR THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, THE RADIO WAS REPLACED, THE PASSENGER WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM DISPLAY IS ABOUT TO BE REPLACED, AND TWO RED MARKS ON THE TAKOMETER NO LONGER LIGHT UP.*AK
WINDSHIELD: CRACKING BECAUSE OF FRAME STRESS, MAYBE INDUCED BY PIN SIX ROCK STRIKE. *CB
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2003 MINI SUFFERED A 5 INCH CRACK AFTER BEING HIT BY A SMALL PEBBLE. THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WASN'T REPAIRABLE DUE 1-1/2 INCHES OF IT BEING SUBSURFACE. ON MY OTHER CARS, A 1993 LEXUS LS400 AND A 1993 ISUZU RODEO 4WD, NEITHER CAR HAS EVER SUFFERED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD DUE TO A PEBBLE HIT. WHAT'S WORSE IS THE 2003 MINI WINDSHIELD CRACKED JUST 11 DAYS AFTER OWNING THE CAR. THE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY AAA INSURANCE. *JB
WINDSHIELDS ON MINI COOPERS CRACKING,CHIPPING EASY AND FREQUENTLY. I HAVE HAD FOUR WINDSHIELDS REPLACES IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS. 2 COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE FOR STRESS RELATED CRACKS AND TWO DUE TO SMALL ROCK STRIKES. I HAVE NEVE BEEN THRU WINDSHIELDS LIKE THIS BEFORE AND FEEL THAT THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN OF THE MINI WINDSHIELD MAKES IT SUBSTANDARD IN PROTECTION.*AK
STRESS CRACK ON WINSHIELD OF MY MINI COOPER, WHICH IS APPARENTLY HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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