2003 MINI Cooper engine and engine cooling problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A FIRE HAD ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE AREA AND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.”

“TURNING FROM A LEFT HAND TURN LANE ON TO A SIDE STREET AS I HAVE DONE AT LEAST 4 TIMES A DAY FOR OVER 10 YEARS, I LOST ALL POWER AND THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE LOSS OF POWER, THE LOSS OF STEERING, AND THE LOSS OF BRAKES CAUSED ME TO RUN INTO THE CURB. THIS ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND ASSEMBLY BEING REPLACED. NOT LONG AFTER GETTING MY MINI COOPER S THE HESITATION OF THE ACCELERATOR WHEN STATING OFF IN FIRST GEAR BEGAN. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REP AT THE MINI DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TOO MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF IT. GOING BACK AS FAR AS 2005 I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT MY STEERING AND THE NOISE IT MAKES. THE WHOLE STEERING UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES, YET IN 2009 I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. THE POWER LOSS WAS ELECTRICAL EVEN THOUGH MY ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE FINAL OUTCOME WAS MINI REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. I'VE COMPLAINED TIME AND AGAIN YET WITH NO HELP UNLESS IT'S COMING OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. SINCE OWNING THIS MINI COOPER S I'VE SPENT NEARLY 6000.00 IN REPAIRS. BECAUSE OF THE INTERDEPENDENT NATURE OF…”

“I OWN A 2003 MINI COOPER AUTOMATIC AND I'VE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE COOLING FAN REPLACED TWICE, AND NOW, ONLY A YEAR LATER AFTER MY 2ND REPLACEMENT AND A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS LATER, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. THE CARE ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS COSTLY AND A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR BY MINI OR BMW. *TR”

“2003 MINI COOPER S WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING GOES IN AND OUT. CAR RADIO TURNS ON WHEN CAR IS OFF AND NO KEY IS IN THE ENGINE, CAUSING BATTERY TO DRAIN. ONCE MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHEN I WAS LEAVING A PARKING AREA CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED DAMAGES. I HAVE HOWEVER REPLACED THE ENGINE DUE TO FAULTY WIRING IN APROX 2009. A FUSE THAT RUNS EVERYTHING FOR COOLING BLEW AND GAVE ME NO WARNING THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. *TR”

“MY 2003 MINI COOPER HAS ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE SEVERAL TIMES, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL HARNESS, POWER STEERING PUMP, A/C HOSES AND A/C SERVICE, WHEEL BEARINGS, INJECTION PLUGS ETC....... I STILL CANNOT FIND THE REAL PROBLEM WHY IS CAUSING A SHORT, IT HAS ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE SEVERAL TIMES, THIS CAR HAS BEEN THE MOST DANGEROUS CAR I HAVE EVER OWN, I HAVE NEVER SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON TRYING TO FIX ANY VEHICLE, RIGHT NOW I'M ABOUT $11,500 IN COSTS OF REPAIRS, THIS IS A CRIME TO THE CONSUMER, I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS IN PROGRESS, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE GET JUSTICE FROM THE MAKER OF MINI. *TR”

“I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE ITS PURCHASE BRAND NEW IN MARCH, 2003. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM AND STARTING IT UP AFTER HAVING BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR UP TO TWO HOURS THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MINOR, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH A ROUGH AND SURGING IDLE THAT OSCILLATES BETWEEN 1050 RPM DOWN TO 400 RPM THEN BACK UP THEN DOWN WHICH LASTS FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE SETTLING DOWN. AS THE VEHICLE HAS AGED THE PROBLEM HAS INTENSIFIED TO THE POINT THAT THE ENGINE SOMETIMES STALLS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE AS NOTED IN NHTSA ITEM #10009756, SERVICE BULLETIN #110104 (ROUGH IDLE, STALLING). LATELY IT HAS NOW EVEN BEGUN TO OCCUR WHEN STOPPING QUICKLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO ALMOST STALL. IF IT WERE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH IMMEDIATE POWER TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN SHOWN THE PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO RECTIFY. THE ONLY INVESTIGATION THEY DO IS TO MAKE SURE THE SOFTWARE IN THE VEHICLE IS THE LATEST RELEASE. *TR”