NHTSA Complaint #10255178 — 2005 MINI COOPER

DURING NOVEMBER OF 2008, I BROKE DOWN 4 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON 11/1 (WHEN I HAD AN APPT TO HAVE MY AILING CAR LOOKED AT ON 11/3). I MADE THE APPT FOR 11/3 ON 10/30 WHEN I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND THE CAR BEGAN BUCKING LIKE A MECHANICAL BULL. OBVIOUSLY, I DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE APPOINTMENT. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 11/1 AFTER BREAKING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY, VALVE COVER GASKET, AND TRANSMISSION. I WAS "GOOD-WILLED" THE TRANSMISSION BY OTTO'S BMW BECAUSE I WAS OVER MY WARRANTY IN TIME AND NOT MILEAGE (PASSED 4 YEARS, BUT NOT 50000 MILES). I PAID $386 TO FIX THE FIRST TWO ITEMS. THE NEXT DAY, I GOT MY CAR BACK. ON 11/8, I BROKE DOWN AGAIN WHILE PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. I REALIZED ON MY WAY TO MY DESTINATION, I DESTROYED TWO STREETS AND MY FAMILY'S DRIVEWAY WITH MY TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS IRATE, AND THE DEALER TOWED IT IN. THEY SAID THE TRANS COOL LINE DISCONNECTED. I HAD MY CAR BACK IN A COUPLE DAYS. ON 11/23, I BROKE DOWN AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR'S EMS AND CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WOULD RESTART, BUT THEN SHOOK VICIOUSLY AND THEN CONKED OUT WHEN IT WAS PUT IN GEAR. MINI TOWED IT IN AGAIN. THEY "COULDN'T VERIFY THE CONCERN" AND SAID IT DROVE OFF THE FLATBED FINE, AND YET I COULDN'T GET IT TO MOVE AGAIN 24 HOURS AFTER BREAKING DOWN. MINI KEPT THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS TO ENSURE THEY WERE THOROUGH IN THEIR EFFORTS. ON 11/30, I BROKE DOWN AGAIN ON MY WAY TO HAVE THE CAR DETAILED TO PREPARE IT FOR SALE THE FOLLOWING DAY. I HAD TO CALL OUT OF WORK ON 12/1 TO WAIT FOR MINI'S TOW COMPANY TO COME RETRIEVE THE CAR FOR THE FORTH AND FINAL TIME. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID IT WAS "ACTING UP REAL NICE" WHEN THEY GOT IT OFF THE FLATBED THIS TIME. BY THIS POINT IN TIME, I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF ANY CAR BECAUSE I WAS SO PARANOID AND DIDN'T FEEL SAFE. WHY HAS NO ONE RECALLED THE MINI? *TR