NHTSA Complaint #10322758 — 2003 MINI COOPER S

2003 MINI COOPER S. MY WIPER MOTOR DIED IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM, OR SO I THOUGHT. DRIVING WITHOUT THE WIPERS IN HILO, HI WHERE I LIVE WITH 140" A YEAR OF RAIN CAN BE DEADLY WHEN WIPERS DON'T WORK. IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED DEFECT AFFECTING ALL ORIGINAL 02-06 MINIS. SEE HERE FOR DETAILS. I REPAIRED MINE SIMPLY BY GROUNDING THE WIPER MOTOR TO ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE CAR. I HAD TO DRIVE 3 WEEKS WITHOUT WIPERS BEFORE I COULD FIX THIS. DEALERS CHARGE $600 TO FIX IT AND IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND THE MOTOR IS NOT ACTUALLY DEAD. IT IS A POOR, AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY DESIGN. I GUESS I COULD HAVE SPENT A COUPLE THOUSAND RENTING A CAR FOR THAT TIME, OR JUST SPENT $600 RIGHT AWAY AND ANOTHER $500 ON THE CAR TO GET IT FIXED. I TOOK MY CHANCES, SO WILL MANY OTHERS. THERE WERE PLENTY OF TIMES I COULDN'T SEE WELL AND HOPED FOR THE BEST. HERE IS THE SITE WITH LOTS OF INFO ABOUT IT. HTTP://WWW.MINI2.COM/FORUM/FIRST-GENERATION-FAULTS-FIXES/141234-WIPER-MOTOR-FAILURE-2.HTML HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/1ST-GEAR/83170-MY-WINDSHIELD-WIPER-MOTOR-DIED-IN-A-STORM-AT-NIGHT.HTML. *TR