NHTSA Complaint #10396095 — 2002 MINI COOPER

I ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY 2002 MINI COOPER AND AT 80K MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP JUST BEFORE I WAS TO ENTER A VERY BUSY FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A FAULT OF MY CARE AFTER THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT UPON TOW IN. IT JUST STOPPED FAST AND SHORT WITH A HUGE JERK FORWARD AND EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT BLEW IN BIG CHUNKS. I COULDN'T MOVE IT FROM TRAFFIC IN NEUTRAL AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. 80K IS EARLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THIS HAPPENED WITH EVEN LESS MILEAGE, 34K, 48K ...NO REPLACEMENTS AND SO MANY FAILURES LIKE THIS? MINI TURNS THEIR HEADS; WOULD NOT REPLACE OR EVEN TALK TO ME. PREVIOUSLY TOO THE POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO JUST STOPPED AND NO MOVEMENT ON THE WHEEL. SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP ONE TIME IN MOUNTAIN VIEW, I HAD AN OIL LEAK. AT THE TIME THE AMOUNT THEY WANTED ME TO PAY WAS HIGH, 700.00 OR SO (JUST AFTER WARRANTY ENDED). I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. HE TOOK ME UNDER THE CAR AND SHOWED ME THERE WAS NOT A SPOT OF OIL UNDER THAT CAR IN ANY NOOK OR CRANNY. IN THINKING ABOUT THIS AFTER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM I REALIZE THESE THINGS ARE TELLING ME MINI KNOWS ABOUT THEIR MINI MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. ALSO WHEN THE NEW ($4350.00) TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED, LA, MINI TOLD THE MECHANIC THEY HAD 5 TRANSMISSIONS IN STOCK IN THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE THIS WAS SO COMMON. THAT'S PROOF THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. YET NO RECALL TO PEOPLE WITH THESE ISSUES AND THESE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS. *TR