NHTSA Complaint #10444046 — 2010 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN

SHIFT MECHANISM FROZE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE GOING IN FOR SERVICE ON 1/6/12. UPON INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT REPAIR IS NOT CONSIDERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER CLAIMS THAT SOME COFFEE WAS SPILLED INSIDE OF CUP HOLDER AND LEAKED BELOW WHICH RESULTED IN SHORTING OUT OF A "WIRE CONNECTOR" AND REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE "SHIFTER ASSEMBLY." REVIEWING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM VARIOUS WEB SIGHTS I DETERMINED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF MINI OWNERS. IN FACT AN OWNER REPORTED THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT BACK IN 2003 WHERE THE REPORTED LEAK WAS FROM A SCREW FASTENING THE CUP HOLDER TO ITS SUPPORTING UNIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE: IF THE WIRES CAN "SHORT OUT" THEY THEN MAY CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO DEVELOP AND IF THE SHIFTER FREEZES, THIS COULD RESULT IN AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS SITUATION. SINCE THE APPARENT LEAKING THROUGH THESE HOLDERS WAS EVIDENT TO MINI - FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS - WHY HAVEN'T THEY EITHER FIXED THE POTENTIAL LEAK SOURCE OR PRINTED A WARNING WITHIN THEIR MANUAL: "DON'T PUT ANY CUP, OR OTHER SUCH CONTAINER INTO THE CUP HOLDERS AS THIS MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS." AREN'T "CUP" HOLDERS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO HOLD CUPS SAFELY. SHOULDN'T THERE BE AN EXPECTATION THAT SOME LIQUID WILL SPILL OUT DURING USUAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? IF SO, WHY WAS THIS DESIGN FLAW NOT CORRECTED WITH CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OCCURRING FOR AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS? *TR