NHTSA Complaint #10474140 — 2007 MINI COOPER S

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING DECREASED ACCELERATING POWER AND A LOUD RUBBING/KNOCKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING, THAT WILL CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE IF NOT PROMPTLY FIXED. IT IS A WELL KNOW MINI COOPER PROBLEM (2007 MODELS TO CURRENT YEAR) AND THE MINI DEALERSHIP I TOOK MINE TO HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE. MINI HAS CAME OUT WITH REPLACEMENT PARTS AND A SERVICE GUIDE ON HOW TO REPAIR THE ISSUE AT A HEFTY COST (IF THE ENGINE HASN'T ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED); HOWEVER, MINI/BMW HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT AT NO COST TO CONSUMERS TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT. ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR IN MY AREA WERE $1300-$1600 IF REPAIRABLE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT FIXED QUICKLY. MY CAR HAS 41,000 AND HAVE HAD MY MINI SERVICED AT THE DESIGNATED TIME INTERVALS AT ONLY MINI SERVICES AREAS. SUCH A MAJOR REPAIR THAT COULD HAVE EVENTUALLY CAUSED MY ENGINE TO STOP WORKING SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT 41,000 MILES. MINI/BMW SHOULD BACK UP THERE PRODUCT WITH REPAIRS AND NEEDS TO FIND AN ULTIMATE FIX BECAUSE IT IS AN ISSUE EVEN IN THE CURRENT MODELS. *TR