NHTSA Complaint #10488052 — 2009 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS BIG DECLINE IN PERFORMANCE. ALSO, THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MAKING A RATTLING SOUND LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. THE CAR JUST EXCEEDED ITS 50,000K MILE WARRANTY, OF COURSE. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. GOT A CALL TODAY SAYING THAT MY TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF ABOUT $2700! ALSO, THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A TUNE OF ABOUT $1300. I SPOKE WITH THE TECHNICIAN AND HE TELLS ME THAT HE SEES THESE PROBLEMS IN BMW/MINI ALL TOO FREQUENTLY ON VEHICLES WITH LOW MILEAGE. HE SAYS MINI KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT SO MINI DOESN'T EVEN MAKE THAT MODEL OF TIMING BELT ANYMORE. HE SAID THEY ALSO KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OIL SUPPLY LINE TO THE TURBO BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST WHICH COOKS THE OIL AND CLOGS THE LINE WHICH EVENTUALLY LEADS TO OIL STARVATION FOR THE TURBO. MINI RECOMMENDS OIL CHANGES AT 15,000 MILE INTERVALS WHICH COULD ALSO BE AN ISSUE BUT I'VE READ ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 5,000 MILES AND STILL HAD PROBLEMS. MINI HAS RECALLED THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP ONLY BECAUSE IT BECAME A SAFETY ISSUE. MY CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH A $5500 BILL FOR REPAIRS. *TR