NHTSA Complaint #10509613 — 2008 MINI COOPER S

I CURRENTLY HAVE AN OIL LEAK DEVELOPING FROM THE TURBO OIL LINE THAT HAS RESULTED FROM A FAILED O-RING WITHIN THE LINE ITSELF. DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, THE HEAT FROM THE TURBO WEARS AWAY THE O-RING, WHICH RESULTS IN OIL LEAKING FROM WHERE THE LINE IS BOLTED TO THE TURBO VIA A BANJO BOLT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THE LINE FAILS, THE TURBO BECOMES STARVED OF OIL AND BURNS UP, WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSES THE WHOLE TURBO UNIT TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE OIL LEAKING ONTO THE TURBO HAS A POTENTIAL TO CATCH FIRE, SINCE THE TURBO BECOMES VERY HOT DURING NORMAL DRIVING. ALSO IF ANY OIL LEAKS DOWN TO THE EXHAUST PIPING UNDERNEATH THE TURBO, THOSE PLACES ALSO POSE A FIRE HAZARD. MINI RECOGNIZES THIS TO BE AN ISSUE, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN ADD A HEAT SHIELD AROUND THE CONNECTION TO THE TURBO. THE LINE STILL HAS A RUBBER O-RING IN IT THAT WILL FAIL OVER REPEATED HEAT CYCLES, AND THE LINE NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED. *TR