NHTSA Complaint #10512257 — 2009 MINI COOPER S

FIRST NOTICED THE RATTLE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. EVERYTIME SUBSEQUENTLY AFTER THAT WHENEVER I TURNED THE CAR ON I WOULD HEAR A LOUD RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. CAR IS A 2009 MINI COOPER S WITH 38,005 MILES ON IT. TIMING CHAIN AND ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME $5,000 TO REPAIR. THE CAR WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY AND MINI USA DIDN'T WANT TO HELP OUT WITH REPAIR COST. SEEMS LIKE A LOTS OF THESE FAIRLY NEW CARS HAVE THIS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP THAT QUOTED ME SAID THEY HAD 5 THEY WERE WORKING ON JUST THIS WEEK. THEY EXPECTED MINI TO ISSUE A RECALL BUT WERE SURPRISED THEY HADN'T. GUYS IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT WERE ALL TO FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD THEM READILY ACCESSIBLE AND EXPRESSED THEIR SYMPATHY OF HAVING TO PAY $$ TO FIX WHAT UNQUESTIONABLY IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. PLEASE HELP US GIVE MINI A FRIENDLY NUDGE INTO ISSUING THIS RECALL. *TR