NHTSA Complaint #10515901 — 2012 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH MY 2012 COUNTRYMAN ALL4 S CLUTCH. THE CAR SIMPLY WILL NOT GO UP HILLS. LIVING IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN IN MULTIPLE SITUATIONS WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT ENGAGE, RESULTING IN STALLING AND A BURNING CLUTCH. I'VE HAD TO STOP AND MOTION FOR PEOPLE TO GO AROUND ME TO AVOID ROLLING BACK INTO THEM. I TOOK IT IN TWICE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. NOT SURPRISINGLY, AT 9,500 MILES, MY CLUTCH COMPLETELY BURNED OUT 200 MILES FROM HOME. AT FIRST, MINI SAID MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER AND TRIED TO CHARGE ME ~$3,000, BUT AFTER COMPLAINING, THEY AGREED TO COVER 75%. THEY TOLD ME THE NEW CLUTCH IS UPGRADED/IMPROVED; HOWEVER, I STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES ON HILLS AND HAVE TO AVOID THEM, OR TAKE OUR OTHER CAR IF DRIVING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AS CITED ON MULTIPLE AUTO REVIEW SITES. I RECENTLY ASKED MINI TO BUY-BACK MY COUNTRYMAN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CLUTCH PROBLEMS, AND BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THERE IS A HILL (EVEN A SMALL ONE). THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLY "NO". I AM FRUSTRATED AND FED UP WITH THE LACK OF CONCERN BY MINI...THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM AND ARE DOING NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. I CANNOT KEEP THIS CAR, BUT CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO SELL TO AN UNSUSPECTING INDIVIDUAL. *TR