NHTSA Complaint #10537986 — 2007 MINI COOPER S

THIS VEHICLE HAS TWICE HAD A FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY TENSIONER, RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED FROM A DEAD STOP IN A PARKING LOT SO THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE. THE SECOND INCIDENT, OCCURRING 12/03/2012, MANIFESTED AS THE VEHICLE WAS DE-ACCELERATING COMING OFF A HIGHWAY EXIT WITH A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EXIT, IN A REMOTE AREA. MINI COOPER SENT THEIR TECHNICIANS IN 2007 A "SERVICE BULLETIN," SHORT OF A RECALL, WHEN THE TREND WAS DISCOVERED AMONG ITS "R56' MODEL ENGINES IN 2008. I HAD WARNED MINI OF SOUNDS WHICH LATER WERE DETERMINED BY INDEPENDENT EXPERTS TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN'S "DEATH RATTLE" PRIOR TO THE FIRST FAILURE, WHICH THEY ATTRIBUTED TO THE CAR'S "GO-KART LIKE START UP." AFTER 6 MONTHS OF STRUGGLING, MINI AGREED TO 80% OF THE REPAIR COSTS, WITH A NEW TIMING CHAIN UNDER A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. OTHER FAILURES SIDELINED THE VEHICLE FOR MONTHS IN THE INTERVENING TIME, AND DUE TO THE INCREDIBLE COST OF REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE GARAGED UNTIL REPAIRED. SO ALTHOUGH OVER A YEAR PASSED BETWEEN TIMING CHAIN FAILURES, ABOUT ONLY ABOUT 39K MILES WERE DRIVEN IN THAT TIME. AS OF NOW, MINI IS ONLY OFFERING 50% CULPABILITY, THIS AFTER STARTING A VOCAL TWITTER CAMPAIGN. I STILL OWE $10K ON A VEHICLE THAT REQUIRES UP TO $5K IN REPAIRS- A REPAIR WHICH WILL ONLY REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. *TT