NHTSA Complaint #10565652 — 2012 MINI COOPER

2012 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN MANUAL TRANSMISSION. LIVE IN A MOUNTAINOUS REGION IN COLORADO. NOTICED A PECULIAR SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR AFTER BEING STUCK IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. HAD THE CAR SERVICED AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS GOOD TO GO. FEW DAYS LATER WHEN ON VACATION DRIVING THROUGH NEVADA, THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY GAVE OUT & LEFT US STRANDED FROM 8:30 AT NIGHT UNTIL 2:30 IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK COULD GET TO US. DEALER VERIFIED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS INOPERABLE AND REPLACED THE CLUTCH DISK, FLYWHEEL, AND PRESSURE PLATE UNDER WARRANTY. MANAGER SAID THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THEY HAVE SEEN A FEW TIMES PREVIOUSLY. NOW, 12,000 MILES (41,000 TOTAL) AND 6 MONTHS LATER, THE SAME THING AS HAPPENED. BUT NOW, MINI IS SAYING THAT IT'S "DRIVER ERROR" OR "WEAR AND TEAR" AND NOT COVERED. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER STILL ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE REGION WE LIVE IN. HOWEVER, I AM EXPECTED TO COME UP WITH $3,000 TO FIX THIS PLUS KEEP PAYING A NEW CAR PAYMENT. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS/TRUCKS/MOTORCYCLES/SPORTS CARS FOR 35 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A CLUTCH GOING OUT ON ME BEFORE. THIS IS MY 3RD MINI, AND IT WILL BE THE LAST I WILL EVER OWN, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF IT. MINI HAS HAD ENOUGH TROUBLE WITH THIS THAT THEY CHANGED THE CLUTCH IN THE 2013 MODELS. EXTREMELY UPSET WITH THEM AS A COMPANY THAT THEY CAN'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FESS UP THAT THEY DIDN'T PUT A CLUTCH IN A CAR THAT WAS APPROPRIATE TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. DON'T BUY ONE UNLESS YOU LIVE IN THE FLATLANDS AND DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC! *TR