NHTSA Complaint #10597692 — 2007 MINI COOPER S

I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEGAN FLASHING. I PULLED OVER TO THE ROADSIDE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. I LOOKED AT THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO SEE WHAT THE FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT INDICATES. NOTHING DEFINITIVE WAS STATED IN THE MANUAL, SO I STARTED THE ENGINE AND DROVE IT TO MY HOME ABOUT 10 MILES UNDER PARTIAL POWER. I CONTACTED A LOCAL GARAGE (MIENKE) AND LET THEM KNOW THE PROBLEM. THE GARAGE WAS ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY SO I DROVE IT TO THEM. THEY DIAGNOSED A LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN ONE OF THE VALVES THAT WOULD REQUIRE A VALVE JOB. I CONTACTED MINIUSA TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. THEY REQUESTED I TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT OCCURRED AND ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE THE APPROXIMATE 20 MILES TO THEIR LOCATION WITH A COMPROMISED ENGINE. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE OKAY AND BRING IT IN. THEY DIAGNOSED IT THE NEXT DAY WITH A FAILED TIMING CHAIN ($1800), VACUUM PUMP ($600) AND VALVE COVER ASSEMBLY ($385). I LET THEM KNOW THE TIMING CHAIN WAS ALREADY REPLACED BY A MINI DEALERSHIP AT 40781 MILES AND THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO COST AS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO LAST 100,000 MILES. THE DEALER WOULD NOT. I CONTACTED MINIUSA AGAIN TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND REQUEST TO HAVE THIS REPLACED AT NO COST. THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN BACK TO ME YET AND IT IS STILL PENDING THEIR DECISION. I BEGAN TO LOOK ONLINE FOR SIMILAR ISSUES AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. MINI/BMW IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT STILL DOES NOT COVER THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND UNKNOWING MINI OWNERS ARE SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE THEIR CARS PUT BACK ON THE ROAD. THERE IS ALSO A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IN NEW JERSEY FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR