NHTSA Complaint #10689711 — 2010 MINI COOPER

I PURCHASED MY 2010 MINI COOPER HARDTOP IN OCTOBER OF 2010 WITH 2,446 MILES ON IT. THIS CAR CAME FROM A MINI DEALERSHIP. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS WITHOUT ONE MECHANICAL ISSUE. TODAY I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 41,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 16, 2015, I STARTED MY CAR TO LEAVE MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT AND A LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED. LIVING IN A COLD WEATHER CLIMATE, I THOUGHT THE ENGINE NEEDED TIME TO WARM UP. AFTER LETTING THE CAR WARM UP, I ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE PARKING LOT AND THE CAR FAILED AS I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A TURN ONTO A MAIN ROAD. MY HUSBAND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MINI SPECIALIST WHERE WE WERE TOLD THE CAR WAS EXTREMELY LOW ON OIL DUE AN INTERNAL LEAK COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER SEAL. WE WERE TOLD THE LEAK HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE; HOWEVER, THE FIRST INDICATION OF LOW OIL WAS ONLY MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR FAILED. THE CAR HAD BEEN TO A LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP FOR REGULAR SERVICE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. IN ADDITION THE MECHANIC FOUND COOLANT IN THE CYLINDERS AND IS UNSURE OF HOW THIS OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC FEELS IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK OR CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. ADDITIONAL TESTING WOULD NEED TO BE DONE ON THESE PARTS TO CONFIRM. AT THIS TIME, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BEING TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO REPLACED ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT. THE ESTIMATED COST WE RECEIVED WAS $10,315. THIS IS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW CONSIDERING IT IS A "YOUNG CAR," IN OUR MINDS. WITH ALL OF THE ISSUES FOUND BY THE MECHANIC IT SEEMS AS IF THIS CAR HAD A FAULTY ENGINE FROM THE START. I HAVE CONTACTED MINI USA REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND HOPE THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES. *TR