NHTSA Complaint #10849602 — 2009 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN

THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A STATE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING AT CRUISING SPEED OF 35MPH ON THE RIGHT MOST LATE, AND WITH ENGINE DEAD POWER STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE. THE CAR WAS LITERALLY DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, WE HAD KIDS ON BOARD AND FOR A SMALL CAR, WE WERE REALLY THAT LUCKY PASSING CARS WERE ABLE TO SPOT US AND AVOID HITTING US. WHEN WE TOOK TOWED IT TO THE SHOP, THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED AND ALSO CRACKED THE ENGINE TOP COVER ON THE LEFT SIDE. ON SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE "TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER ISSUES" THAT BMW/MINI IS ALREADY AWARE OF HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT YET DONE A RECALL. THERE WAS ALMOST NO WAY OF TELLING THERE WAS THIS PROBLEM BREWING WITH THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH NOW IN RETROSPECT THERE WERE A FEW TELL-TALE SIGNS, WHEN IT WAS COLD, WE HAD HEARD A RATTLE SOUND, WHICH WENT AWAY IMMEDIATELY. ALSO THE SAME DAY THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED WHEN STANDING AT A SIGNAL, BUT STARTED UP AGAIN. NOW WE REALIZE THAT THESE SIGNS WERE RELATED TO THE PROBLEM THAT OTHER USERS HAD COMPLAINED TOO BEFORE THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE.