NHTSA Complaint #10914301 — 2008 MINI COOPER S

PRISTINE CONDITION, LOW MILEAGE, DEALER SERVICED MINI COOPER S (OWNED SINCE NEW) BEGAN EXHIBITING A RATTLING NOISE FROM ENGINE AT 34K MILES. DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A TIMING CHAIN DEFECT AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER DEFECT. THIS IS A KNOWN ENGINE DEFECT. REFERENCE CLASS ACTION SUIT AND SETTLEMENT 338403. THIS SETTLEMENT BY BMW/MINI USA COVERS THIS FLAW AND BMW/MINI KNOWS THAT VEHICLES PRODUCED WITHIN THE 2007-2010 TIMEFRAME HAVE THIS FLAW. THIS FLAW CAN RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. IN MY CASE, IT WAS NOISY UNDER ACCELERATION, AND WAS INTO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE WITHIN DAYS OF FIRST ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN FLAW. HOWEVER, BMW/MINI SETTLED THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND SET ASIDE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR CLAIMS....BUT THOSE CLAIMS MUST BE FILED BY 7/1/16. I DID NOT HAVE THE ISSUE BEFORE THAT DATE, I HAD IT HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER 2016 - TWO MONTHS LATER. I HAVE REQUESTED SOME ACCOMMODATION FROM BMW/MINI, HOWEVER THEY ARE REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE AT ANY LEVEL, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THIS WAS A FLAWED PART AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. I AM NOT EXPECTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IF THEY KNOW THE CAR HAS A MAJOR FLAW, THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME COVERAGE IN PLACE FOR ANY OF THESE VEHICLES WITH THE FLAW. THUS FAR THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER AND MINI USA HAVE INDICATED BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED AFTER 7/1/16 THEY WILL NOT ACCOMMODATE.