2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE Power Train Problems

6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER 82,000 MILES. THIS IN SPITE OF PROPER DEALER RECOMMENDED MAINAINANCE. COST TO REPAIR WAS THE SAME AS THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE.

2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A USED MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE 2006, THE CAR BEGAN TO SELF SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV AT HIGH RPM'S. I CONTACTED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND HE TEST DROVE THE CAR TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND THE SAME WAY. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AND I WAS SENT ON MY WAY. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PERSIST WHEN I WAS AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICALLY DISENGAGES (RANDOM OCCURRENCES) WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY. SINCE THIS HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING, IT CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN TRAFFIC AS THERE IS NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES, IT CAN HAPPEN AT A VERY HIGH REV (3000-5000, OR MORE RPM) WHICH CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT. IF ROADS ARE WET, THE RE-ENGAGEMENT CAN EASILY PRODUCE WHEEL SPIN AND SKIDDING WHEN IT HAPPENS DURING A TURNING MANEUVER. THE SUDDEN RE-ENGAGEMENT AT HIGH REVS CAN ALSO BREAK A CV JOINT OR OTHER DRIVE COMPONENT, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

ON 2/16/2013 MY HARMONIC BALANCER WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THEIR ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS . WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOUD POP THEN A BUNCH OF CRUNCHING NOISES FROM THAT SHOCK YOUR CAR WILL GO FROM 55 MPH TO 20 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ...EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN YOU SEE A SEMI BEHIND YOU . MINI PAID FOR THIS MALFUNCTION BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR FLAW AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR POSSIBLY SOMEONE'S DEATH . ON 8/29/2013 MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55,123 ...NO WARNINGS JUST SLOW LUNCHING AND GRINDING ALSO DURING THIS EVENT I FOUND OUT MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS WERE CRACKED. SEAT BELTS ARE CONSTANTLY CURLING BACKWARDS AND DON'T LAY FLAT . CONVERTIBLE ROOF DRIP SEAL RUBBER HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN TWICE MAKING ME BELIEVE THAT MINI HAS USED A SUB STANDARD RUBBER THEREFORE USING IT IN THEIR ENGINE PARTS...

WHILE PULLING UP TO A SIGNAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN, WE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR. THE REST OF THE DRIVE, THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT (6 SPEED MANUAL) INTO ANY GEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE LINKAGE WAS FINE. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE THROW OUT BEARING HAD FAILED, REQUIRING A $2300 CLUTCH REPAIR. THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY EXPENSIVE AND PREMATURE FAILURE. *TR