2003 MINI COOPER Unknown Or Other Problems

MY CAR WOULD NOT START ONE MORNING. I INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. AS SOON AS I CONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE WAS ACRID, LIKE SMOKE FROM AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SMOKE AS LONG AS THE BATTERY CABLES WERE CONNECTED. CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE FIRE,I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP AND PUMP COOLING FAN WERE DEFECTIVE. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT EITHER THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH EITHER THE POWER STEERING OR THE BATTERY. *TR

MY 2003 MINI COOPER HAS ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE SEVERAL TIMES, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL HARNESS, POWER STEERING PUMP, A/C HOSES AND A/C SERVICE, WHEEL BEARINGS, INJECTION PLUGS ETC....... I STILL CANNOT FIND THE REAL PROBLEM WHY IS CAUSING A SHORT, IT HAS ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE SEVERAL TIMES, THIS CAR HAS BEEN THE MOST DANGEROUS CAR I HAVE EVER OWN, I HAVE NEVER SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON TRYING TO FIX ANY VEHICLE, RIGHT NOW I'M ABOUT $11,500 IN COSTS OF REPAIRS, THIS IS A CRIME TO THE CONSUMER, I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS IN PROGRESS, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE GET JUSTICE FROM THE MAKER OF MINI. *TR

I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 MINI COOPER WITH A 3 YEAR 36K WARRANTY 6/26/03. WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND RECEIVING RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE DEALER, THE CAR REQUIRED REPAIR OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHICH WAS FROZEN IN THE RECLINED POSITION. SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND 10,481 MILES AFTER A DEALER MAINTENANCE CHECK, THE BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR BEGAN FLASHING. I TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR $886.60. AT THE SAME SERVICE VISIT, I WAS TOLD THE FRONT STRUTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT TO THE TUNE OF $1600. MY MALE FRIENDS WHO ARE MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND/OR ENGINEERS SAID THAT ONE WOULD NEED TO BE DOING STUNTS IN A CAR TO NEED THAT KIND OF REPAIR AT 50,293 MILES. IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHY THE INDICATOR ONLY TELLS WHEN BRAKES ARE TOTALLY SHOT, OR WHY THE MOST RECENT SERVICE CHECK HAD NOT SHOWN WORN PADS...

WE WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO SPEAK TO ANOTHER TECHNICIAN, HOWARD FULLER, AFTER EXTENSIVELY QUESTIONING MIKE WINTER. HOWARD FULLER HAD NOT READ ANY OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) ABOUT THE CAR AND IS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS OR WITH ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED WITH MINI. AFTER TALKING TO HOWARD FULLER THE NEXT DAY, HE HAD PERFORMED SOME MINIMAL RESEARCH (READ THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS) AND STATED THAT OUR PROBLEM WAS NOT THE SAME AND HE REPEATED HIS INTERPRETATION OF WHAT HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS, WHICH WAS INCORRECT. WE CORRECTED MR. FULLER AND REDIRECTED HIM TO THE TSBS. HE TOLD US A MINI SPECIALIST WAS GOING TO COME IN TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, HE EXPRESSED DOUBT IN THE MINI SPECIALIST BEING ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. IN ANOTHER DISTURBING INCIDENT, MY HUSBAND CONTACTED CHICO MOTLEY, THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. MR. MOTLEY WAS ALSO HIGHLY COMBATIVE AND FIRST STATED THAT THE...