Mini cooper known faults

editors_fan

My 2010 mini with 46k miles was diagnosed with a faulty solenoid, which had to repaired at a dealership (230 quid, thanks!), when in for repair they found it had leached and has reached the DME (cars computer) - which in itself made me think it must have been badly designed, cost >2000. The dealer tried to get a goodwill contribution from Mini, but as not serviced within the recommended periods and outside Mini dealerships they've declined. The fact they went direct to the goodwill also rang alarm bells.
Have subsequently heard through a friend in the motor industry that there have been loads of these and Mini have apparently covered them through goodwill, presumably to prevent having to have announce a product recall.
Just how many of these need to happen before there is a product recall?


Has anyone had similar experiences and how did they end up resolving it?
Is there a legal remedy if there clearly a common fault with the car design?

angrycrow

Is this the vti engine co developed with Peugeot. They have a known issue on Peugeots with the coolant temp sensor corroding internally which allows coolant to wick up the cable by capillary action until it ends up in the engine ecu and corrodes the pins.

motorguy

editors_fan wrote: »

My 2010 mini with 46k miles was diagnosed with a faulty solenoid, which had to repaired at a dealership (230 quid, thanks!), when in for repair they found it had leached and has reached the DME (cars computer) - which in itself made me think it must have been badly designed, cost >2000. The dealer tried to get a goodwill contribution from Mini, but as not serviced within the recommended periods and outside Mini dealerships they've declined. The fact they went direct to the goodwill also rang alarm bells.
Have subsequently heard through a friend in the motor industry that there have been loads of these and Mini have apparently covered them through goodwill, presumably to prevent having to have announce a product recall.
Just how many of these need to happen before there is a product recall?


Has anyone had similar experiences and how did they end up resolving it?
Is there a legal remedy if there clearly a common fault with the car design?

I dont think there is any easy solution?

Wheres the goodwill on your part that they would be maintaining? You didnt buy through a main dealer AND / OR you havent had it serviced by a MINI dealer and to the service schedule so why would the manufacturer make a goodwill contribution on a 7 year old car that maybe hasnt touched the main dealer network in several years?

Google for UK mini forums and see if you can find any similar situations or see if theres a cheaper solution. There are companies who can refurbish ECUs so that might be an option.

mrmot

Recalls are only done for safety related items.

Muscle750

If thats all youve had go wrong with your mini count yourself lucky

motorguy

Muscle750 wrote: »

If thats all youve had go wrong with your mini count yourself lucky

Yup.

Pencil in a gearbox, clutch and steering rack for the near future...

editors_fan

Thanks all for your various inputs.


Maybe it's instinctive cynicism: isn't it slightly suspicious that a multinational company (philanthropy not being an attribute readily associated with many) would offer goodwill to thousands of customers, if it wasn't simply hush money for a fault that is the result of poor design or poor manufacture.


Have only had the car 7 months, so not been responsible for the previous service history. Not that it should matter when it's a common fault.

editors_fan

it is the Peugeot engine.

BeenThroughItAll

editors_fan wrote: »

Thanks all for your various inputs.


Maybe it's instinctive cynicism: isn't it slightly suspicious that a multinational company (philanthropy not being an attribute readily associated with many) would offer goodwill to thousands of customers, if it wasn't simply hush money for a fault that is the result of poor design or poor manufacture.


Have only had the car 7 months, so not been responsible for the previous service history. Not that it should matter when it's a common fault.

A great reason never to buy a relatively recent car without making sure the history is up to scratch if you're not able to fix it yourself.

Alias_Omega

motorguy wrote: »

Yup.

Pencil in a gearbox, clutch and steering rack for the near future...

Thats not good to hear. Yesterday i was looking at Mini Convertibles... as a 2nd car for me.. Probably go £2800-£3k on a 2007 1.6 with 50-60k miles. Any issues with them, or should they have been ironed out by then.

scotsbob

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Thats not good to hear. Yesterday i was looking at Mini Convertibles... as a 2nd car for me.. Probably go £2800-£3k on a 2007 1.6 with 50-60k miles. Any issues with them, or should they have been ironed out by then.

This might be a better place to find out


http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/