Cooper S Problems

[john p]

I bought an 05 Cooper S last December from a MINI dealer,it's had a couple of minor noises and niggles which I thought I would have looked at when it's next serviced.Last week the engine mount burst and leaked oil everywhere,the minor noises turned out to be a new clutch and flywheel needed and a new manifold and cat.On collecting the car after having all this done under warranty,the lights were on all the time,no air con,interior lights,self locking etc etc.It now needs a new body control module.Anybody else had these problems,or have I bought a lemon?It's only done 20000 miles.

[< FORZA WEST]

Those that you have listed are common faults,its unfortunate you have them all at the same time.....They are all easy repairs and thankfully for you under warranty,so get them out of the way and the S will be peachy.

[john p]

Cheers,is there anything else I should expect to go wrong?

[< FORZA WEST]

The only other ones to look out for are the power steering pump or rack....
We used to see a fair few failures in the early days but they are now few and far between,since 03'plate they have sorted them out.

[look@u]

sorry to jump in on this one but my 04 Cooper makes a noise when
turning the steering wheel at low speed/parking, all works as it should
but annoying. Any ideas on this one thanks.

[900T-R]

look@u said:

sorry to jump in on this one but my 04 Cooper makes a noise when
turning the steering wheel at low speed/parking, all works as it should
but annoying. Any ideas on this one thanks.

Standard issue on the old ones. Haven't ever found it annoying either - the steering is on lock so you hear the pump working. So?

[john p]

After going back to the dealer 7 times in 9 days,the MINI is finally back as it should be.Got back yesterday after having the new module fitted and the other set of keys wouldnt work,so back again today to get that sorted.I really am not impressed with their customer service,when I was thinking of buying the car,they were on the phone non stop to get me to buy it.On picking it up the preparation was crap(scratched mirror housing not replaced,no mats as promised plus a few other things)There are never any courtesy cars unless you can wait for weeks,then they charge you a tenner for the privilage.The auxillary driving lamps are going rusty inside,they are not covered on the warranty,but they will replace them for £200!I'm sure they have the same ones in Halfords for alot less.On the whole not what I expected from a BMW product.Anyway rant over now,still a great car.

[speedysuz]

I had loads of problems with Mini's customer service when I bought mine last October. My contact went on holiday and nothing seemed to get done in his absence, I chose the car from a picture and when they brought it over from the other dealer it didn't look like the same car because the stripes from the bonnet were missing - I asked for them to be put on for me, when I came back to pick it up this still hadn't been done! There were no mats and no spare key. I ended up having to sacrifice the stipes for the mats as they were a similar cost and they even tried to charge me for the spare key!! I sent it back after a couple of days because the steering was pulling to the left, they told me that all Mini's did this!! Not long after this I got a flat tyre, which of course because of the run flats had to be replaced...whilst getting this done I asked Quick Fit to look at my tracking which they confirmed was way out! Touch wood I haven't had any problems since and it is a great car but I was really dissapointed with their service!
Has anyone who has mini tlc been offered the tlc XL, if so, thoughts???

[< FORZA WEST]

look@u said:

sorry to jump in on this one but my 04 Cooper makes a noise when
turning the steering wheel at low speed/parking, all works as it should
but annoying. Any ideas on this one thanks.

Is it a kind of rubbing/grind mainly on full or near full lock?
If you have the later updated S with LSD gearbox then the noise is likely to be the LSD working(over working)the remedy for this is to have the gear oil replaced for the earlier box oil MTF 94-basically the oil used is slightly to thin and causes the LSD to work harder.Replace the oil and generally the noise after 500 - 1000 miles vanishes.

Another noise that is identical to that one is the tyres rubbing on the alloys.normally the 5 spoke with goodyear or dunflop tyres.

If you have a different noise to that let us know,will more than likely know what it is.

[look@u]

Not the tyres rubbing.
The noise is not on full lock it is just at low speed/parking

[Bungleaio]

Sorry to hear that your having problems but the story sounds familiar. I had an 05 MCSC, in the time I owned it it had these items sorted under warranty

New roof
New clutch
New flywheel
New oil in LSD
Alarm fixed for randomly going off

The squeek problem when moving off in 1st gear was also still there when I sold it along with a clicking noise (suspected engine mount) when letting off the power, also the steering made some odd crunchy noises.

Also whilst owning the car it was involved in two accidents, the 1st being when the handbrake failed and it drove into a garage door and wall, and when someone piled into the back of it. These resulted in the following;

New front bumper
Bonnet filled and resprayed
New front slam panel
New front fog light
New rear fog light
New back bumper
New parking sensors
New exhaust back box
New tail gate
New boot floor

I was in and out of the garage so much that even the receptionists new my name, I owned the car for 9 months and for nearly two of them the car was in the garage.

It was the worst car that I've ever owned for causing me hassle but it's also the car I miss most, god I miss the sound of the charger!

[speedysuz]

Bungleaio said:

The squeek problem when moving off in 1st gear was also still there when I sold it along with a clicking noise (suspected engine mount) when letting off the power, also the steering made some odd crunchy noises.

Mine makes a low pitched squeek noise when I pull off in 1st gear, I haven't noticed a clicking noise when letting off the power though, were the two connected? Did you find out what the squeek was?
...The front dip beam light went last night!

[look@u]

The noise on my 04 Copper is more of a whining than any thing.

[Bungleaio]

speedysuz said:

Bungleaio said:

The squeek problem when moving off in 1st gear was also still there when I sold it along with a clicking noise (suspected engine mount) when letting off the power, also the steering made some odd crunchy noises.

Mine makes a low pitched squeek noise when I pull off in 1st gear, I haven't noticed a clicking noise when letting off the power though, were the two connected? Did you find out what the squeek was?
...The front dip beam light went last night!

No it was booked in to be looked at again but I part ex'd it in for my impreza. The squeek is aparently something to do with the clutch/flywheel assembly, quite costly if its not under warranty

[riwiho]

[quote=< FORZA WEST]

look@u said:

sorry to jump in on this one but my 04 Cooper makes a noise when
turning the steering wheel at low speed/parking, all works as it should
but annoying. Any ideas on this one thanks.

Is it a kind of rubbing/grind mainly on full or near full lock?
If you have the later updated S with LSD gearbox then the noise is likely to be the LSD working(over working)the remedy for this is to have the gear oil replaced for the earlier box oil MTF 94-basically the oil used is slightly to thin and causes the LSD to work harder.Replace the oil and generally the noise after 500 - 1000 miles vanishes.

Another noise that is identical to that one is the tyres rubbing on the alloys.normally the 5 spoke with goodyear or dunflop tyres.

If you have a different noise to that let us know,will more than likely know what it is.

That sounds like the noise I get from MY05 MCS with LSD. Its due a servcice shortly so I will mention the noise and see what they say about the oil change

[Adam T]

riwiho said:

[quote=< FORZA WEST]

look@u said:

sorry to jump in on this one but my 04 Cooper makes a noise when
turning the steering wheel at low speed/parking, all works as it should
but annoying. Any ideas on this one thanks.

Is it a kind of rubbing/grind mainly on full or near full lock?
If you have the later updated S with LSD gearbox then the noise is likely to be the LSD working(over working)the remedy for this is to have the gear oil replaced for the earlier box oil MTF 94-basically the oil used is slightly to thin and causes the LSD to work harder.Replace the oil and generally the noise after 500 - 1000 miles vanishes.

Another noise that is identical to that one is the tyres rubbing on the alloys.normally the 5 spoke with goodyear or dunflop tyres.

If you have a different noise to that let us know,will more than likely know what it is.

That sounds like the noise I get from MY05 MCS with LSD. Its due a servcice shortly so I will mention the noise and see what they say about the oil change

When I got ours I told them about a slight ticking noise - was the clutch ands flywheel, mine also makes the runbling rubbing noise, and is on 17" 5 spokes with dunlops, they told me it was just small car, big wheel syndrome. I asked could it be the lsd, but to no avail. Its had a coil pack fitted too. Ill have a look to see about the tyres rubbing.