general problems of the 2007 Mini Cooper S

Vehicle was stationary in my driveway, was not started and was unattended, had not been started in over a week and keys were not in the vehicles. The vehicle spontaneously burst into flames which burned the engine bay and front end of the car before the fire dept. Arrived and extinquished the fire with foam. The car had been sitting unstarted for over a week. I am unsure of what caused the fire and because of the extensive damage to the engine bay I could not determine were the fire originated. Perhaps a professional fire examiner could determine that. I am blessed that this did not happen while parked in my garage but was scary. I just want this incident on record so that others which own this particular type of vehicle can be warned about the potential dangers. I have owned this vehicle since new and had a couple of updates done per BMW such as the tailpipes and timing chain in the engine. I was not aware of any additional recalls or updates but apparently there have been some incidences of fires such as mine which I learned about after searching the internet to see if similar issues had been documented. I will attach a few pictures for you to help with your assessment. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope this information will be some help to others in preventing a similar situation. I thank god no one was injured or property damaged other than my car. The fire department made a report but it did not include investigating the cause just a response to a fire.

The turbocharger had to be replaced, new turbo got hot and melted the valve cover. Then the turbocharger caught fire while in motion in a rural neighborhood. All within 6 months.

My vehicle is currently @ braman BMW wpb (5612423210) for a timing chain problem which was under recall. The service advisor called me and notified me that the timing chain broke inside the engine & completely destroyed the motor. Te timing chain job alone estimate is $3800, but theyve notified me that the engine is unrepairable & must be replaced! they also failed to acknowledge that this happen whilst driving on an interstate, almost causing a huge accident!! please help!! Mini apparently cares more about money than lives!!.

There was a recall for the timing chain, so I had it replaced in the recall program that was offered through Mini cooper. Less then 2 years later, my timing chain broke again, and has damaged the motor of my car. It would not start.

Timing chain replaced at 32k, just failed again at 92k with mobil one oil and filter changes every 5k miles. Chain jumped in garage during shut down of engine. Would not restart. I checked spark, fuses for primary fuel pump and made a judgement that it was a failure of the high pressure fuel pump and towed it to the dealer for warranty replacement. Got the call the timing chain jumped a link and I would need a replacement again. Can't believe it . Third chain with good lubrication maintenance in under 92k.

I was driving at highway speed when without warning the car lost partial power and the engine light came on and began flashing. I pulled over to the roadside and turned the engine off. I looked at the owner's manual to see what the flashing engine light indicates. Nothing definitive was stated in the manual, so I started the engine and drove it to my home about 10 miles under partial power. I contacted a local garage (mienke) and let them know the problem. The garage was about three miles away so I drove it to them. They diagnosed a loss of compression in one of the valves that would require a valve job. I contacted Miniusa to report the problem. They requested I take it to the local dealer for diagnosis. I contacted the dealer and let them know what occurred and asked if it was safe to drive the approximate 20 miles to their location with a compromised engine. They said it would be okay and bring it in. They diagnosed it the next day with a failed timing chain ($1800), vacuum pump ($600) and valve cover assembly ($385). I let them know the timing chain was already replaced by a Mini dealership at 40781 miles and they should replace it at no cost as this is supposed to last 100,000 miles. The dealer would not. I contacted Miniusa again to report the issue and request to have this replaced at no cost. They have not gotten back to me yet and it is still pending their decision. I began to look online for similar issues and found hundreds of complaints from owners regarding the same issue with the timing chain. Mini/BMW is well aware of the issue but still does not cover this reoccurring problem. This is an expensive repair and unknowing Mini owners are spending thousands of dollars to have their cars put back on the road. There is also a pending class action law suit in new jersey for this same issue.

Was driving car downtown at a speed on average of 15 mph. Trip only lasted 15 minutes when I parked and noticed smoke coming from my hood. Smoke quickly escalated into a fire. Called 911 to have fire trucks out. Grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby business to try to put out the flames, but was unable to even while spraying directly at the flames. Firemen had to pry open the hood to get to the engine to put out the fire. Car engine was totaled.

Driving Mini Cooper S when all of a sudden I lost power to the car and was able to get it off the hwy. Timing chain broke and damaged the engine. The car has 91,000 miles on it.

Timing chain failure. Happened on freeway. Complete loss of power, had to be towed.

Complete loss of engine oil pressure while surrounded by semis in the 3/4-mile-long big walker mountain tunnel while traveling northbound on I-77 (near virginia exit 47). Thankfully the engine didn't seize and I was able to pull off once through the tunnel. According to my mechanic, the cause was a check valve in the valve cover, which malfunctioned in a way that created a vacuum and trapped oil in the top part of the engine. Replacement cover had been redesigned to prevent the problem, so it seems to have been a known issue.

I took my car into my local shop and had oil change,new battery,tires rotated and alignment . They could a noise from the engine and they checked it out. Call me to inform me that I had to take to the mimi cooper dealership because the timing chain needed to be replace. I called Mini cooper and spoke to amanda at the houston dealership momentum Mini. She informed me that the cost would be anywhere from 4000 to 10,000 dollars. I explained to her I had the car for 1 year and have any driven 6000 miles in a year. After doing research I noticed that other people where having the same issues with there Mini. I purchased this car with 39,126 miles on it and my daily drive to work is a quarter mile if that. Please help !!!.

While driving west on 580 highway, my car lost power and was unable to accelerate out of the lane. I was able to coast off of the freeway out of the way of moving traffic. Highway patrol was able to assist with warning other drivers of a mechanical failure. Due to a mechanical vacuum pump failure, car lost all power, and the engine was a total loss. Also failed on the engine was a cam shaft failure, timing chain failure. This is considered a total loss. Repairs cost more than the car is worth. Cost of repairs provided by dealer is estimated at 9,700. 00 dollars manufacture aware of oil issues with the vacuum pump, which could lead to a catastrophic engine breakdown. Oil feed hole on the pump can become clogged on the pump. Vacuum pump will inadequately supply oil to the vital moving parts on the engine. We had just completed an oil change a week before this failure. Manufacture intervals for oil changes, put failure of pump a reality, not a possibility.

On 2/4/13 had my car taken to global imports BMW/Mini dealership on 5925 peachstreet ind. Blvd. Atlanta,GA. (the cylinder head cover had to be replaced,was leaking, I paid $1291. 45 for the service). I picked up my car on 2/5/13, according to them is was good to go. Started heading back home, when the engine light popped up again, the car started smoking,shaking,it would not drive higher than 40miles. , got off I-75 in macon GA, called roadside services, had car towed back to the dealership mentioned above for repairs. They kept it for a week. They call on 2/20/13 telling my the car was ready for pick up. I returned to atlanta the following day 2/21/13. They charged me for service $3,991. 57 . Headed back to florida on 2/23/13, and not even half way, on I-75, the engine light popped up again, the car would not higher than 40miles, had car towed to the Mini of south atlanta dealership in union city,and im awaiting to hear from them when to come and pick up my car. When the recall was first announced,I tried to contact BMW/Mini headquaters, they told me I will receive a letter in the mail regarding the recall,which I never received. I need help forcing these people to be responsible, fix my car or if not reimburse all the money I have invested in repair (not only in atlanta but in florida as well). Please I need your advise. A very frustrated Mini Cooper S driver .

My car has a transmission problem. Have to replace it for $9000! it s Mini Cooper S 2007 only 29800 miles!! the dealer will not repines anything and the warranty is out!.

Turbo oil feed piping fails at connector. Banjo type fitting on tubing fails on connection above turbo, spilling oil on turbo unit. Produces smoke and a potential fire hazard.

Tl-the contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that the timing chain damaged the engine, rendering it inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the engine and advised that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 54,000. Kmj.

Vehicle serviced regularly for maintenance. Pre-incident zero warning via on-board sensors/indicator. Last maintenance performed at 52k. Vehicle had 56k miles at time of incident. Incident occurred in the morning: timing chain snapped upon start up. Due to this failure the engine was destroyed requiring a complete engine replacement. A serious issue requiring a recall.

I was driving on the highway, I slowed down, and I heard clunking rock like noises. My car rolled to a stop. My mechanic has verified that the timing chain is broken, which is highly unusual and should never happen. The Mini cooper forums have many complaints about the same problem in 2007 Mini Cooper S models. I could have been killed. Mini has not issued a recall, but they need to. Immediately.

Cold start issues and eventual "check engine" triggered by deffective high pressure fuel pump. Dealer replaced under warranty. Additional problem with excessive heat from engine causing warping of plastic hood scoop (3rd replacement).

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that there was an extremely abnormal odor that entered the cabin of the vehicle, similar to eggs. The vehicle was maneuvered off the roadway and upon further inspection, he found a small fire had erupted under the hood. The fire department was not called. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. The manufacturer suggested taking the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and possible repairs. The failure mileage was 52,000. The VIN was not available.

My wife and I both noticed a burning smell inside our 2007 Mini Cooper S last week while traveling on an expressway in either tennessee or north carolina on vacation. I opened my window for 3-4 minutes, suspecting the smell might be getting into the car from a pickup truck running approximately 40-50 yards ahead of us. There was no sign of smoke or fire around the pick-up truck. This smell happened very briefly twice on the same day; I opened my window for a few minutes in both cases, and the burning smell did not return after that. We drove 2200 miles in 9 days and did not have any problems with the car.

After multiple frustrating complaints and unsuccessful service attempts on 8/17/11, 9/1/11, 9/6/11, 9/21/11 and 9/28/11 for my 2007 Mini Cooper S (purchased on 8/16/11) at mayors auto mall SAAB located at 6001 northern boulevard, woodside NY 11377 and failing inspection on 9/1/12; I was fed up and brought my vehicle directly to hassel BMW Mini of freeport located at 100 cleveland avenue, freeport NY 11520 on 10/31/11. After a service bill of $3,546 (service) +$141. 21 (evaluation fee) = $3,688. 03 from BMW Mini, the problems were still not resolved. I then filed a lemon law case against mayors auto mall and won on. Despite winning the case, mayors auto mall refused to return my monies for the purchase price of vehicle. After contacting dmv with the issue and having them suspending their business license, mayors auto mall finally refunded my monies for vehicle purchase but it was excluding service bills of $3,688. 03 from BMW Mini since lemon law did not cover this amount. I am filing a complaint against BMW Mini and would like to find out possible remedies for getting a refund services paid towards a vehicle that I no longer have due to lemon law case and am out of $3,688. 03 for no reason. I understand BMW Mini is currently being sued for these same issues by many consumers. Please contact me with any possible information you may be able to provide regarding my case. I am in awe shock that I am still dealing with this and it has been 3 years already since I had to return the car to mayors auto mall. Thank you for your concern with this matter and would appreciate any information you are able to provide.

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S convertible. The contact stated that after a rain storm, the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the diagnostic test indicated that the engine hydro seized. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 42,000. The VIN was unknown.

The heater core is placed next to the accelerator pedal in the foot well. The car design has the heater core on all the time. The only insulation between the heater core and the foot on the accelerator pedal is a plastic cover which becomes too hot to touch.

2007 Mini Cooper S spontaneously caught fire while turned off and parked in my garage. I had traveled less than two miles when I parked the car. Fire started under the hood and completely totaled the car by the time the fire department arrived and put it out.

One month after Mini of concord replaced my high pressure fuel pump for the gasoline leak and strong gas smell within the cabin, again the gas smell started up in the cabin (for all trips). I took it back to Mini of concord (this is 14 months after buying car), and they again found a leak in the high pressure fuel pump and line, and replaced the parts - again. This was the third of four replacements of the high pressure fuel pump on my car.

In August of 2008, 12 months after purchasing my car, it for a 2nd time in 1 year, started to smell strongly like gasoline inside the cabin. I brought it in to Mini of concord, and they found a leak in the high pressure fuel pump and line, and replaced the parts - for a 2nd time. This was the second of four replacements of the high pressure fuel pump in my car.

Car clunks while going over rough roads. As per diagnosis from Mini dealership, the "transmission motor mount is too small and does not dampen shock from road bumps or acceleration torque" and was replaced.

Cold start rumble/rattle/clatter from engine. Intermittent and sporadic sound from engine bay upon start up primarily during winter months, sound disaptes and goes away as car warms. The sound is very rough clatter, sounding like metal on metal - oil starvation on start up? I have serious concerns on long term damage and compromise of the normal life of motor - in other words getting screwed outside of warranty. This is not a single incident, but an ongoing condition.

In early January 2008, 5 months after purchasing my car, it started to smell strongly like gasoline inside the cabin, and I was concerned that there was a risk of fire. I pulled over and let the car sit, and restarted it, but the smell resumed. I brought it in to Mini of sf, and they found a leak in the high pressure fuel pump and line, and replaced the parts. This was the first of four replacements of the high pressure fuel pump on my car.

Gets extremely hot under the hood and deforms the plastic hood scoop.

The hood scoop of my car deforms due to extreme heat.

I arrived in country 2007 have had problem with the ck engine light and noise from the engine, the large check engine over stering wheel blk and engine light in hector meter orange. Ive had in shop many time for this problem latest was sept 2015 said to carbin $1232. 00 December 2015 $599. 00 driving Minium the engine run when the car is engine is off. Also pk up hill the will move when the emg bks or up and geir in nutural.