Timing Tensioner problems of the 2007 Mini Cooper S - part 1

Timing chain tensioner broke and messed up the engine.

We are a second owner of this Mini cooper had it about a year. Turn the car on and hear a rattle in motor. Worse when it's cold. Took it in to be checked it the timing tensioner. Apparently there has been an issue with this for sometime. Repair cost is around $2000. Car only has 76,000 miles this part should be provided under warranty. But when it breaks it affects the motor as well because it is metal it tears the motor up. Making a 10 dollar part cost thousands of dollars for repair. I don't feel like I am liable for the expense that Mini knew was a problem and never recalled.

This is a complaint against the timing chain and tensioner for the Mini cooper which is known to be faulty. The timing chain had begin rattling and was inspected at a Mini dealership. They stated that it's a known issue with Mini. Repair for this job is 2000 usd. This is a tremendous price tag. This can lead to a very very dangerous situation on the highway heading to work. Imagine going 65 on the highway the the chain snap. Lost power and control of the car. Not only the driver is at risk but other as well. What if it cause a family in the car an accident. Let's say 3 car were involved filled with families but one person died. You are causing a lifetime of heartache for not acknowledging the fault in your engine. Please be aware that people lives are at stake. It's better that Mini should take responsibility. Is money so much more important to Mini than the lives of people. The lives of families. If future accident can be avoided. It must start now. Do the right thing and make this recall happen. Don't let me start on carbon buildup. Engine design wasn't tested thoroughly. Everyone should be given a courtesy clean every 70000 miles or so. Already show sign of carbon buildup with 48k miles.

This is a complaint against the timing chain and tensioner for the Mini cooper which is known to be faulty. The timing chain had begin rattling and was inspected at a Mini dealership. They stated that it's a known issue with Mini. Repair for this job is 3800 usd. This is a tremendous price tag. This can lead to a very very dangerous situation on the highway heading to work.

My car started to act funny. Almost sounding like it was suffocating. It would die about ten to fifteen times every morning before I would finally get the car started. It would shut off when I stopped at intersections. The only time it ran decent was when I was driving highways speeds for 20 minutes or more. I changed out filters, spark plugs, and fluids but none of it changed the way it was running. Come to find out it that the chain and chain tensioner had broken. This damage caused roughly $1000 to fix. Luckily I caught it in time before it did additional damages to the crank shaft. With low miles the mechanic even told me its a fault part and brakes easily. He has had to replace numerous american model Minis in italy. My country code is 39 if you call.

Upon starting the vehicle the engine sounds as if parts are loose in the engine area. It lessens up after the engine warms up but is getting progressively worse. It appears it may be the timing chain/ tensioner.

The timing chain guides and tensioner in the Mini cooper are made from plastic. There is a service bulletin created by Mini USA to address this issue, but no recall. As I was driving home, making a turn across a busy intersection, my tensioner broke, which caused my vehicle to die in the middle of a turn with oncoming traffic. I had to get out of my vehicle and push it across the intersection while cars were driving by. Although it is common for vehicle engines to die of different issues, this is a well-documented and acknowledged problem for Mini coopers, but there has not been enough of a public outcry for a recall. The situation is dangerous, as it can cause engine failure which can result in a collision. The remedy is a replacement of a manufacturer-acknowledged faulty part.

The car lost power and would not run at idle speed. After much effort, managed to get the car to the only dealer in the state. After two failed diagnostics and two "repairs," the dealer says I now need the timing chain replaced. There are known issues about the timing chain and the tensioner. BMW and dealer deny responsibility and now wish to charge an additional $1500 to repair.

Received a letter from Mini on 11/16/13 notifying me of possibility of faulty chain tensioner, which needed to be "checked for wear and replaced if necessary," and that I should contact an authorized Mini dealer to arrange an appointment. No indication that the vehicle should not be driven. Two days later (11/18/13), just as I was about to schedule an appointment, the vehicle began to shake, then the red engine light came on, so I shut down the vehicle and had it towed first to the import shop that normally services the Mini then, after consultation with that mechanic about Mini's recall letter, had it towed to a Mini dealership, where it now sits waiting for diagnosis and news about what any damage might cost to repair, whether I will be responsible for it, and whether I will be reimbursed for two tow charges and a car rental.

With only 23,000 miles, engine exibited a loud rattling noise at idle, and running up to about 2800 rpm, when noise would disappear. Took it immediately to dealer, who diagnosed it as a failure of the timing chain tensioner piston; that failure caused the chain to skip and throw the cam timing out of alignment, according to the dealer. . . Cost of $188. 00 to replace timing chain tensioner, and $471 to diagnose cam timing skip and restore cam timing. . . Total cost $659. Dealer refused to submit claim to Mini north America for goodwill coverage, despite outstanding condition, low mileage, regular dealer maintenance, and proper oil levels and change intervals. This issue with the timing chain tensioner failure and resulting damage is well known and well documented and should be the subject of a recall and repair of entire timing chain system at Mini's cost-- severe cases can result in catastrophic engine failure at highway speed and potential crashes/fatalitites. Nhtsa, please make Mini do the right thing!!!!.

I have been experiencing a major flaw with oil supply/return lines to the turbo. A condition exists where if left unattended and uncared for creates the high risk of fire and subsequent loss of engine/vehicle. This event can happen at any time the car is being driven and/or later parked. The risk is created when oil accumulates, either through time or over a leisure drive, and collects near/on the exhaust manifold & turbo components, both of which operate at extremely high temperatures. It is becoming a daily task to look under the car hood and investigate for accumulation of oil near these parts due to the fact that the car smells of burning petroleum. Need I be more apparent of burning oil that will burn and destroy a car due to a faulty product? this has been occurring for the majority life of the car but he issue has never been professionally addressed due to disregard of the Mini/BMW dealerships to accept this design flaw. If researched further, there are many standard examples of this design flaw and numerous descriptions, images, examples, forums, and complaints of this flaw occurring in many cars of various styles, mileage, and trims occurring within the same year model of 2007. I have also experience many of the major flaws already listed and complained about on the nhsta such as the ¿death rattle¿ belt tensioner failing (luckily no catastrophic engine failure and which has been listed numerous times on nhsta, numerous), valve cover replacement (also listed), etc. Nhsta, address this problem as it is an avid and dangerous safety issue. The common person does not check under the hood daily and its only time before someone parks their Mini in a garage and the home goes down in flames. I personally don¿t park the Mini in the garage for fear of fire. Do not repair the Mini with the same faulty oil line design. Recall design.

Without warning or cause, the timing chain & tensioner failed, which ruined my engine. Just the timing chain costs $2000-$3000 to fix, but since my engine is gone as well that number is more like $6000-$7000. This is a 2007, and sinking half of the value of the car back into it does not make sense. This is a huge issue that needs to be dealt with. It is obviously a manufacturer issue as others have also reported this issue at various mileage stages. Please do something about this.

Timing chain tensioner, a well known problem with these cars. . . I worked my a** off for a year saving up for one of these cars and what do you know the tensioner goes. . . Mini does not care about you or the car they sell, its all about taking whats in your wallet and putting it in theres, dont buy one of these cars and not expect to pay for it twice literally in fixing it. .

I took my Mini s in to the shop for brake maintenance, to be told that the tensioner had failed and the timing chain kit had to be replaced. Unnecessary to mention, this is a very expensive repair. After doing much research, I have found that the tensioner in the Mini has been an issue for quite some time, some sites have quoted since 2007. Had I not taken my car in for a completely unrelated issue, my timing chain could have broken, resulting in a thrown rod and a blown engine, which can be incredibly dangerous. This tensioner is a defective piece which causes significant damage to the timing chain and area components when it fails. Due to the nature of this issue and the number of complaints seen on the web, a manufacturer's recall should be made.

Have had a severe rattling noise from engine for some time now, research says that it is a faulty timing chain tensioner problem. Also have a leaking oil supply line to the turbo. Both problems are major issues for which there has been no recalls from Mini. These are both extremely expensive repairs which I can not afford. . . . . . . There should be recalls on these problems! please help. . . . .

The timing chain tensioner fails causing the engine to suffer catastrophic failure. The customer is expected to pay out of pocket for a repair even though Mini has admitted a poor design and are replacing tensioners via a campaign. The customer will not get reimbursement.

I own a 2007 Mini Cooper S, that I purchased brand new in June of 2007. I immediately fell in love with the car and knew that this would be the last car I would ever own. It is a $31,000 car that I have blood, sweat, and tears made expensive ($560/month) payments on for the last five years. About two years into owning this car, I noticed when it was cold out that my Mini would get what is now known as "the death rattle". When I called ralph schomp Mini (where I had purchased it), they told me that the noise was nothing that I had to worry about and that it just had to do with cold weather. A year after that my Mini would struggle to get moving, I thought it was a battery problem, again the mechanics at ralph schomp Mini told me not to worry about it, again just cold weather. A couple weeks ago, I noticed that my car was acting up severely. The check engine light came on. Then a couple days later it went off and it seemingly stopped having issues. About a week after that, it started acting up again and the check engine light came back on. I attempted to take it to another auto place to have it diagnosed, but it was non-conclusive, and the symptoms only got worse. I had my Mini towed back to ralph schomp Mini, and their diagnosis resulted in saying that the timing chain tensioner malfunctioned and had come loose which did significant damage to the engine and that I would need to replace the engine. An engine supposedly built to last at least to 250,000 miles only made it until 52,000 miles and will cost me as much as $8,000 to repair. My warranty expired literally six months ago, and I am only about three months away from having her paid off. In looking up this issue online, many other 2007 Mini owners have also had this issue. I am incredibly disappointed in the entire situation, and would encourage a recall to be issued on 2007 Mini Cooper S.

Was driving back from vacation, and upon getting off the highway we had noticed a loud rattling was coming from the engine. Brought the car to a mechanic who said the timing chain tensioner had failed, resulting in the timing chain to be loose and destroy the rails it rode on. Upon looking into this issue further, discovered there is a TSB out about this issue, and many owners have had this same problem, but it is not a recall yet.

Mini USA was well aware of the massive timing chain problem (affecting 500,000 Mini coopers),but refused to fix it because it was out of warranty. I've complained of the cantankerous rattle during a cold start which was clearly related to the failing timing chain due to a defective and poorly designed timing chain tensioner. (apparently Mini has come out with a new one due to this problem). The dealership quoted me $1800 to replace the whole chain assembly. I ultimately took it an independent Mini mechanic and had it replaced for less ($1144). Now I am hearing that Mini dealerships are replacing this defective part beyond the warranty period. I believe that there is now a campaign to replace the tensioner and chain. They should have replaced it when the problems were obvious and should now compensate those who've paid out of their own pockets for this poorly designed part.

Engine timing chain tensioner malfunctioning causing decreased accelerating power and a loud rubbing/knocking noise when driving, that will cause engine damage if not promptly fixed. It is a well know Mini cooper problem (2007 models to current year) and the Mini dealership I took mine to has had many complaints about the issue. Mini has came out with replacement parts and a service guide on how to repair the issue at a hefty cost (if the engine hasn't already been damaged); however, Mini/bwm has not issued a recall or replacement at no cost to consumers to back up their product. Estimates for repair in my area were $1300-$1600 if repairable because again, it will cause engine failure if not fixed quickly. My car has 41,000 and have had my Mini serviced at the designated time intervals at only Mini services areas. Such a major repair that could have eventually caused my engine to stop working should not happen at 41,000 miles. Mini/bwm should back up there product with repairs and needs to find an ultimate fix because it is an issue even in the current models.

Engine is rattling horribly. In doing some research it sounds like what most are calling the "rattle of death". The timing chain is making entirely too much noise. And car is running poorly. I can not and will not drive this car till it is repaired! this is a potential catastrophic engine failure. Mini cooper knows about this major engineering problem and will not issue a recall. Repair estimates are as much as $2500. 00 for timing chain and timing chain tensioner.

Timing chain and tensioner failure mentioned by others also occurred in my car. Failure in my case was progressive: started with rough starts, noisy idle (from chain impacting cover!) progressed to non-existent acceleration above 4000 rpms (a safety issue on the highway) . Brought the car to mechanic and while he was investigating the obvious air leak, car failed to start. Dealer eventually discovered bent valves from impact with piston preventing proper seal, but only after replacing snapped tensioner guides and timing chain dropped into oil pan for $2,525. Had this occurred while driving it poses a significant safety issue. Then they tell me they can replace all valves for $4,500. Total cost, over $7,000. Effectively, this is a total engine failure and it would be cheaper to drop in a complete new engine. Mini and their dealers are well aware of this problem and as it can - and has - resulted in failures for other motorists at highway speeds it poses significant safety risk and should be addressed with a recall.

Mini cooper drivers around the u. S. And world have been reporting a strange knocking/rubbing noise coming from the engine compartment for the year 2007+ Mini cooper. From the misc dealer repair details it appears to be a issue with the timing chain and tensioner system. It also appears the without being fixed the car will eventually have a timing chain failure and possible motor destruction. On a good note BMW/Mini know what the problem is however is failing to come up with or acknowledge a permanent solution. How many customers issues will it take before BMW/Mini will issue a full recall?.

The cold start rattle was/is being caused by the timing chain tensioner (which is in turn powered by an oil-pressurized piston). More specifically the sound is caused when the tensioner piston doesn't extend all the way (or at all) which then allows the timing chain to come in contact with the guides on the engine cover.

Took my car into the Mini dealer today due to the fact that it was idling low, sounded like a diesel when it turned on and made a knocking noise. Mini let me know that it was in fact my timing chain and tensioner system that was making this sound and needed to be replaced. If it had not been replaced, I could have experienced complete engine failure. My Mini is not the only one that has had this problem, therefore I feel like Mini should cover the cost of fixing my timing chain and tensioner since it is going to cost me approximately $2,500 to fix it. I guess I should be thankfully that I was able to get my Mini to the dealer before it suffered a complete engine failure.

On cold starts, it has become a documented issue that 07-11 "s" models have an issue with a horrible rattle upon starting. This can become a catastrophic failure for many people who have experienced this issue. This is due to a tensioning mechanism which allows too much travel in the timing chain. This can allow the chain to jump or break which can cause a complete engine failure. The fix involves relplacement of the timing chain and a redesigned tensioner. BMW acknowledges this issue, but will not help out Mini owners even at a reduced rate. With just a short search on the internet, it is easy to find thousands of owners who have experienced this issue and are asking for help to resolve the issue, with no luck.

In January 2012 with 37,000 miles on it my Mini started having very noisy starts. The noise would go away after it warmed up. Took the vehicle to Mini dealer and they said that it was the timing chain and tensioner. They agreed to replace the timing chain, tensioner guides etc for half price as a good will gesture. Now I find out that this is a common problem.

I have had previous issues with the panoramic sunroof, I had to get it replaced. Then I had issues with the chain and chain tensioner and had to get that replaced too. Now the steering has failed on me, I can't start the car or even move the steering wheel. My steering is locked now; I had the car running, everything seemed to run fine and the steering worked fine. Once I shut the car off I couldn't start the car back up and my steering locked up. I had to get my car towed home. I wish BMW would do some kind of a recall on this car so we wouldn't have to pay so much money out of our own pockets!.

After a couple days of hearing some rattling under the hood after cold starts, my engine light came on. I took it to the dealer and the mechanic said that a faulty tensioner had caused the timing chain to stretch out excessively and if it's not fixed, my engine could seize up at any time. . It's a $2,500 repair. This is ridiculous, considering the car is only 4 years old and has just 30,000 miles on it. I did some research and found that many many owners of my same year, make and model are reporting the exact same problem. It is a known issue, yet Mini is doing nothing about it. I called Mini cooper to ask about it and they only grudgingly took my complaint. They said they will not do a recall unless the federal government demands it, so I'm asking you to do so. I think this is a serious safety issue (who knows when the engine could seize up) and it seems to be so widely reported, I can't believe Mini is ignoring it. I would think this is about to be a very serious problem, considering other 2007's are just starting to have these problems. Please investigate and make Mini do the right thing.

I almost had a timing chain/tensioner failure. Took my '07 mcs into the Mini dealer for its 4 year service. They found that the 'timing chain tensioner is weak and needs to be replaced' or 'tensioner worn and causing excessive chain slack and chain noise'. I bought my Mini new, it now has 35464 miles and this should fall into the category as 'unusual'. This should not be a part that wears out or suffers failure with so few miles. As I checked out this failure on the web I quickly found out that this is not unusual but is happening quite frequently. I missed this being covered under the warranty by 2 weeks. My lose? maybe; maybe not, at least I did not destroy the engine. According to the service department paperwork they replaced the chain tensioner with an updated 551 tensioner, p/n: 11 31 7 607 551, @ $26. 21 ($146 for installation). It appears that Mini/BMW knows about the problem and redesigned the part to prevent problems in the future, hopefully. If this is true why don't they recall the cars and just take care of it. Had I had the bad luck of destroying the engine my opinion on all their products would have drastically changed. I also own a '11 BMW 335xi.

Timing chain tensioner replaced July of 2011 now aug31,2012 loud noise timing chain stretched so replaced & tensioner replaced again.

2007 Mini Cooper S: cold start rattle had been an on-again, off-again problem, but since I'd had the timing chain tensioner changed while the car was still under warranty, I didn't make the connection. At 81,000 miles, I was driving when the red oil light came on. This was the first and only indication of a problem. I stopped at the next gas station, got some synthetic oil, and put in 2 quarts. I continued on my way, but the oil light had not gone off. Within about 1-2 miles, as I was entering a highway, the car began making a very loud rattling noise and then stalled. I was able to get to the shoulder. I called Mini roadside assistance, but after about 15 mins. On the phone, they finally figured out that they were not authorized to tow off this interstate. I got an authorized towing CO. To come, and I let them tow it to their local garage. The next day they told me that the engine had ceased and would need to be replaced. The following day I had the car towed to prestige Mini to determine if this was, in fact, what had happened. They diagnosed the same thing, said there was no way to know the cause, and quoted me $6400 to replace the engine (which they ultimately brought down to $5600). At 81k miles, there is no reason this engine should have ceased. Plus, I had no warning that there was something wrong with the car--no "check engine" light, no "check oil" light until it was too late. Based on what I've read, now about the 2007 Mini, I am certain this was defect related. How do I prove that? I'm at the mercy of the dealership.

Have had problems with my Mini since it was new. In Nov. Of 2010 the chain tensioner was finally changed after many complaints of the noise. On mon. 6-6-11 my check engine light came on. Called the dealer & set up an appointment for that sat 6-11. On wed. 6-8 my car died with no warning. No computer lights came on. Had to tow it to the Mini dealer on sat. 6-11. They told me it was the vacuum pump causing major catastrophic engine failure. My engine only had a quart of oil and that was why it went out. I had documentation of my oil change. It still had 3,000m to go before it needed to be changed. Was also checked 2 wks before this incident and it was fine. I am now needing a new engine at a cost of 6,087. The regional team at Mini customer service decided there would be no assistance because I let it run out of oil, which is not true. They said there was no appeal process, their decision was final. My car has 64k miles on it. The chain tensioners and vacuum pumps are known failures but Mini refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem. Easier to blame the consumer. A vehicle that costs nearly 30k dollars should not have an engine failure at 64k miles. There are countless complaints out there. All you need to do is check the web. Mini should step up and do the right thing. This could have caused a major crash with fatalities if I had been traveling on the interstate highway which I do every day.

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper Sport. The contact was driving approximately 65 mph when the check oil warning lamp illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop who diagnosed that the timing chain tensioner fractured. As a result, the timing chain loosened and caused all the pistons to misfire and damage the engine. The manufacturer was contacted who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was out of warranty. The VIN was not available and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 82,000.

At approximately 67,000 miles, the engine developed a knocking sound which would last from a cold start for approximately 5 minutes. After two weeks, the engine failed entirely. The mechanic reported that the timing chain retensioner had broken and caused another component to fall into the engine where it did further damage.