Timing Tensioner problems of the 2007 Mini Cooper S - part 2

07/Mini/cooper hardtop/2dr cpe s/ 51,810 miles. Timing chain tensioner collapsed and caused timing chain to stretch and damage guide rails. Replaced timing chain assembly and reprogrammed vehicle.

The timing chain tensioner brackets all broke on my 07 Mini. My mechanic stated that this in not a new issue and the it is a frequent problem that he deals with on several Minis. They are made of plastic and when cracked or broken they allow my timing chain to slip causing damage to my engine. I have already spent over 2000 dollars in repairs for this problem, and it has happened twice in the last 5 year that I have owned the vehicle. BMW/Mini must take responsibility for their defective engine parts. There should be a recall on these vehicles for it can cause enough damage to were you would need a new engine.

Mini issued a service bulletin on failed timing chain tensioners in 2009. Service bulletins sim-11-02-07 and puma measure number 10686850-13. The bulletin states that when a customer comes in with a tensioner problem that all cars affected will receive a new timing chain, chain guides, cam sprockets and vanos unit. On 6/23/10 my vehicle required this repair. Because I wasn't aware of the service bulletins the Mini dealership only replaced my vehicles tensioner without replacing the other parts. . . The tensioner is an easy replace and the actual timing chain is a 9. 9 hour job so I'm assuming they took the easy route with less accumulating labor. Now we're 23 months into that repair and the timing chain tensioner has gone bad. . . Again. This time the tensioner going out also caused the timing chain to fail along with the chain guides. Mini will replace the tensioner again, which is a 26 dollar part, because it is within the 24 month warranty. . . But because the Mini dealer that last replaced the tensioner did not follow the bulletins issued and replace the other pieces involved in the bulletin, they say I'm responsible. Mini now wants to charge me 1967 dollars for the repair of the timing chain and chain guides because it says the other parts are not covered. The car has 50,062 miles (warranty is to 50k). There are well over 200 entries that I found on the internet with this problem and a petition with over 650 signatures. When is something going to be done?.

This vehicle has twice had a failure of the timing chain as a result of a faulty tensioner, resulting in catastrophic engine failure. The first incident occurred from a dead stop in a parking lot so there was no immediate safety issue. The second incident, occurring 12/03/2012, manifested as the vehicle was DE-accelerating coming off a highway exit with a total loss of power at the bottom of the exit, in a remote area. Mini Cooper Sent their technicians in 2007 a "service bulletin," short of a recall, when the trend was discovered among its "r56' model engines in 2008. I had warned Mini of sounds which later were determined by independent experts to be the timing chain's "death rattle" prior to the first failure, which they attributed to the car's "go-kart like start up. " after 6 months of struggling, Mini agreed to 80% of the repair costs, with a new timing chain under a one year warranty. Other failures sidelined the vehicle for months in the intervening time, and due to the incredible cost of repair the vehicle had to be garaged until repaired. So although over a year passed between timing chain failures, about only about 39k miles were driven in that time. As of now, Mini is only offering 50% culpability, this after starting a vocal twitter campaign. I still owe $10k on a vehicle that requires up to $5k in repairs- a repair which will only replace a defective part with the same defective part.

Eight months 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 22 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 fourth replacement of the high pressure fuel pump on my car! they also replaced the timing chain tensioner because of the loud noise it was making on startup. And the inlet camshaft position sensor.

Engine exhibits hash noise during startup 50% of the time after Minimum of 8 hr shutdown at below freezing temperatures. The issue is a defective timing chain tensioner which the dealer won't replace because 1) they can't reproduce the startup noise or 2) this is "normal. " other vehicles of this make, model, and engine have experienced catastrophic engine failures because of dealer inaction and subsequent timing chain failure.

Engine exhibits harsh noise during startup 50% of the time after Minimum of 8 hr shutdown or if parked nose low. The issue is a defective timing chain tensioner which the dealer won't replace because 1) they haven't received an effective repair kit from BMW or 2) try to explain it away with the excuse that this timing chain metal-on-metal rattle is "normal. " an increasing world-wide number of vehicles of this make, model, and engine have experienced catastrophic low mileage engine failures because of dealer inaction and subsequent timing chain failure.

Engine noise on cold starts. My car has made diesel like noises on cold start up for the past year. At first the dealer said it was normal. Upon insisting they advised of a bleeding procedure and then of a faulty timing chain tensioner. After 7 months they finally replaced the tensioner (they had to hear it before they could repair it). The dealer had it for a week and said it was all fixed. The noise came back three days later. I took it in a second time and they got BMW engineer to look at it. They replaced a check valve that was supposed to trap oil in the vanos system and said once again it was fixed. The noise was back three days later. I took it back to the dealer and they were not able to duplicate the noise. I have been in touch with Mini of north America and they have asked me to keep a log as to how I drive and when it happens with temperature. The engine has oil and water on demand rather than all the time like regular engines. Starting this up with no oil in the head is bound to cause damage.

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. While driving approximately 45 mph, the engine warning indicator began to illuminate as a loud rattling noise emitting from the engine area. The vehicle suddenly stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who was unable to duplicate the problem or determine the cause of failure. The malfunction continued to occur. Most recently the vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop and they stated the engine timing tensioner and the high pressure fuel pump would need to be replaced. The technician advised the vehicle be taken to a dealer for repair. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000. The VIN was unavailable.