Table 1 shows one common equipment related problems of the 2008 Mini Cooper S.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Equipment problems |
As I was driving the car, the hood in the front started to release smoke. There was also a smoking smell. This continued throughout the ride. Brought the car to a mechanic who indicates that the car is leaking oil onto the engine, making it extremely dangerous to drive as it can cause a fire. This problem continues to exist after I replace the oil pipe.
I currently have an oil leak developing from the turbo oil line that has resulted from a failed o-ring within the line itself. Due to a design flaw, the heat from the turbo wears away the o-ring, which results in oil leaking from where the line is bolted to the turbo via a banjo bolt. This is a serious problem because if the line fails, the turbo becomes starved of oil and burns up, which ultimately causes the whole turbo unit to be replaced. Also, the oil leaking onto the turbo has a potential to catch fire, since the turbo becomes very hot during normal driving. Also if any oil leaks down to the exhaust piping underneath the turbo, those places also pose a fire hazard. Mini recognizes this to be an issue, but refuses to do anything other than add a heat shield around the connection to the turbo. The line still has a rubber o-ring in it that will fail over repeated heat cycles, and the line needs to be redesigned.
My Mini Cooper S was purchased brand new, and had all regular maintenance done at the dealership. However, once the warranty expired I took the car to my regular mechanic who has performed work for myself and family for twelve years. After reading this website, and it's complaints the same problems have occurred to me. The oil lines began to leak because there was a clog, and it caused the turbo to burn out. Parts and labor for a used turbo came out to be around $1,800. A new turbo alone would have cost roughly 2,000. Now several thousand miles later, there was an oil leak noticed under the car. I took it to the dealership this time, to see what the exact problem was and an estimate before taking it to my mechanic. They found "several leaks" of which they replaced the water pump, the water pump gasket, valve cover gasket, and finally the oil filter gasket. After the $1,800 bill for that was paid, a call was received declaring that the crank case now has a leak in it as well and needs to be resealed. With the oil leaking from that, the clutch could also be burning out and need to be replaced costing an additional $5,400. The repair bill on this alone would be enough to bring normal hard working people to tears. Also, the cold start rattle identifying the timing belt issues has begun on my car. There are thousands upon thousands of complaints about this on the internet. Glad to know BMW takes care of it's customers and ignores the complaints.
Vehicle was brought in for warranty repairs just before warranty expired (6/9/12). Service department was asked to inspect 'turbo oil supply line' as this was TSB (sim-11-03-08) for clogs/blockage caused by the deterioration of the rubber o-ring in line that when heat cycled falls apart and clogs the line causing damage to the turbocharger. Service department stated a inspection was performed and noted there was no blockage. Turbocharger oil supply line is now broken and no longer supplying oil to turbocharger. Diminished performance and the smell of oil was the reason for discontinued driving of the vehicle. Upon inspection it was discovered the oil supply line has broken. I do not know the extent of the damage until repaired. Turbocharger may need replacing as a result of this known failing part.