[TheScotsman]

I picked up my F56 Cooper S on 2nd September and the car has been at the dealer way more than it should be. Having read the forums prior to taking delivery I expected there would be teething problems, and was mentally prepared to accept the odd niggle and use the warranty to remedy it.

The car has been in at the dealer for excessive creaks and rattles. The interior always seemed to be firm and of decent quality, and it's not as if I drive a lot of bad roads, but I have experienced so many issues with endless trim noises.

My speedo makes a clicking noise when driving along the road, any slight bump and you hear like a plastic on plastic single click, but repeatedly like every 5-10 seconds. I was informed by the dealer that they couldn't find a problem, despite being in the car with them when it was happening. This issues went away by itself, but it has now returned to torture me.

I have problems with the stereo getting interrupted every 5-10 seconds where there is a slight break in the sound. At first I thought this was DAB as I was listening to the radio and didn't have an iPod or anything with me. This later became more frequent and was noticeably not just DAB that was affected, but all sources, whether iPhone, iPod or radio. The car has been in for weeks for the dealer to scratch their heads and try to diagnose this issue. They spend a week failing to replicate the issue, despite me informing them exactly how to reproduce it. Eventually I was called in to prove there actually was a problem, so I came in and right away within 5 minutes I had the issue displaying itself in all it's glory. The senior Technician couldn't believe it, and even with the iPod/iPhone disconnected it persisted. Here's where it gets even more messed up, if the engine is switched off, the doors locked and all power drained from the car, only then does it disappear, almost like an electrical fault or head unit software reset or something. So this is an ongoing issue where BMW Technical are pretty much saying it's my iPhone and cables that are the problem as I am the only person experiencing this. BMW Technical claimed the iPhone 5s wasn't compatible with the USB cable connection, but my iPod was. So my dealer loaned me a BMW USB to Lightning cable and I made it my mission to disprove their theory. I was able to reproduce the issue with the "compatible" iPod and the BMW cable. So now it's back to BMW Technical to find something else of mine to blame.

I reported once before that my steering felt heavy, and I am still convinced my steering is intermittently heavy. Sometimes I get in the car and everything is fine, other times even in Green the steering is overly heavy, and there is a noticeable gradual firmness between Green, Mid and Sport modes, which is normal. However a few times Green and Mid have felt exactly the same. This is at very low and high speeds. I fully understand that the steering has variable stiffness the faster you go, but this is sometimes overly heavy at very slow speed, where you would expect the steering to be lighter for manoeuvres. With it being electric steering, it is possible there is an electrical problem somewhere. This might tie in with my intermittent stereo problems.

I know some people have mentioned previously about their cars not being locked when they go to get in it. Well I have experienced this twice. The first time I put it down to human error and I had pressed a button. I got in the car one morning and got a warning that the boot was open, so I got out and had a look, and right enough the boot was open. So as I said I just assumed I screwed up. Well yesterday I nipped out to the car and noticed the door pins were up, and I knew I had 100% locked the car, and I knew I hadn't accidentally hit a button as the lights never came on. So I got in the car, started the engine and was greeted by an alert that my boot was open. So naturally I got out, walked round and right enough the boot was open. I'm thinking this could be another electrical problem somewhere.

Call me paranoid or whatever you like, but three problems that could essentially be related to electrical problems sounds like a pattern and not a coincidence to me.

I have been in contact with BMW Customer Service, MINI Customer Service and my dealer, and I am just getting tired of problems, and by rights I have to give the dealer a chance to fix all the problems, but I am seriously considering the next step as rejecting the car. Which is really a shame as I absolutely love driving the car, it just drives like nothing I have ever driven before. Every time I get a courtesy car they are all brand new 64 plates, but I still miss my own car, and it's like sheer bliss to get in and drive it whenever I get it back, despite it's problems.

 

[jeremybingham]

Sounds like one problem might be causing all of this eg dodgy ecu or loose wire that is causing all this since they are electricl. I'd be very tempted to reject it let them give you another car. You are within your right s since you are giving them ample time to sort it. They make so many there is bound to n be the odd trapped wire loose earth etc .poor you share your pain.we had a lemon Hyundai bought brand new a 4 years ago and that's why we moved to mini initially! It was a r
Total mare and the 5 year warranty soon galls when your car is at the dealeer every week. We had to get very firm,I wrote to Hyundai direct to 'help the dealer get what they thought was needed!

 

[Mindo]

Cheers Scotsman for sharing your experience thus far. What i fear most are the very creaks and rattles you mentioned. I have so far hit 750 miles and nothing terribly major, but alas i am getting a faint vibrational buzzing from the rear. Just hoping it gets no worse.

 

[MicrowaveDave]

Sorry to see you've had so many problem's I have a Cooper S driven within an inch of its life 3300 miles and iv nothing bad to report.. other than the media unit going faulty at 4 days old which was replaced. Hope you get a resolution soon.

 

[jeremybingham]

Cooper 1500 miles and 3 months old,teeny window creak,on occasion,therefore delighted. Far superior to my r56 which had more rattles than an Arizona snake.

 

[TheScotsman]

more rattles than an Arizona snake.

LOL legend

 

[Peterg]

I had a Countyman SD for a very short while..

Briefly:

Bought it new, on the day of collection, the sales guy couldn't open it.. 1 hour later and seriously not happy i came home in a courtesy car, thinking they can keep the car.
Anyway the next day collected it and noticed it did not have an on board comp, despite being told it would have by the sales dept.. It was only after me trawling the net that i found i could get a software update to install the computer, even though the dealer said it can't be done!!!
Two days later windows started to creak on the rubbers, car used to feel very skittish, Fuel consumption was crap, among other things.
After heated discussions and having covered 1100 miserable miles the dealer bought it back with me loosing £1000.
The point i am making is, sometimes you learn to hate a car after having a bad start with it, you look for all its faults..

The Countyman is a Horrendous car in my opinion!!!!

I am however very pleased with my Cooper S so far, it is by far a superior car than anything else that Mini has produced.

 

[TheScotsman]

Hi Peter. I understand what you are saying, but I don't hate the car. Yes I have had a very rocky start, but I thoroughly enjoy the car and would like nothing more than it to be working.

 

[Totallyrandom]

TheScotsman, the exact same issue (unlocking with the boot open) happened to me this evening.

I know I locked the car as the radio turned off when I pressed the lock button on the remote. I looked out the window when coming up to bed, no flashing red light. Popped out, doors were unlocked and there was a light indicating the boot was open.

The key went from my hand (to lock) to a flat surface where there was no chance any buttons could've been pressed.

I love my car but am seriously worried this could happen again when the car isn't somewhere as secure as my front drive

 

[TheScotsman]

TheScotsman, the exact same issue (unlocking with the boot open) happened to me this evening.

I know I locked the car as the radio turned off when I pressed the lock button on the remote. I looked out the window when coming up to bed, no flashing red light. Popped out, doors were unlocked and there was a light indicating the boot was open.

I have had my car in all week regarding these issues, and they said that my iPod must be the problem with the stereo (when last time it was my iPhone), and that they haven't seen any issue with my car unlocking itself, so there must not be a problem.

I am getting the car back tomorrow as this is just a complete waste of time, and I will figure out what my end game will be later. I love the car, I just want the problems fixed.

 

[TheScotsman]

Word of advice to everyone. Please report the issues you experience, because until you do BMW/MINI are burying their heads in the sand, and they are treating these as isolated issues.

 

[kenl]

Nothing wrong with keeping MINI in the loop but in the UK your sales contract is with the dealer and not MINI.

If you decide to reject the vehicle you need to deal directly with the the dealership.

 

[jeremybingham]

Word of advice to everyone. Please report the issues you experience, because until you do BMW/MINI are burying their heads in the sand, and they are treating these as isolated issues.

I think they are isolated incidents the Scotsman.I'm very very happy with mine. Sad you've been unlucky. The way they are built it amazes Me how any car could have a issue ,quality control is so strict at the factory,but then again the r e is a heck of a lot to go wromg. Your dealer must sort it or replace your car. Mini are a last resort but sometimes you have to go there to put pressure on the dealer!

 

[lawrothegreat]

It's always sad to hear of issues and it is right that they are voiced on here. A couple of themes are emerging for example the jumping out of gear, I don't think these issues are representative of all cars. My MCS is a very early build and now with £14k on the clock is going strong.

 

[Totallyrandom]

Word of advice to everyone. Please report the issues you experience, because until you do BMW/MINI are burying their heads in the sand, and they are treating these as isolated issues.

I notified the dealer that sold me the car of the issue and asked them to ask around to see if it was common as I'd heard another person complain of it. Also asked if they had any idea what it could be or how it could be fixed.

I got the standard "something must have pressed the button to unlock the car" response, and haven't heard further since explaining it's fairly impossible when I locked the car, put the key in a pocket of my bag which is fleece-lined and otherwise empty, and then left my bag in one place all night where it was not touched until I realised the car was open.

As you say, they're unlikely to do anything about it unless they experience it themselves, even if lots of people raise the issue.

Just have to wait and see if it happens again, and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't.

 

[johnan]

I notified the dealer that sold me the car of the issue and asked them to ask around to see if it was common as I'd heard another person complain of it. Also asked if they had any idea what it could be or how it could be fixed.

I got the standard "something must have pressed the button to unlock the car" response, and haven't heard further since explaining it's fairly impossible when I locked the car, put the key in a pocket of my bag which is fleece-lined and otherwise empty, and then left my bag in one place all night where it was not touched until I realised the car was open.

As you say, they're unlikely to do anything about it unless they experience it themselves, even if lots of people raise the issue.

Just have to wait and see if it happens again, and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't.

I am no electronics expert, but my last Toyota would not start sometimes when parked in my local Asda car park and a radio genius on that forum said it could be due to data burst streams being sent from Asda or other firms in the area using the mobile phone network interfering with the "radio" or wireless side of the Toyota's ecu.
After about 5 minutes the car would behave normally again.
The Toyota in question was all singing, all dancing with keyless entry etc.

There could be spurious signals floating about that may cause odd effects when they interfere with the frequencies of a remote control system.

Who knows.

 

[jeremybingham]

Quite right Jonan. My wife also watched as a shopper walked up to her peugeot blip the doors open and the Citroen next to it opened as well. Chance in a million but she saw it with her own eyes.

 

[Totallyrandom]

I may have narrowed down my issue.

My neighbour opposite has a 63 plate Mini Cooper. When I went out this morning he was in his car and the lights were on on my car and it was unlocked.

Somehow, I think his key may be unlocking my car. I just don't know why it only happens every now and then, and short of asking to borrow his key, going to the garage and hoping it works on the spot I'm not really sure what I can do.

I'm planning on giving them a call tomorrow to see what they suggest, but it seems really isolated and I don't know why it would affect only two cars out of thousands delivered to date. It's not proved to be a big problem so far as it's only happened at home and I don't think anyone has noticed, but I'm fairly concerned about it happening somewhere not as secure.

 

[jeremybingham]

Could be If the codes are similar? If it doesn't happen elsewhere that could be it.

 

[uke]

Could be If the codes are similar? If it doesn't happen elsewhere that could be it.

A few years ago I saw an article that claimed garage door manufacturers reuse codes from a relatively small pool of values on the remotes. Some clever idiots decided they could drive down the road with a box of remotes and mash the open buttons; eventually they would get lucky and open up a garage door whereupon they would plunder the house.

I wonder if MINI reuses a small pool of codes? In normal conditions the likelihood that the same code would end up in adjacent vehicles is like winning the lottery, but stranger things have happened.

Or it might just be CooperS64Deb's gremlins at play...