3 replies to this topic

[Mrs clubman]

http://www.independe...ld-3368951.html a news story has been published in the Irish Independent, The Irish Times, The Irish Examiner today relating to my Wife Helen Noble & suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty turbocharger on a 2008 mini cooper clubman D

We have a national UK broadsheet who are investigating this case and would like to hear from any mini D owners who have experienced similar faults with their turbochargers, leaking pre cat, failing or that have been replaced in or out of warranty, or experienced a build up of soot under the bonnet, around the turbocharger/heatshield.

If you are interested please pm me & I will provide further contact details.

Thanks

[998dave]

Hi,

A few questions for clarity, where is the leak;
- Turbocharger VGT actuation rod/seal?
- Turbocharger to Catalyst Joint?
- Catalyst Sensor Boss?

As an aside, TMF tends to be aimed at classic mini owners. Though we do have lots of members with both classic and BMW mini's, and you're likely to get good feedback, I'd also recommend contacting www.Mini2.com/forum

Regards, Dave

[Mrs clubman]

Hi,

A few questions for clarity, where is the leak;
- Turbocharger VGT actuation rod/seal?
- Turbocharger to Catalyst Joint?
- Catalyst Sensor Boss?

As an aside, TMF tends to be aimed at classic mini owners. Though we do have lots of members with both classic and BMW mini's, and you're likely to get good feedback, I'd also recommend contacting www.Mini2.com/forum

Regards, Dave

thanks Dave unfortunately due to the stage our case is at i can't post my reply but i have sent you a pm

[gaydave]

Hello all,

After 14 months of ownership and two months out of warranty the car went in for a service January 2nd 2013. When we dropped off the car we mentioned a lot of things that were wrong, one of them was a funny smell inside the cabin which had just started. A lot of the other problems we listed had been wrong with the car since we purchased it (while under warranty) which were never repaired or fixed properly. We also had a KDS done, though am now in receipt of an internal letter states that the car had serious suspension problems which were replaced under warranty so the KDS should have been covered under warranty also, but that's another issue.
When the garage called to say the service and other elements were done, they told us that the "turbo had failed" and this was going to cost us £1700. They stated the car was not drivable.
Alarmed we requested more information. We had paid for their courtesy car so were not fully inconvenienced while we waited for further info and the engineers report to confirm their statement only the time taken to drop our car off.
The longer they took to come back with further info they got more twitchy as they wanted their courtesy car back.
We then had a call from the service manager saying the car was drivable and we should come a pick up the car.
The next day, we were told the car was fine and the turbo issue was more of an advisory.
Though the internal paperwork we had received stated that the problem was with the waste gate flange and seals.
We made an initial complaint to Mini UK who got the dealership to contact us. The service manager was a bit huffy and was not helpful. Though he stated the turbo was fine.
I called back and spoke to someone in service but got a warranty manager who was filling in for the service person and he stated the turbo "had failed according to the online system report"

We have taken the car to three other Main dealer garages. They wern't told of the problems with the car. We paid for three reports and all have come back with no problem to the turbo at all. They all also state that the service has not been carried out correctly and the oil level is overfilled be 1.5 litres. the service stamp was not done in the book nor reset on the car or key fob. The oil filter was not changed and the particulate filter looks like the original one from the factory.

To now run forward in time 3 weeks of letter writing, the managing director who has just gotten involved has just sent me a letter stating the service person is leaving and she made a mistake and also sent me a Puma note Measure No. 24888893-02.
The subject of this is Traces of soot on the underside of the bonnet, caused by the turbo charger. The release date for this is 5/10/10. It's status is Approved by Mini UK.
The vehicles affected are the R55 R56 and R57. With a W16 engine.
Which have been in production from 01/03/07
The remedy for this, if a customer complains, is clean the inside of the bonnet. Stating that a parts replacement does not provide a remedy.

This appears to be a known fault with the car prior to our purchasing the car and has only now been revealed to us. I have just written a letter to the garage stating once we have formulated all of the info he has sent us we will be asking for a full refund and requesting compensation for the 8 times over the 14 months we have had to go back to the garage with problems with the car. BMW Mini's in our opinion are overpriced pieces of junk.

During the ownership of the car my wife's health has deteriorated. Since reading the news report it has dawned on us that this may be a related case.

I hope this has been of some help to others.

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Edited by gaydave, 01 February 2013 - 06:53 AM.