Mini News MINI Settles Suit over Timing Chain Tensioner Issue

Discussion in 'MINI News and Articles' started by JoeClubman, Nov 24, 2015.

  1. JoeClubman

    JoeClubman New Member

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    #1 JoeClubman, Nov 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 24, 2015
    After more than a year of negotiations, BMW/MINI has settled a class action lawsuit over the engine timing chain tensioner in some second-generation MINI models. The class action suit was initiated in March 2013 by plaintiffs Joshua Skeen and Laurie Freeman, both owners of a 2007 MINI Cooper S. The lawsuit covered R56 MINI Cooper S Hardtops, R57 Convertibles, and R55 Clubman from model year 2007 to 2010.

    The plaintiffs claimed the timing chain tensioner is faulty and over time can cause damage to engine valves due to improper valve timing. In extreme cases, the faulty tensioner caused the engine to quit when accelerating, sometimes in the middle of traffic.

    MINI issued a technical service bulletin for the issue but did not issue a recall or reimburse affected MINI owners, according to the complaint.

    According to Law360, BMW/MINI reached a “multimillion-dollar settlement†that would settle all claims. Class action participants will receive free extended warranties to 100,000 miles or seven years and will be reimbursed for engine repairs (typically costing $1,300 to $1,500).
     
  2. e46tor56

    e46tor56 New Member

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    Have a link to this?
     
  3. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    If I still owned my '07 this would have been no help to me. My dealer replaced my timing chain cassette at 124K miles. Lucky I got it done before the "settlement".
     
  4. e46tor56

    e46tor56 New Member

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    On my previous 09 MCS it had the timing chain replaced 3 times in a year. Luckily it was all under warranty at the time.
     
  5. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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  6. pmsummer

    pmsummer Well-Known Member

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    My '09 R55S has 71K, with a build date on Feb/2009, so the 'seven year catch' is gonna bite me. Maybe I can convince my dealer that the engine's about to blow!
     
  7. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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  8. e46tor56

    e46tor56 New Member

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    Interesting this has not made it to prime time media yet.
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    That is an interesting read.
     
  10. Agbullet25

    Agbullet25 Member

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    Wonder when we'll get any sort of official statements regarding who is covered and what the terms of the coverage will be (i.e. similar to the HPFP coverage extension).
     
  11. ChipS

    ChipS New Member

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    #11 ChipS, Dec 4, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2015
    if anyone hear news on the timing chain lawsuit please post - just had to replace my engine on my 2008 S
     
  12. 05r50

    05r50 Well-Known Member

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    Hang on to all your paperwork and receipts. At some point this will become final and then the process begins.
     
  13. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Sooooo.... If you weren't part of the class action suit..... You get nothing if it fails..... Is that how it reads?

    Orrrrr.... Does "All claims" mean there is some hope for future issues?
     
  14. Skyhawk

    Skyhawk New Member

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    Does anyone know if the issue was fixed in newer MCS?
     
  15. JMC40

    JMC40 Well-Known Member

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    Not Found

    The requested URL /mini%20class%20action.pdf was not found on this server.

    Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

    Very interesting...
     
  16. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    No problem for your N12. Be happy. :)
     
  17. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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  18. JMC40

    JMC40 Well-Known Member

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    Funny thing is the tensioner in mine was just replaced before I bought it.
     
  19. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    So you really don't need to worry. :D
     
  20. MikeZZMini

    MikeZZMini New Member

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    Now what?
    Do we contact Mini USA?
    Contact the dealer?
    I have the receipt for the timing chain kit install for $1100.00 plus.
     

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