Maybe this small car isn’t such a smart car. BMW announced a Mini Cooper Recall of 89,000 vehicles after several reports of the car engine catching fire when the car is turned off.
Perhaps BMW should retract their slogan, “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” as they were apparently aware of this problem since 2009. The company failed to take steps like recalling the vehicle or notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) until the NHTSA began its own independent investigation, reports The New York Times.
In a report, BMW, the parent company of Mini, said that the auxiliary water pump designed to dissipate heat from the turbocharger in the engine was the cause of the fires, reports the Times. Apparently, the pump's circuit board may malfunction, allowing the board to overheat and the water pump to fail.
The first report of a water-pump failure occurred in 2009. While BMW said they monitored the situation, they did not notify the NHTSA.
In October 2011, the NHTSA began its own investigation after receiving numerous complaints about Mini engine fires from owners, reports the Times. After the NHTSA took action, BMW finally decided this month to recall the vehicles. The models affected by the recall are:
- 2007-11 Cooper S
- 2008-11 Cooper S Clubman
- 2009-11 Cooper S convertible
- 2011 Cooper S Countryman
- 2009-11 John Cooper Works, John Cooper Works Clubman and John Cooper Works convertible
If you have been injured by a car involved in the Mini Cooper recall or other defective product, you should contact a Manhattan product liability attorney. An experienced attorney can help you learn your rights and recover the damages you are entitled to.
Related Resources:
- Find a New York City Personal Injury Lawyer (FindLaw)
- BMW recalling 89,000 Mini brand cars over faulty water pumps (Los Angeles Times)
- What is Product Liability? (FindLaw)
- Is Nothing Safe? Radioactive Tissue Boxes Recalled (FindLaw's Personal Injury Law Blog)
ShareThis
