BMW Mini Cooper Lemon Law – Crash Plate Recall
BMW of North America is recalling almost 10,000 Mini Cooper vehicles lacking crash protection plates.
The Westwood, New Jersey-based manufacturer notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Aug. 23, 2018 they will recall 9,953 2017-2019 Mini Cooper Countryman vehicles built between Dec. 30, 2016 and Aug. 13, 2018.
The affected vehicles lack a crash protection plate adjacent to the high pressure fuel pump in the engine compartment. Without this plate, a sufficiently severe frontal crash can damage the fuel pump and cause a fuel leak and/or a fire.
BMW first learned of the problem on Aug. 7, 2018. The company reviewed engineering records and found all affected vehicles were built at a single engine production plant at which the crash protection plate was not installed. The company offered no explanation as to why the crash plate wasn’t installed.
BMW decided to conduct a safety recall on Aug. 16, 2018.
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a crash protection plate, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2018. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525. Consumers can also visit the NHTSA’s website and enter their VIN to see if their vehicle is included in any recalls.
Your vehicle’s manufacturer is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.
If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide your recalled vehicle’s loss value, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to help you. Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.
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