Today I can happily say that my MC SC has been taken back by the dealer to have a new back window/hood and the work is to be done under warranty. I don't know how long it is going to take but I have at least a Mini One from the dealer to keep going.

It seems to have been a very long time since the incident happened but I think that some good might have come from it as I now believe that a lot of Mini owners are aware of the potential problem and I hope no one else is left feeling so isolated as I did when it happened. I can only thank Ian (http://www.gbmini.net/) for introducing me to Mini2.com and also everyone at MiniMania UK for their advice. My dealership in Haverfordwest have been supportive throughout and from what i've been told, Mini UK are finally admitting that there might be a problem.

I know that other forum members have successfully had the same repair done under warranty so I hope that anyone encountering a similar problem will be be dealt with more efficiently by Mini UK in future.

Congratulaiions Carol Glad to hear you got it sorted !

I spoke to my dealer today who basically said No chance that can't happen so I printed off this thread and now they are at least willing to accept that its possible!

My problem is that there is another plausible if practically impossible option so they want to go with that !

They are now looking at it and as i contacted Mini Customer service direct I at least know it's being considered. i think my biggest issue is that I've already paid the £250 excess and my car will be ready for collection on Friday so i doubt they will refund my money!

At least I can honestly say that maybe my misfortune has helped others out !!

(how noble of me)

edit (PS incase you hadnt noticed I'm a bit tipsy as my wife would call it!)



Long live MINI2

Congratulaiions Carol Glad to hear you got it sorted !

I spoke to my dealer today who basically said No chance that can't happen so I printed off this thread and now they are at least willing to accept that its possible!

My problem is that there is another plausible if practically impossible option so they want to go with that !

They are now looking at it and as i contacted Mini Customer service direct I at least know it's being considered. i think my biggest issue is that I've already paid the £250 excess and my car will be ready for collection on Friday so i doubt they will refund my money!

At least I can honestly say that maybe my misfortune has helped others out !!

(how noble of me)

edit (PS incase you hadnt noticed I'm a bit tipsy as my wife would call it!)



Long live MINI2
Remind your dealer that if they say its not caused by a fault, they have to prove this;) You are not under obligation to have to prove it is:)

Glad to hear you are getting your car back soon, and yes if it wasn't for your thread I know that Jo's car wouldn't have been done under warranty as we wouldn't have given it a second thought that it could shatter on its on:)

Hello,
I am the newest member of what appears to be an ever-larger growing club--MINI Cooper Convertible owners with mysteriously shattered rear windows. I had my new car exactly two weeks before this happened. There are no signs of vandalism or attempted theft. I live in a very quiet, somewhat secluded area, and the three other vehicles in my driveway were not harmed. I assumed it was some very mean tean agers, but now am wondering if this could be some manufacturing flaw. Either way, of course, myself and my insurance will be paying for a whole new top, because of MINI's lack of foresight in making an integrated widow/convertible top. No way to replace broken glass? Who's lame idea was that? Or maybe it's genius? Depends on your point of view, I guess. Dealers are making out like bandits, and only me and my insurance are left holding the bag.

Wendy :confused:

Welcome Wendy. Print this thread and take it to the dealer. Call Mini USA. Do whatever it takes. It seems to have worked for a few people already. Why should you (or your insurance co.) pay. This is becoming an epidemic. I hope our rear glass stays together.

I hate this to be my first post on this excellent Mini Owners Forum, but I am collecting my 04 plate Cooper Cabrio on saturday morning, and I have just read this post about shattering window at the back! Dont sound too good, especially after spending £17k on a car! I just hope it doesnt happen any time soon to me!

I hate this to be my first post on this excellent Mini Owners Forum, but I am collecting my 04 plate Cooper Cabrio on saturday morning, and I have just read this post about shattering window at the back! Dont sound too good, especially after spending £17k on a car! I just hope it doesnt happen any time soon to me!
so far there have been 5 cases reported, thats not too bad out of all the cars sold;)

yes it happened to my GF's car, but I am still collecting mine at the end of this month;)

Hope you enjoy your MINI and MINI2:)

I just hope it doesnt happen any time soon to me!
My "finger in the air" estimate came up with a failure rate of 1% per year per car ... hopefully it is lower than that!

can those who have experienced breakages post VIN numbers and build months in this thread please . I have a cunning plan;)

can those who have experienced breakages post VIN numbers and build months in this thread please . I have a cunning plan;)


Here you go -

WM WRF 32010TF 5061
Build date August 04

Thanks for your help and to this thread for tipping Rakey off. All now sorted on the warranty and stirling effort by local dealership - Bateman's in Grange. :)

w m w r f 3 2 0 2 0 t f 5 3 6 2 4
which my dealer has told me today doesn't appear on BMW's database!!

and I don't know my build date but was collected 12 November the day after it arrived at the showroom

sorry I'm not much use!

w m w r f 3 2 0 2 0 t f 5 3 6 2 4
which my dealer has told me today doesn't appear on BMW's database!!

and I don't know my build date but was collected 12 November the day after it arrived at the showroom

sorry I'm not much use!


one too many digits after the tf in your vin
:confused:

anyway its a november build, and /jlo's is august , so no link so far

A few years back the smart car (think the cabrio) was suffering from shattering rear windows - it made watchdog) I think it was found to be the heated rear window causing it

one too many digits after the tf in your vin
:confused:

anyway its a november build, and /jlo's is august , so no link so far
maybe its not when the car was built but the parts?

not sure on how parts are rotated or what level tracebility there is from a VIN, but might be worth digging a bit further;)

I've checked my mini passport and it definitely says TF53624
and I found this in the FAQ so not to sure whats occurring

I'll check it when I get the car back but I told them I'm not prepared to pick it up until they accept it as a warranty issue

as I think getting the insurance company to remove it from their records will be a nightmare


The VIN on a MINI consists of 17 characters and numbers, broken down as follows:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|
|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
W M W @ @ # # # # # T @ # # # # #
+---+ +-----+ + + + + +---------+
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | +---------+---> Production Sequence
| | | | | | | +---------------> Assembly Plant (Oxford)
| | | | | | +-----------------> Model Year (USA)
| | | | | | # = 200#
| | | | | +-------------------> Check Digit
| | | | +---------------------> ?
| | +-----+-----------------------> Vehicle Code
| | RA31 = One (LHD)
| | RA32 = One (RHD)
| | RB11 = Diesel (LHD)
| | RB12 = Diesel (RHD)
| | RC31 = Cooper (LHD)
| | RC32 = Cooper (RHD)
| | RC33 = Cooper (USA)
| | RD31 = One Convertible (LHD)
| | RD32 = One Convertible (RHD)
| | RE31 = Cooper S (LHD)
| | RE32 = Cooper S (RHD)
| | RE33 = Cooper S (USA)
| | RF31 = Cooper Convertible (LHD)
| | RF32 = Cooper Convertible (RHD)
| | RF33 = Cooper Convertible (USA)
| | RH31 = Cooper S Convertible (LHD)
| | RH32 = Cooper S Convertible (RHD)
| | RH33 = Cooper S Convertible (USA)
+---+-------------------------------> Manufacturer Code (BMW/MINI)


Find information on a MINI using last 7 of VIN


I also found this !

http://www.metroplexmini.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7650&highlight=back+window

and this
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-4303.html

I've checked my mini passport and it definitely says TF53624
and I found this in the FAQ so not to sure whats occurring

I'll check it when I get the car back but I told them I'm not prepared to pick it up until they accept it as a warranty issue

as I think getting the insurance company to remove it from their records will be a nightmare


The VIN on a MINI consists of 17 characters and numbers, broken down as follows:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|
|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
W M W @ @ # # # # # T @ # # # # #
+---+ +-----+ + + + + +---------+
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | +---------+---> Production Sequence
| | | | | | | +---------------> Assembly Plant (Oxford)
| | | | | | +-----------------> Model Year (USA)
| | | | | | # = 200#
| | | | | +-------------------> Check Digit
| | | | +---------------------> ?
| | +-----+-----------------------> Vehicle Code
| | RA31 = One (LHD)
| | RA32 = One (RHD)
| | RB11 = Diesel (LHD)
| | RB12 = Diesel (RHD)
| | RC31 = Cooper (LHD)
| | RC32 = Cooper (RHD)
| | RC33 = Cooper (USA)
| | RD31 = One Convertible (LHD)
| | RD32 = One Convertible (RHD)
| | RE31 = Cooper S (LHD)
| | RE32 = Cooper S (RHD)
| | RE33 = Cooper S (USA)
| | RF31 = Cooper Convertible (LHD)
| | RF32 = Cooper Convertible (RHD)
| | RF33 = Cooper Convertible (USA)
| | RH31 = Cooper S Convertible (LHD)
| | RH32 = Cooper S Convertible (RHD)
| | RH33 = Cooper S Convertible (USA)
+---+-------------------------------> Manufacturer Code (BMW/MINI)


Find information on a MINI using last 7 of VIN
have you checked it on the car or the registration docs rather than the passport? Just if there is going to be an error anywhere it is likely to be on the passport info;)

:)

I can't on the car as like I said I have refused to pick it up !]

and my dvla doc says wmwrf32020tf53624
aswell

The dealer is still being as helpful as they can ( I suppose ) but say they cannot warranty it as BMW denies it has happened to anyone else!!!!!!

So I have now been advised by the citizens advice bureau to contact watchdog and establish exactly when BMW have to accept it as a fault!

I can't on the car as like I said I have refused to pick it up !

The dealer is still being as helpful as they can ( I suppose ) but say they cannot warranty it as BMW denies it has happened to anyone else!!!!!!

So I have now contacted Watchdog and also the Citizens advice bureau to find BMW's legal obligations to accept a fault and at what point it becomes a fault!!
sorry didn't see that bit:(

well hope you get somewhere with it soon, but well worth fighting for;)

My rear window shattered on my drive home tonight. I was travelling about 30 miles per hour in the rain. My mini is 8 days old. I'm not happy. my VIN is WMWRH3344TF82691 by my count in this forum, this makes me the sixth person to have this issue.

Man, I feel like I'm walking around waiting to step on a hidden land mine... Is my convertible's window going to shatter, is it not going to shatter... This anxiety is terrible. My condolences to those who are dealing with broken windows. Especially to bherrmann7, only 8 days with your brand new convertible. Wow, that must really suck. I really hope that MINI is taking care of everyone's repairs with little or no problems. At this point it is evident that there is a problem of some sort with the engineering or manufacturing of some or all of the convertibles.

Isn't the soft top mechanism made by Webasto for BMW MINI? If so, they have a lot of experience at this game, which makes it all the stranger that this problem exists.

But it's certainly making me nervous - add this to the roof wear problem, and you start seeing a loss of confidence in a product which will not only harm new sales, but also second-hand values in the future....... :mad: :mad: :mad:

Good luck to all those who have already suffered this problem, and figers crossed it turns out to be a very isolated one.....

Ian

From the MINI/BMW Techservice system

Vehicle information

VIN long WMWRF32020TF53624

Type code RF32

Type COOPER (EUR)

Dev. series R52 ()

Line M

Body type CABRIO

Steering RL

Door count 2

Engine W10

Cubical capacity 1.6

Power 85

Transmision FRONT

Gearbox MECH

Colour SCHWARZ 2 (668)

Upholstery STOFF/LEDER MOLETTE/TARTAN ROT/SCHW (FDTN)

Prod. date 2004-11-06


Order options
No. Description
1CA SELECTION COP RELEVANT VEHICLES

2CM LT/ALY WHEELS 5-STAR BULLET W RUNFLAT T.

210 DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC)

249 MULTI-FUNCTION FOR STEERING WHEEL

255 SPORTS LEATHER STEERING WHEEL

302 ALARM SYSTEM

313 EXTERIOR MIRROR PACKAGE

314 HEATED WINDSCREEN WASHER NOZZLES

345 CHROME LINE INTERIOR

346 CHROME-LINE EXTERIOR

387 WIND DEFLECTOR

423 FLOOR MATS, VELOUR

427 INTERIOR SURFACE, SILVER

441 SMOKERS PACKAGE

450 HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT F FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

470 CHILD SEAT ISOFIX ATTACHMENT

481 SPORT SEATS F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

493 STORAGE COMPARTMENT PACKAGE

494 SEAT HEATING F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

5DA PASSENGER AIRBAG DEACTIVATE

508 PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC)

520 FOGLIGHTS

534 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING

550 ON-BOARD COMPUTER

563 LIGHTS PACKAGE

650 CD PLAYER

657 RADIO BOOST

674 HIFI LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM HARMAN KARDON

692 CD CHANGER I-BUS PREPARATION

736 SECOND RADIO REMOTE CONTROL KEY

8SM VIN, VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE

8SP COP CONTROL

812 ENGLAND VERSION

863 EUROPE/DEALER DIRECTORY

872 CHILI

877 DELETION CROSS-OVER OPERATION

880 ENGLISH/OWNERS HANDBOOK/SERVICE BOOKLET


Series options
No. Description
169 EU3 EXHAUST EMISSIONS NORM

3AB BODY COLOURED MIRROR CAPS

546 REVOLUTION COUNTER

853 LANGUAGE VERSION ENGLISH




So the car exists here on the service system, built 6/11/04

more digging going on ;)

Hi Goonery

I just have to ask ! Who are you?

you seem to be a fountain of knowledge and based in Oxford with access to the spec of cars!

Do you work for Mini

if so I could really do with asking you a few questions!

PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP as I'm off to cause a riot at my dealer today

Neil

Hi Goonery

I just have to ask ! Who are you?

you seem to be a fountain of knowledge and based in Oxford with access to the spec of cars!

Do you work for Mini

if so I could really do with asking you a few questions!

PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP as I'm off to cause a riot at my dealer today

Neil
he is the nicest baker in the bakery, will always be watching on here and always try to help out as much as he can;)

My rear window shattered on my drive home tonight. I was travelling about 30 miles per hour in the rain. My mini is 8 days old. I'm not happy. my VIN is WMWRH3344TF82691 by my count in this forum, this makes me the sixth person to have this issue.


Crikey - that's awful - very frightening and potentially accident causing in it's own right. My dealership didn't argue, although they did say that they didn't really know what they were going to say to BMW.... the courtesy car fiasco was really stressful however - hope yours sorts itself out smoothly!!

Yea, it made a loud popping noise. Luckily it was just me in the car. My wife is concerned that we could have had the baby in the rear facing car seat. The idea of safety glass striking our new born is unsettling. I just checked, and I did find one tiny shard of glass that made it as far forward as the rear seat. Although I was at a constant speed, someone decelerating for a traffic light or some such might actually get some glass into the rear seat - scary.

I wish we had some centralized way (besides searching google) to coalesce all of these broken window reports...

Yea, it made a loud popping noise. Luckily it was just me in the car. My wife is concerned that we could have had the baby in the rear facing car seat. The idea of safety glass striking our new born is unsettling. I just checked, and I did find one tiny shard of glass that made it as far forward as the rear seat. Although I was at a constant speed, someone decelerating for a traffic light or some such might actually get some glass into the rear seat - scary.

I wish we had some centralized way (besides searching google) to coalesce all of these broken window reports...


I trust you'll be writing several strong letters....certainly helped me to release some steam!

My MC SC is still with the dealer so I don't know the build date except to guess at June/July 2004 as it was with the dealer on 28th July. My VIN No is WMWRH32080TG80257.

We occasionally have similar problems in the building industry.

In one case, 3mx2.5m sheets of double glazed toughened glass would suddenly shatter 5+ years after installation.

In another case, I have witnessed this happen to a 2.7m x 1.2m sheet of 10mm toughened glass - it was being lifted very carefully by 4 fitters over some stair bannisters, and they had to carry it "flat" rather than on edge vertically. It should have withstood this flex, but in fact shattered/exploded with a noise like a pistol shot, and grazed several of them. According to Pilkington Glass, the cause was most likely to have been a slight handling error during transport/installation - glass is an odd stressed material, and can become damage without any visual change if knocked or twisted during handling.

There may be a similar problem in the MINI factory - perhaps the rear glass screens were handled badly before installation, causing a problem which may only manifest much later.

I would suggest all who have suffered this problem to club together and instruct a solicitor to contact BMW on their behalf to refund the lost excesses, shortened ncb surcharges, modest compensation for inconvenience and solicitor' costs - if there are only a few of you, it will be more economic for BMW to pay up, settling without admitting responsibility or publicising a legal claim. If there are many more occurrences, I would suggest contacting Watchdog & other consumer groups - I'm sure BMW would rather settle these quietly rather than risk damaging their image with a product recall.

Good luck!

Hi guys me again!

After having still got no further with BMW I was advised by the citizens advice bureau to contact watchdog! So I have done!

they have replied but have said they will need other people to contact them about the fault So here you go everyone

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/contact/transport.shtml

As an aside I'm so glad I refused to pick up the car on Thursday !
On Friday night In Leeds the wind was horrendous

So horrendous that my friends chimney blew off and landed on my wifes Golf !!!!!

One windscreen and a huge dent in the roof and bonnet and one unhappy lease car company later!!!!! I'm so happy the MINI was tucked up safe and well!

Really shouldn't keep logging on when I've been drinking

See Ya

Neil