Hi I’m Gabe, and I have a rust problem.

Das neue MINI ist zu seinen englischen Wurzeln zutreffend!

All kidding aside, I’m checking my car over closely tomorrow morning.

Two questions:

1. Any rust problem areas besides the door sills?

2. Has there been any official MINIUSA statement about all of this?

Gabe…

I think it’s time you got the new illuminated JCW door sills… you KNOW you want them. ;)

The rust comes from the inside inmoulded iron of the actual rubber doorsill that should keep the part in shape… It’s pretty much just sheet metal inside the rubber that kinda “transpires” the rust onto the car body.

Although I have to admit that the rust next to the b-pillar is just poor workmanship.

Christian

Gabe the spot of rust you show on your car is the same as on my 12month old MCS as well. But its only on one side of my car.

Playing devil’s advocate here, the rust warranty specifically states that it covers “perforation” due to rust. None of the pics I’ve seen fall into this category. It will be interesting to see how/if MINI responds. This obviously shouldn’t be happening, but taking the rust warranty wording literally, I believe MINI could claim it’s not covered. Anybody have theirs fixed yet by the dealer under warranty?

At least we are aware of the problem.

Are there any suggestions as to how to prevent this? I can’t see myself removing the rubber seal to dry it every time it rains or when I wash my car.

Checked my 2002 MCS JCW and 2005 MC; moisture, no rust. However, when my 2002 was delivered, I noticed 3 threaded holes in the undercarriage that I assumed were used for tie down on the way over. Went in and wiped away surface rust and painted them balck. Ditto the 2005. They’re in front, in the crossmember(?).

I see no way to do this. It was still moist from washing the car ten days ago. When I took off the strips initially I wiped it all down hoping to dry it out. After checking a few hours later everythng was wet again (not just moist – wet). In my very amateur opinion, the rubber seals are holding in moisture at too high a level.

I just went to check mine. I washed it several days ago and it hasn’t rained. When I lifted the seals, a large amount of water was still there.

I’ve dried out the metal as well as the seal and I’m letting it air out for a little bit. Has anybody checked the boot seal?

I found mosture under the door seal too, but no rust thankfully. Hope they revise the seal to let the water out, rather than trap it. I guess they didn’t take into account the capillary action

Will there be any rust on the 2006 Mini Cooper…? Otherwise I’m not buying a Cooper… Just one-year?

Checked this morning on my ’04 MCS (1/04 build)–definitely wet under the seals (the car did sit outside during a rainstorm overnight), but no rust as of yet.

well put nathaniel. they’ll see to it – and fast!

Would like to check for rest on my ’05 MC, but weather stripping seems very secure. How do you actually lift or remove it to check? and replace? Thanks.

From page 30 of “MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Service & Warranty Information 2006″ which came with my ’06 MCS in December of ’05:

Required Maintenance:
In order to keep this warranty in effect, the vehicle must be inspected at every MINI Inspection I and II or at least every two years.

The Inspection / Maintenance consists of:

• Repairing any damages to undercoating or paint due to stone chips, gravel erosioni, scratches, or other external influences

THIS INSPECTION / MAINTENANCE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RUST PERFORMATION LIMITED WARRANTY. ANY AREAS REQUIRING PREVENTATIVE MANITENANCE MUST BE REPAIRED, AND ARE AT THE OWNER’S EXPENSE. (Caps are original to document)

(farther down)

This warranty does not apply to the following:

a. Damage caused by negligence, improper accident damage repairs or improper use. b. Damage attributable to failure to perform required inspections / maintenance at the specified intervals or in accordance with the MINI rust inspection / maintenance program instructions. Proof must be provided by a paid invoice or filling in the appropriate boxes in teh Service Section of this Statement.

(on page 15 of same document)

Underbody maintenance

The underbody has to be cleaned at least once a year, in spring, with plain water in order to remove mud, chemical sediments and other deposits. If those materials are not removed, corrosion (rust) will occur.

Your MINI Dealer will do this anti-corrosion service for you.

I hope you’re right Nathaniel, but I see the bonnet issue as much less complex. All MINI did there was to make some cheap plastic shields that protected the area, and that was done only after it was pointed out to them on this web site. I find it hard to believe that the MINI service techs who were lifting bonnets daily never noticed it. It just wasn’t pursued until there was a little stink made. There was no rust to deal with because any moisture that may have been present (unlikely in the first place due to location) would have evaporated with engine heat. Now they are looking at not only replacing or modifying the weatherstripping, but repairing the rust that has already started on many cars. That will involve a lot more than just some touch up paint. Once the body shop becomes involved, you are looking at lots of expensive labor. I would think it would be at least a two day process between the surface prep, primer application, and final paint. The fact that it is in a hidden area may work against us, actually, by allowing the body shop to cut corners on the job since it will not be in full view.

I really hope I’m wrong about this, but so far, MINI’s silence on this issue is a little disconcerting, to say the least.

Probable cause of rust:

having inspected my car and I have a theory. These points on the car where there is potential for rust (I have surface rust) are probably contact points for painting using electrostatic paint processes. For some bizarre reason BMW engineers thought it would be ok to cover these post paint with clear plastic sealers (on my 03). This appears to be an inadequate method to prevent rust in an area that naturally retains moisture.

Potential solutions: 1. retrofit door strip with venting (would require MINI to issue a new part at considerable expense so substantial pressure would need to be brought to bear on MINI) and/or 2. remove plastic “sealer” over offending areas. Remove all rust. Paint with appropriate rust inhibiting primer and top coat.

Clearly the best solution is to effect both of these solutions.

Just adding my thoughts here about the fact that it’s mostly 2002 and 2003 models that showing the rust problem:

It may not be specific to those model years, just that it may take 2-3 years before those moisture-saturated areas begin to display rust. With that in mind, it could be possible that the 2004 (and some 2005) models may start displaying the same symptoms the same time next year.

I would say complain if nothing happens and we are forced to put pressure on MINI to fix this. It was just discovered and we need to find out what thier response is first before we grab the pitch forks.

Hey Stracco? Any thoughts on this one?

I checked out mine last night and, while wet, thankfully all is ok – but the car is only 2 months old. It actually looks like the water is being channelled down from the bottom edge of the black plastic A pillar where it meets with the wrap around chrome strip. I say this cause my car is absolutely filthy on the bottom half due to road works and we have had rain over the last couple of days. The water that I found sitting in the weather strip was perfectly clean no grime what so ever. I don’t use a pressure cleaner to wash the car just a dribble of water (due to water restrictions currently in force) and generally the door sills are dry when I finish washing so it is unlikely to have been forced up there from the bottom edge of the door.

A redesigned weather strip that actively channels water from the windscreen towards the outside of the car, rather than underneath and along the inside of the weather strip, looks like the solution.

I checked my 2006 MCSC today – no rust and no sign of moisture. The car was washed very thoroughly on Monday and sat out in a good rain storm earlier this week.

Maybe something has changed for 2006 or on convertibles. Or maybe 2006 builds are just too new to see the problem.

I’m sure that MINI will get on top of this issue.

Mark S.

OMG. A little moisture. Let’s trade for Rabbits. Let’s contact the NTSB. That square centimeter of rust will surely cause accidents.

Rust isn’t a good thing, but c’mon guys — the sky isn’t falling.