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Mini recalls select 2015 Cooper Hardtops over seats

The new Mini Cooper Hardtop only recently reached the market, but already BMW is having to recall a limited number of the hatchbacks. The problem revolves around the front seats, whose adjustment mechanism may not fully lock into place. In the event of an accident, that could lead to the seatback folding unexpectedly, which carries with it an increased risk of injury for the driver and front passenger. The issue only affects the new 2015 Mini Cooper, specifically two-door Hardtop models manufactured in the short window between August 12 and September 2, 2014. That amounts to only 846 units, according to the notice posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which you can read below. Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified to bring their Minis into their local dealership to have the seatback adjustment mechanisms realligned and tightened to remedy the problem. RECALL Subject : Seatback may Fold in Rear Impact Crash Report Receipt Date: NOV 10, 2014 NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V721000 Component(s): SEATS Potential Number of Units Affected: 846 Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seatback adjustment mechanism may not be fully engaged. CONSEQUENCE: If the seatback adjustment mechanism is not fully engaged, the seatback may fold during a rear impact collision, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. REMEDY: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will re-align and re-tighten the seatback adjustment mechanisms, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2014. Owners can contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

This Mini just set a very long Nurburgring lap record

The video above is 45 minutes long. You probably won't watch the whole thing. It documents what is possibly the least visually exciting and most impressive Nurburgring record ever, with a Chinese driver keeping a Mini Cooper on two wheels for the entirety of a Nordschleife lap. That's 12.9 miles at a blistering average speed of 17 mph. The number of support vehicles seen on track, some of which pass the Mini at various points, highlights just how nonstandard this lap is. A Mercedes van trailing behind stops at one point and then catches back up shortly after. This is an endurance run more than anything. Credit of course goes to the skilled driver, who had to balance the car on its left wheels while enduring the pain of leaning at a steep angle. For 45 minutes. The car was specially prepped, with things like a welded diff and an airless left front tire (it looks like something off a fork lift) helping it steer, propel, and support the car. Bridge to Gantry's Dale Lomas was there to witness the leisurely event, and he has all of the details, including what was done to the car and what it was like to travel from viewing location to viewing location to witness the same lap. The driver, Han Yue, is an expert at manhandling Minis. He's the guy with the Guinness record for the tightest parallel-parking job (not to be confused with the tightest reverse parallel park) and also set with a driver in an M4 doing donuts around his up-on-two-wheels Cooper. We find it extremely fitting that the car for this latest record was plastered with Red Bull decals. You know, the wings? News Source: Bridge to GantryImage Credit: Nurburgring / Facebook Motorsports MINI Hatchback Racing Vehicles Performance nurburgring record

10 automakers sued over keyless ignitions

Keyless ignition has rapidly proliferated throughout the auto industry to become a fairly normal feature on new cars. It's supposed to offer the convenience of keeping the fob in your pocket and just pressing a button to drive away. However, ten major automakers are now being sued in US District Court over claims that the system is dangerous, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that people are forgetting to shut off the engine, and the lack of an idle timer is the cause for 13 deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning and multiple injuries. The suit currently includes 28 plaintiffs, according to Reuters, but the lawyers are asking for class-action status to potentially add many more. The case goes after a major swath of the industry, including BMW, Daimler, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen, plus their related brands like Acura, Infiniti, Mini, and Lexus. In all, over five million vehicles are affected. The assertion here is that people walk away from their vehicle without shutting it off because they believe the engine shuts off automatically. If parked in a garage, carbon monoxide can build up, leading to poisoning. The lawyers claim automakers know this is a problem and also cite 27 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the issue, according to Reuters. The plaintiffs are asking for an automatic shut-off and damages from the companies. These concerns have come up before, though. Toyota previously faced a lawsuit over a carbon monoxide death after a woman accidentally left her Lexus running. Also earlier this year, GM recalled 64,186 examples of the 2011-2013 Chevrolet Volt because owners weren't shutting them off. The problem resulted in two injuries, and the company released a software update to limit the idling time.