U.S. public vehicle records

2009 Mini COOPER S: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

119 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

52,124 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2009 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 107 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 65 of 119 complaints (54.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	10	8.4%
Engine operation	4	3.4%
Steering behavior	4	3.4%
Transmission and shifting	2	1.7%
Braking behavior	2	1.7%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Air Bags

Power Train

Engine And Engine Cooling

Electrical System

Seat Belts

Seats

Fuel System, Gasoline

Engine: 65; Air Bags: 17; Power Train: 16; Engine And Engine Cooling: 14; Electrical System: 13; Seat Belts: 4; Seats: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 38; 50,000 to 74,999: 32; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 2

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (38). 12 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2024

2010: 3; 2011: 7; 2012: 8; 2013: 28; 2014: 10; 2015: 21; 2016: 12; 2017: 9; 2018: 4; 2019: 5; 2020: 4; 2021: 1; 2023: 4; 2024: 3

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10335450 · 2010-06-09 (June 9, 2010)

2009 MINI COOPER S. DROVE CAR 20KM TO LOCAL MALL. CAME OUT TO RETRIEVE WALLET FROM GLOVE BOX AFTER BEING IN MALL FOR APPROXIMATELY 20MIN. CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT MOST LIKELY STARTED IN THE DASHBOARD SOMEWHERE. NO WARNING SIGNS OF IMMINENT DANGER ON MY DRIVE TO THE MALL. CAR ONLY SERVICED AT AUTHORIZED BMW/MINI DEALERSHIP. 30K KMS ON CAR. CAR IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10335450 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10340585 · 2010-06-29 (June 29, 2010)

I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME APPROPRIATELY RESULTING IN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. I HAD HEAD CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FACE BRUISES, INCLUDING A DEEP CUT IN MY LIP. MINI (BMW) IS INVESTIGATING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 30,010 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340585 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10369213 · 2010-12-04 (December 4, 2010)

FAILURE OF TIMING BELT TENSIONER IN 2009 MINI COOPER S LEADING TO MASSIVE OIL LEAK LOSS OF POWER TO ENGINE AND NEAR LETHAL ACCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369213 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10379253 · 2011-01-27 (January 27, 2011)

2009 MINI COOPER S LOUD NOISE AT COLD STARTUP IMMEDIATELY AFTER CAR WAS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER 2008 MINIUSA HAS DISCOVERED IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING BELT AND ITS TENSIONER I READ OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND ASKED MINI DEALER TO REPAIR IT: THEY REPLACED TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER BUT SOME MINI OWNERS REPORT A RECURRENCE OF THE ISSUE AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S ENGINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10379253 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10381953 · 2011-02-07 (February 7, 2011)

MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IN OUR GARAGE. WHEN I PULLED IT OUT ON THE 2ND I NOTICED A LARGE POOL OF OIL ON THE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND THAT IF NOT IMMEDIATELY REMEDIED THIS WOULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. OVER MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE DEALER, MINI OF STERLING IN STERLING, VA, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, AT LEAST ONE A WEEK, AND IS A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM WITH A KNOWN WORK-AROUND. THEY INFORMED ME …

Owner-reported narrative. 52,124 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381953 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10420848 · 2011-08-21 (August 21, 2011)

I HAVE A 2009 MINI COOPER S WITH 27,000 MILES. TWICE THE ENGINE VALVES HAS BEEN CLEANED BECAUSE OF EXCESS CARBON BUILD UP. JUST LOOK AT THE DISCUSSIONS ON THE WEB. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10420848 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10427018 · 2011-09-24 (September 24, 2011)

ENGINE OIL SPRAYING FROM CAMSHAFT CHAIN TENSION-ER SEAL. OIL WAS SPRAYING OUT UNDER PRESSURE. I WOULD CONSIDER THIS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD, AS HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS ARE NEARBY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 31,621 miles reported. Look up ODI 10427018 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10430391 · 2011-10-16 (October 16, 2011)

I DROVE THE CAR FOR LESS THAN A MILE AT CITY SPEEDS AND PROCEEDED TO PARK TO RUN ERRANDS. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR, UPON CLOSER INSPECTION I REALIZED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO THE SCENE (ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER) THE FIRE HAD SPREAD THROUGH THE VEHICLE. THE CAR SHOWED NO WARNING SIGNS BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED AND ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS TO BE DETERMINED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10430391 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

12V008000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger

Reported: 2012-01-11 (January 11, 2012)

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 MINI COOPER S, 2008-2011 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 COOPER JCW CONVERTIBLE, AND 2011 COOPER S COUNTRYMAN PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 14, 2006, THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2011. THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP THAT COOLS THE TURBOCHARGER HAS AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CAN MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT.

Consequence: THE CIRCUIT BOARD MAY SMOLDER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGANDURING FEBRUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-866-275-6464.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

18V248000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Reported: 2018-04-18 (April 18, 2018)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.

Consequence: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

23V337000 · Electrical System

Reported: 2023-05-11 (May 11, 2023)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.

Consequence: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

119 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

89.9%Usable mileage107 / 119 records

100.0%Valid incident date119 / 119 records

100.0%Valid filing date119 / 119 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates119 / 119 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2019	2020	2021	2022	2024	2025
Steering	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	111.1% ODI 10985774 · 57,085 mi I PURCHASED THIS MINI COOPER S ON MARCH 16, 2016 AND IT HAD 47,282 MILES ON IT. I ALSO BOUGHT A LIMITED 90 DAY WARRANTY OFFERED BY BUDDY'S AUTO SALES OF SPRINGFIELD, MO. I TRAILERED THE CAR TO PHOENIX WHERE MY SON WAS TO ATTEND A MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC SCHOOL IN OCTOBER. ON OCTOBER 07, 2016 WE UNLOADED IT FROM THE TRAILER AND PARKED IT AT A HOTEL. THE NEXT MORNING MY SON (A CERTIFIED MECHANIC) WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK ON THE CAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. ASSUMING SOMEONE WAS IN THE CAR, HE RAN TO IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND SMELLED O… Look up ODI 10985774 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 11663212 Loss of power steering on startup or at stop light. A message pops up indicating that the Dynamic Stability Control is re-initializing and that steering may become difficult: Drive carefully. The warning message usually appears shortly after the failure. In fact, the steering gets so stiff, that my wife can barely turn corners. The problem comes and goes unexpectedly. This is my wife's car, and it has happened to her on several other occasions. Sometimes we can reset by restarting the car, but that isn't reliable. We put the car out of ECO mod… Look up ODI 11663212 at NHTSA ↗	120.0% ODI 11648130 · 25,500 mi The contact owns a 2020 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering feature malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 25,500. The VIN was not available. Look up ODI 11648130 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine	1651.6% ODI 10559534 · 30,000 mi PREMATURE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE MAY LEAD TO LOSS IN POWER, FURTHERING THE POTENTIAL FOR A WRECK. ENGINE ENTERS "LIMP HOME" MODE, WHICH REDUCES POWER CONSIDERABLY AND MAKES ACCELERATION MUCH SLOWER THAN NORMAL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, SEVERAL OBD-II DIAGNOSTICS CODES APPEAR. *TR Look up ODI 10559534 at NHTSA ↗	417.4% ODI 10852609 ENGINE RATTLING NOISE (TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER) AT ALL TIMES, VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES Look up ODI 10852609 at NHTSA ↗	729.2% ODI 10550252 I PURCHASED A MINI COOPER S 2013 AND NOTICED THE CAR WAS HARD TO HANDLE ON THE ROAD AT ALL TIMES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD TOLD ME THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE OF CAR. I KEPT COMPLAINING AND THEY FINALLY TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY TOLD ME IT THE ALIGNMENT WAS BAD AND THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS CHARGED FOR THE SERVICE, BUT I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS LIKE THAT FROM THE TIME I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT UNTIL THE TIME OF SERVICE. THIS, IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER IF NOT ONLY ONE CAR IS SOLD LIKE… Look up ODI 10550252 at NHTSA ↗	323.1% ODI 10679062 · 5,051 mi VEHICLE LOST ALL OIL SUPPOSEDLY DUE TO A FAULTY OIL FILTER HOUSING CAR STOPPED AND WAS SMOKING. *TR Look up ODI 10679062 at NHTSA ↗	316.7% ODI 10910541 · 8,000 mi WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ITS FIRST SERVICE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE ANY SUCH RECALL. I HAVE FOUND THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE TO BE VERY UNUSUAL. Look up ODI 10910541 at NHTSA ↗	444.4% ODI 11182358 · 43,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALERTED THE CONTACT TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL DIPSTICK SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MINI OF FT. MYERS (LOCATED AT 13880 S TAMIAMI TRAIL, FORT MYERS, FL 33908, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE W… Look up ODI 11182358 at NHTSA ↗	233.3% ODI 11209703 · 15,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FREEPORT MINI COOPER (280 SUNRISE HWY, FREEPORT, NY 11520, [phone removed]) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND HAD A SPECIALIST EXAMINE THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. Look up ODI 11209703 at NHTSA ↗	120.0% ODI 11737373 Starter started smoking at start up! And clutch failure at traffic light!!!! No accident occurred because of experienced driver! Look up ODI 11737373 at NHTSA ↗	240.0% ODI 11330340 · 1,400 mi DURING A RAIN SHOWER, DROVE AT ABOUT 15MPH INTO ROUGHLY 4" OF WATER GATHERED ON THE SHOULDER OF AN ACCESS ROAD ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STALLED. WOULD NOT RESTART. PUDDLE OF WATER WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO BREACH THE CABIN - RUNNING BOARDS WERE STILL ABOVE WATER AND THE CURB ADJACENT TO THE STREET WAS NOT SUBMERGED. CAR WOULD NOT START AND TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CONTACTED AND ADVISED NOT TO START; TOW TRUCK HAD DIFFICULTY LOADING ONTO THE FLATBED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED IN THE ELECTRI… Look up ODI 11330340 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags	39.7% ODI 10557200 · 29,898 mi AIRBAG SEAT SENSORS ARE FAULTY. THEY ARE TURNING OFF THE AIRBAGS EVEN THOUGHT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE SEATED. *TR Look up ODI 10557200 at NHTSA ↗	14.3% ODI 11375677 OUR VEHICLE HAS THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND I AM AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILY. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE MANY MINI OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS DEEPER THAN AN ISOLATED ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUES THAT WAS CONVERTED INTO A RECALL FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE. MINI SHOULD CONSIDERED DOING AN INVESTIGATION AND EXTENDING THE RECALL TO OTHER YEAR MODELS INCLUDING MY 2012. Look up ODI 11375677 at NHTSA ↗	416.7% ODI 10853874 · 42,630 mi VIN: [XXX] AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP CAME ON ANDROID STAYS ON. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE WHEN THE WARNING LAMP CAME ON. ODOMETER READING WHEN THE WARNING LAMP CAME ON WAS: 42630 MILES. CALLED MINI CHARLESTON OF SAVANNAH AND ALSO MINI CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEORY IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR VIN DESPITE OTHER VIN'S OF THE SAME MODEL BEING AFFECTED BY AN AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTION. AM NOW FACED WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE AIRBAGS TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY DURING NORMAL DRIVING, OR THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPL… Look up ODI 10853874 at NHTSA ↗	215.4% ODI 10957644 · 25,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MINI COOPER S. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT BLACKED OUT DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE BODY DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. Look up ODI 10957644 at NHTSA ↗	211.1% ODI 11549827 · 80,000 mi The contact owns a 2015 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated stating that the air bag was turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat mat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the request for assistance was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Look up ODI 11549827 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 11061571 · 17,200 mi I WAS HIT HEAD ON LAST NIGHT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD SLOWED TO APPROX 10 MPH WHILE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME WAS TRAVELING APPROX 20-30MPH. VEHICLE THE HIT ME WAS A MID 200'S TRAIL BLAZER. BF TR Look up ODI 11061571 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	1651.6% ODI 10454891 · 6,500 mi AS I WAS ACCELERATING WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, AT APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH, IT FELT AS IF THE CAR LOST ALL POWER FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE POWER REENGAGED ABOUT A SECOND LATER, AND OVER THE NEXT 5-10 SECONDS THE CAR LOST POWER/REENGAGED TWO MORE TIMES. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE TRIGGERED ON THE DASH. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR INTO DEALERSHIP AND REFERENCED SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER SIM12-02-11/NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10040855. DEALER REPORTS THAT BECAUSE IT CANNOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE AND THERE ARE NO REPORTED FAULT CODES, IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NOTHING… Look up ODI 10454891 at NHTSA ↗	1356.5% ODI 10958534 · 86,000 mi VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN 24 MILES AND PARKED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. MASTER MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT ORIGINATED WITH THE COOLANT PUMP AND CAUSED A SHORT CIRCUIT WITH THE ELECTRONICS OF THE PUMP IGNITING A FIRE. Look up ODI 10958534 at NHTSA ↗	833.3% ODI 11102850 AIRBAG LIGHT IS SHOWING THAT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN THOUGH MY 100 LBS DAUGHTER IS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT. I'VE ACTUALLY HAD A 2009 MINI COOPER S, 2011 MINI COOPER S AND NOW MY CURRENT 2013 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS WITH THE SAME EXACT TAIL LIGHT ISSUE. THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT BURNT OUT IN THE EXACT SAME WAY ON ALL 3 CARS. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION WHEN THE BOTH ISSUES OCCURRED. Look up ODI 11102850 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	211.1% ODI 11101416 · 20,000 mi THE HORN CONTACTS ARE CORRODED AND THE HORN WILL NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. IT MAY TAKE 5 OR 6 TIMES PUSHING THE HORN TO GET IT TO ACTIVATE, OR HOLD IT DOWN FOR A LONG TIME AND TRY TO MOVE IT AROUND TO SCRAPE THE CORROSION OFF THE CONTACTS TO GET ACTIVATION. IT OCCURS WHETHER DRIVING OR STATIONARY. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON A MINI COOPER FORUM. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 20,000 MILES ON IT. Look up ODI 11101416 at NHTSA ↗	111.1% ODI 11396364 · 67,000 mi WHILE DRIVING HOME THURSDAY NIGHT I RECEIVED LEFT TAIL LIGHT MALFUNCTION WARING ON MY DASH PANEL WITH THE TURN SIGNAL BLINKING EXTREMELY FAST. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I CHECKED THE LIGHT AND FOUND THAT THE TAIL LIGHT INOPERATIVE AND THE TURN SIGNALS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THE NEXT MORNING I CALLED TUCSON MINI AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. THE SA STATED TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THEY WOULD CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND THAT THE L/H TAIL LIGHT GROUND CONNECTOR AND THE BULB CONNECTOR MELTED. I ASK THE SA WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM AND S… Look up ODI 11396364 at NHTSA ↗	116.7% ODI 11615276 While driving in the rain, the ABS engages, slowing the front right tire dramatically causing the car to skid and lurch to the right. After some internet research, it appears that this is not an isolated incident. Mini Cooper owners also discovered that when driving in dry conditions and the windshield wiper is turned on, the front right tire slows, causing the car to skid and lurch to the right. European Automotive verified that this was the case on my vehicle. This started without any warning and was terrifying. I told both the local mec… Look up ODI 11615276 at NHTSA ↗	240.0% ODI 11571447 The contact's daughter owns a 2019 Mini Cooper S Clubman. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal, but the rear driver's side brake light failed to illuminate. The contact stated that he was driving behind his daughter when he noticed the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the rear driver's side brake light bulb was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Additionally, the contact st… Look up ODI 11571447 at NHTSA ↗	120.0% ODI 11330340 · 1,400 mi DURING A RAIN SHOWER, DROVE AT ABOUT 15MPH INTO ROUGHLY 4" OF WATER GATHERED ON THE SHOULDER OF AN ACCESS ROAD ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STALLED. WOULD NOT RESTART. PUDDLE OF WATER WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO BREACH THE CABIN - RUNNING BOARDS WERE STILL ABOVE WATER AND THE CURB ADJACENT TO THE STREET WAS NOT SUBMERGED. CAR WOULD NOT START AND TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CONTACTED AND ADVISED NOT TO START; TOW TRUCK HAD DIFFICULTY LOADING ONTO THE FLATBED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED IN THE ELECTRI… Look up ODI 11330340 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11606947 I was driving 45 MPH on a local highway, the electric door locks very rapidly switched between locked and unlocked and the passenger door popped OPEN while driving. I had to cautiously pull over to a parking lot to close the passenger door. The dashboard indicated the door was in the open position! I alerted the dealer, who indicated he would contact MINI and he did not follow up. I took the vehicle to MINI dealer to document the incident. They of course could not reproduce this on test drive and told me it was 'all clear'. Key fob history te… Look up ODI 11606947 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling	13.2% ODI 11426543 The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper S. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V248000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Look up ODI 11426543 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11737574 · 12,625 mi The contact owns a 2024 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that a brake pad failure message was illuminated on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the brake fluid service issue. The brake fluid flush was completed, and a complimentary oil change was provided. Two days after doing so, approximately two days later, the Oil Light illuminated, advising to add a quart of oil. The vehicle was returned and inspected. It was assumed the cap was not on tight enough. The air conditioner failed shortly after. The vehicle was ret… Look up ODI 11737574 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Power Train	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	14.3% ODI 11133584 THERMOSTAT HOUSING BEGAN TO LEAK, THE PART IS PLASTIC AND HAD BECOME CRACKED UNDER NORMAL WEAR. Look up ODI 11133584 at NHTSA ↗	28.3% ODI 11124763 THE 2013 COOPER S WE STARTED HAVING ISSUES ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHERE THE CAR HESITATED TO ACCELERATE, AS IT IS USUALLY DESCRIBED IN THE SERVICE HISTORY. WHAT HAPPENS IN REAL DRIVING SITUATIONS IS THAT WHEN YOU CRUISE AT AROUND 2,000 RPM AND THEN DECIDE TO ACCELERATE THE CAR LOSES THE POWER, COMPLETELY! SO BASICALLY, WHEN YOU'RE ON THE FREEWAY OR ON A TWO-WAY ROAD AND DECIDE TO OVERTAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE MINI WILL NOT ONLY NOT ACCELERATE, BUT JUST COMPLETELY LOSE POWER FOR A SECOND OR TWO. IT IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. AT THE BEGINNING IT WA… Look up ODI 11124763 at NHTSA ↗	646.2% ODI 10700844 · 6,000 mi OIL FILTER HOUSING FAILED DURING COMMUTE AND LOST ALL OIL. NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED FOR REPAIR. RECEIVED THE CAR BACK NEXT DAY. FAILED PART IS CURRENTLY SUBJECT OF RECALL, BUT MY CAR DID NOT FALL INTO THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL SO I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. TWO DAYS AFTER REPAIR FOR THE OIL FILTER HOUSING, THE VANOS SYSTEM FAILED. ENTIRE VANOS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, TOOK A TOTAL OF 6 DAYS FOR REPAIR. *TR Look up ODI 10700844 at NHTSA ↗	15.6% ODI 11218600 · 25,000 mi THE CARS TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF 1ST GEAR WHEN TURNING ONTO A CITY STREET OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOPLIGHT ON A CITY STREET. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED 3 TIMES THIS WEEK AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES THIS PAST WEEK AND IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THE 2015 MINI COOPER S MANUAL. MY CAR ONLY HAS 25,400 MILES ON IT. THE WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED ON 05/18/2019 (OUT BY DATE) THIS MONTH AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. IF THIS IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM, WHY DOESN'T THE DEALER TAKE THE STEPS TO FIX IT … Look up ODI 11218600 at NHTSA ↗	111.1% ODI 11245046 · 18,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL OF A DRIVEWAY, FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED AND NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE APPLIED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. Look up ODI 11245046 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 11165237 · 175 mi 175 MILES ON 2019 MINI S COUNTRYMAN. TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR CAME ON, CAR SHUDDERED REPEATEDLY AND DECELERATED RAPIDLY TO APPROX. 20 MPH IN 60 ZONE. CREATED INSTANT HAZARD TO MYSELF AS MULTIPLE LANES OF FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC NEEDED TO BE CROSSED TO REACH SAFETY AND NO WARNING TO TAILING VEHICLE. Look up ODI 11165237 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	39.7% ODI 10937963 · 70,000 mi AFTER COMING HOME FROM A ROUTINE DRIVE. I PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVE WAY. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING AND NOTICED MY HOOD OF MY CAR SMOKING. I IMMEDIATELY RAN OUTSIDE AND STARTED HOUSING OF THE BUBBLING HOOD WITH A GARDEN HOSE. I MANAGED TO POP THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE FIRE WHICH HAD COVER MOST OF THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. Look up ODI 10937963 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	416.7% ODI 11113558 HORN IS NOT WORKING. MY HUSBAND HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND HIS IS NOT WORKING AS WELL. I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND TRIED TO HONK, ON A FEW OCCASIONS, AT OTHER DRIVERS THAT WERE ABOUT TO HIT ME BUT THE HORN DIDN'T WORK. Look up ODI 11113558 at NHTSA ↗	215.4% ODI 10822384 · 3,400 mi EXPERIENCED A LOUD RATTLE IN THE CAR, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS, BUT THE RATTLE STILL HAS NOT BEEN ILLUMINATED. I EMAILED THE DEALER AND TOLD HIM THAT REPLACING THE SHOCKS DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE PROBLEM, HE SAID THAT MINI ENGINEERING IS GOING TO WORK ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT EVIDENTLY IS OCCURRING IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL. Look up ODI 10822384 at NHTSA ↗	316.7% ODI 10724862 · 250 mi AIR CONDITION EMITS STRONG ODORS Look up ODI 10724862 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 11651162 Hi, the component is the water seals around the trunk lid of the rear boot; this results in water intrusion. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. Water has been collecting on the interior car body, including electrical components related to rear lights (brakes, turn signal, reverse) as well as resulting mold growth. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by Weatherford BMW, and despite there being a service bulletin open (MINI TSB SI M51 05 16) for a design flaw, BMW/MINI is refusing to fix the issue outside of warranty. Has th… Look up ODI 11651162 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Visibility:Windshield	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 11679180 · 81,485 mi The contact owns a 2019 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that a rock had hit the driver's side of the windshield due to construction work on a local highway. The contact stated that the passenger's side of the windshield was also hit by a rock while driving. The contact stated that the driver's side of the windshield sustained a minor fracture; however, the passenger's side of the windshield was severely damaged. An unknown dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or re… Look up ODI 11679180 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Engine	46,230–77,000 mi	55,177 mi	61	ODI 10458886 · 57,120 mi TIMING BELT FAILURE DUE TO RESTRICTOR BELT DEFECT. TR Look up ODI 10458886 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10470201 · 43,709 mi PURCHASED USED VEHICLE IN JUNE 2012. ON TODAYS DATE, UPON COLD START VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING KNOCKING NOISES AS IF LIFTERS WERE INVOLVED. AS CAR WARMED UP NOISE BECAME LESS APPARENT, BUT PROMPTED ME TO TAKE TO LOCAL MECHANIC. MECHANIC ADVISED THAT TIMING CHAIN NEEDS ADJUSTING/REPLACING AND NEEDS TO GO TO DEALER (AN HOUR TRAVEL). UPON PERUSING WEB INFO ON VEHICLE AND YEAR, THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE A PREVALENT MAFUNCTION IN THIS VEHICLE CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE. TR Look up ODI 10470201 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10473098 · 68,500 mi WATER PUMP FOR TURBOCHARGER REPLACED IN MAY (RECALL) AND TURBOCHARGER WARRANTY EXTENDED VIA MINI OF AMERICA LETTER. TURBOCHARGER FAILED IN AUGUST, BUT MINI OF AUSTIN BLAMED FAILURE ON LACK OF OIL CHANGES. ALL OIL CHANGES PERFORMED BY THAT DEALERSHIP WHENEVER THE CAR TOLD US IT WAS DUE. CRAPPY RESPONSE FROM MINI OF AMERICA AS WELL. *TR Look up ODI 10473098 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	41,135–64,625 mi	48,500 mi	16	ODI 10340585 · 30,010 mi I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME APPROPRIATELY RESULTING IN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. I HAD HEAD CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FACE BRUISES, INCLUDING A DEEP CUT IN MY LIP. MINI (BMW) IS INVESTIGATING. TR Look up ODI 10340585 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10693596 · 64,500 mi I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (IN RED) COMING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STARTED IN FEBRUARY, 2015. I'VE TOLD THAT MINI/BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IS NOT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT ON ESTABLISHING A SAFETY RECALL ON AFFECTED CARS. WARNING LIGHT COMES ON REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, OTHER TIMES IT CYCLES THROUGH ON-OFF, WITH THE AUDIBLE WARNING, SEVERAL TIMES A MINUTE. TR Look up ODI 10693596 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10712346 · 64,500 mi AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. BMW NORTH AMERICA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2005 - 2008 MODELS, BUT NOT AFFECTED 2009 (2008 PRODUCTION DATE) MODELS. PERSISTENT OIL LEAKS FROM AND AROUND OIL FILTER HOUSING AND TURBO OIL LINES. OIL LEAKS DIRECTLY ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD DOWN PIPE, POTENTIALLY STARTING A FIRE, HASN'T YET, BUT THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SMOKE AND IN ONE INSTANCE, A SMALL FLARE-UP WHEN OIL DRIPPED ON THE PIPE AS THE CAR WAS IDLING IN THE GARAGE AFTER A SHORT TRIP. *TR Look up ODI 10712346 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train	38,986–68,588 mi	54,560 mi	16	ODI 10450757 · 44,463 mi WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABRUPTLY HALTED CAUSING ME TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT IT COULD BE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SAFE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY SORT WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO A LOCATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE TOWED. DETAILS OF SERVICE PROVIDED FROM KNAUZ MINI AS FOLLOWS: FOUND CAR NOT STARTING, DURING FAULT INSPECTION FOUND FAULT FOR EXHAUST CAM SENSOR NOT READING. FOUND EXHAUST CAM NOT MOVING THROUGH OIL CAP ON VALVE COVER. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOR CYLIND… Look up ODI 10450757 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10450765 · 30,147 mi WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, OIL STARTED TO DRAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES OVER THE STREET. STEADY STREAM ABOUT 2 INCHES WIDE WAS VISIBLE ON THE STREET ONCE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. OIL LIGHT CAME ONE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER OIL SPIN WAS NOTED. CAR WAS MOVED TO SAFE LOCATION ONCE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NOTES FROM KNAUZ MINI SERVICE MANAGER: FOUND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WALKING OUT OF POSITION CAUSING OIL TO COME OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. CLEANED OIL RESIDUE AND REPLACED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS. DUE TO LACK OF PROPER TENSION … Look up ODI 10450765 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10458886 · 57,120 mi TIMING BELT FAILURE DUE TO RESTRICTOR BELT DEFECT. *TR Look up ODI 10458886 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling	28,776–46,378 mi	32,811 mi	12	ODI 10369213 · 14,000 mi FAILURE OF TIMING BELT TENSIONER IN 2009 MINI COOPER S LEADING TO MASSIVE OIL LEAK LOSS OF POWER TO ENGINE AND NEAR LETHAL ACCIDENT. TR Look up ODI 10369213 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10381953 · 52,124 mi MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IN OUR GARAGE. WHEN I PULLED IT OUT ON THE 2ND I NOTICED A LARGE POOL OF OIL ON THE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND THAT IF NOT IMMEDIATELY REMEDIED THIS WOULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. OVER MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE DEALER, MINI OF STERLING IN STERLING, VA, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, AT LEAST ONE A WEEK, AND IS A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM WITH A KNOWN WORK-AROUND. THEY INFORMED ME … Look up ODI 10381953 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10427018 · 31,621 mi ENGINE OIL SPRAYING FROM CAMSHAFT CHAIN TENSION-ER SEAL. OIL WAS SPRAYING OUT UNDER PRESSURE. I WOULD CONSIDER THIS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD, AS HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS ARE NEARBY. TR Look up ODI 10427018 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System	31,500–73,000 mi	55,000 mi	7	ODI 10335450 · 20,000 mi 2009 MINI COOPER S. DROVE CAR 20KM TO LOCAL MALL. CAME OUT TO RETRIEVE WALLET FROM GLOVE BOX AFTER BEING IN MALL FOR APPROXIMATELY 20MIN. CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT MOST LIKELY STARTED IN THE DASHBOARD SOMEWHERE. NO WARNING SIGNS OF IMMINENT DANGER ON MY DRIVE TO THE MALL. CAR ONLY SERVICED AT AUTHORIZED BMW/MINI DEALERSHIP. 30K KMS ON CAR. CAR IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR Look up ODI 10335450 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11112588 · 55,000 mi MY 2009 MINI COOPER S MADE RATTLE NOISE AND THE WHOLE TIMING CHAIN GOT REPLACED PLUS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSE AND WATER PUMP! THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL KEEPS ON AFTER TROUBLE-SHOOTING BY MY MECHANICS, WHICH MIGHT BE THE COMPUTER ISSUE WHICH HAS TO BE FIGURED OUT SOON! THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE SHOULD BE UNDER FULLY-COVERED BY MANUFACTURER SINCE TOO MANY MINI COOPER OWNER HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND PAID THOUSAND OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT! MY MINI IS ONLY ABOUT 55K MILES AND ALREADY HAS TIMING CHAIN ISSUE! Look up ODI 11112588 at NHTSA ↗
Seat Belts	Too few reports for a range	24,755 mi	4 (sparse)	ODI 10340585 · 30,010 mi I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME APPROPRIATELY RESULTING IN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. I HAD HEAD CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FACE BRUISES, INCLUDING A DEEP CUT IN MY LIP. MINI (BMW) IS INVESTIGATING. TR Look up ODI 10340585 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10693596 · 64,500 mi I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (IN RED) COMING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STARTED IN FEBRUARY, 2015. I'VE TOLD THAT MINI/BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IS NOT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT ON ESTABLISHING A SAFETY RECALL ON AFFECTED CARS. WARNING LIGHT COMES ON REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, OTHER TIMES IT CYCLES THROUGH ON-OFF, WITH THE AUDIBLE WARNING, SEVERAL TIMES A MINUTE. TR Look up ODI 10693596 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10761394 · 19,500 mi THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT SENSOR LIGHT STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY CAR IS STARTED, REGARDLESS ANYONE IN THE SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MANUFACTURE. Look up ODI 10761394 at NHTSA ↗
Seats	Too few reports for a range	44,000 mi	4 (sparse)	ODI 10795342 · 52,000 mi MY AIRBAG LIGHT/SEAT SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON BOTH CENTER CONSOLE AND DRIVER'S CONSOLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BOTH LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED. PROPER OPERATION OF SEAT SENSOR IN PASSENGER SEAT MAT WHICH ACTIVATES PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS NOW IN QUESTION. Look up ODI 10795342 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10958926 · 45,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAINS OFF DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION SYSTEM. Look up ODI 10958926 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel System, Gasoline	Too few reports for a range	33,000 mi	3 (sparse)	ODI 10436864 · 29,643 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT FUEL LINE WAS CLOGGED, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE FUEL TO FLOW FREELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 29,643. Look up ODI 10436864 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10555546 · 33,000 mi FIRE DID NOT OCCUR, BUT THERE IS A RISK. MANY MINI COOPER MODELS WITH TURBOCHARGERS ARE EXPERIENCING A LEAKY OIL FEED LINE TO THE TURBO AFTER APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. DUE TO A POORLY INSULATED RUBBER GASKET. IT IS A MANUFACTURING FLAW, BUT MINI HAS FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE. THIS IS A FIRE RISK. THE OIL IS ALLOWED TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE BAY, AND IT CAN DESTROY THE ENGINE BECAUSE MINI COOPERS DO NOT HAVE AN OIL SENSOR. TR Look up ODI 10555546 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10617810 · 44,000 mi WHILE IDLING AT A RED LIGHT, VEHICLE RPMS VARIED DRAMATICALLY AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND MOVED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE VALVE COVER WAS FOUND TO HAVE A VACUUM LEAK, WHICH HAS BECOME A COMMON ISSUE WITH MINI COOPER S MODELS. TR Look up ODI 10617810 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2021: 0 complaints · 2022: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2021	0	0	0
2022	0	0	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2021	0	0	0
2022	1	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine	Air Bags	Power Train	Engine And Engine Cooling	Electrical System	Seat Belts	Seats	Fuel System, Gasoline
Engine	—	1 ODI 10712346 · 64,500 mi AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. BMW NORTH AMERICA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2005 - 2008 MODELS, BUT NOT AFFECTED 2009 (2008 PRODUCTION DATE) MODELS. PERSISTENT OIL LEAKS FROM AND AROUND OIL FILTER HOUSING AND TURBO OIL LINES. OIL LEAKS DIRECTLY ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD DOWN PIPE, POTENTIALLY STARTING A FIRE, HASN'T YET, BUT THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SMOKE AND IN ONE INSTANCE, A SMALL FLARE-UP WHEN OIL DRIPPED ON THE PIPE AS THE CAR WAS IDLING IN THE GARAGE AFTER A SHORT TRIP. *TR Look up ODI 10712346 at NHTSA ↗	9 ODI 10458886 · 57,120 mi TIMING BELT FAILURE DUE TO RESTRICTOR BELT DEFECT. TR Look up ODI 10458886 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10478077 · 52,000 mi THE TIMING TENSIONER ON MY MINI COOPER S BACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LOSS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI, BUT NO KNOWN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THIS POINT. TR Look up ODI 10478077 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10490781 · 62,100 mi VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP IN FEB 2012 FOR A RATTLING NOISE. SERVICE CENTER AT BRAMAN MIAMI SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE, SO IT WAS ASSUMED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 2-3 TIMES DUE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT, ROUGH IDLE AT COLD START AND LOSS OF TURBO POWER DUE TO LEAKAGE IN TURBO OIL FEED LINES. THIS WAS REPAIRED IN EARLY 2012/LATE 2011. IN DECEMBER OF 2012, WHILE DRIVING THE RATTLING NOISE OF THE COMPLAINT IN FEB 2012 INTENSIFIED AND OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE… Look up ODI 10490781 at NHTSA ↗	0	2 ODI 11112588 · 55,000 mi MY 2009 MINI COOPER S MADE RATTLE NOISE AND THE WHOLE TIMING CHAIN GOT REPLACED PLUS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSE AND WATER PUMP! THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL KEEPS ON AFTER TROUBLE-SHOOTING BY MY MECHANICS, WHICH MIGHT BE THE COMPUTER ISSUE WHICH HAS TO BE FIGURED OUT SOON! THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE SHOULD BE UNDER FULLY-COVERED BY MANUFACTURER SINCE TOO MANY MINI COOPER OWNER HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND PAID THOUSAND OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT! MY MINI IS ONLY ABOUT 55K MILES AND ALREADY HAS TIMING CHAIN ISSUE! Look up ODI 11112588 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11320262 THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILED AND CAUSED THE CIRCUIT BOARD TO OVERHEAT. IF THE CIRCUIT BOARD WERE TO OVERHEAT, IT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A FIRE. OTHER OBSERVATION: MISFIRE PRESENT AT SEVERAL CYLINDERS. INTAKE PORTS CARBONIZED. Look up ODI 11320262 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 10555546 · 33,000 mi FIRE DID NOT OCCUR, BUT THERE IS A RISK. MANY MINI COOPER MODELS WITH TURBOCHARGERS ARE EXPERIENCING A LEAKY OIL FEED LINE TO THE TURBO AFTER APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. DUE TO A POORLY INSULATED RUBBER GASKET. IT IS A MANUFACTURING FLAW, BUT MINI HAS FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE. THIS IS A FIRE RISK. THE OIL IS ALLOWED TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE BAY, AND IT CAN DESTROY THE ENGINE BECAUSE MINI COOPERS DO NOT HAVE AN OIL SENSOR. *TR Look up ODI 10555546 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	1 ODI 10712346 · 64,500 mi AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. BMW NORTH AMERICA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2005 - 2008 MODELS, BUT NOT AFFECTED 2009 (2008 PRODUCTION DATE) MODELS. PERSISTENT OIL LEAKS FROM AND AROUND OIL FILTER HOUSING AND TURBO OIL LINES. OIL LEAKS DIRECTLY ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD DOWN PIPE, POTENTIALLY STARTING A FIRE, HASN'T YET, BUT THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SMOKE AND IN ONE INSTANCE, A SMALL FLARE-UP WHEN OIL DRIPPED ON THE PIPE AS THE CAR WAS IDLING IN THE GARAGE AFTER A SHORT TRIP. *TR Look up ODI 10712346 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	1 ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 10340585 · 30,010 mi I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME APPROPRIATELY RESULTING IN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. I HAD HEAD CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FACE BRUISES, INCLUDING A DEEP CUT IN MY LIP. MINI (BMW) IS INVESTIGATING. TR Look up ODI 10340585 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10693596 · 64,500 mi I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (IN RED) COMING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STARTED IN FEBRUARY, 2015. I'VE TOLD THAT MINI/BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IS NOT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT ON ESTABLISHING A SAFETY RECALL ON AFFECTED CARS. WARNING LIGHT COMES ON REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, OTHER TIMES IT CYCLES THROUGH ON-OFF, WITH THE AUDIBLE WARNING, SEVERAL TIMES A MINUTE. TR Look up ODI 10693596 at NHTSA ↗	3 ODI 10795342 · 52,000 mi MY AIRBAG LIGHT/SEAT SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON BOTH CENTER CONSOLE AND DRIVER'S CONSOLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BOTH LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED. PROPER OPERATION OF SEAT SENSOR IN PASSENGER SEAT MAT WHICH ACTIVATES PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS NOW IN QUESTION. Look up ODI 10795342 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10958926 · 45,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAINS OFF DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION SYSTEM. Look up ODI 10958926 at NHTSA ↗	0
Power Train	9 ODI 10458886 · 57,120 mi TIMING BELT FAILURE DUE TO RESTRICTOR BELT DEFECT. TR Look up ODI 10458886 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10478077 · 52,000 mi THE TIMING TENSIONER ON MY MINI COOPER S BACKED OUT, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LOSS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BY MINI, BUT NO KNOWN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THIS POINT. TR Look up ODI 10478077 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10490781 · 62,100 mi VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP IN FEB 2012 FOR A RATTLING NOISE. SERVICE CENTER AT BRAMAN MIAMI SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE, SO IT WAS ASSUMED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THIS, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 2-3 TIMES DUE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT, ROUGH IDLE AT COLD START AND LOSS OF TURBO POWER DUE TO LEAKAGE IN TURBO OIL FEED LINES. THIS WAS REPAIRED IN EARLY 2012/LATE 2011. IN DECEMBER OF 2012, WHILE DRIVING THE RATTLING NOISE OF THE COMPLAINT IN FEB 2012 INTENSIFIED AND OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE… Look up ODI 10490781 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	2 ODI 10450757 · 44,463 mi WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABRUPTLY HALTED CAUSING ME TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT IT COULD BE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SAFE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY SORT WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO A LOCATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE TOWED. DETAILS OF SERVICE PROVIDED FROM KNAUZ MINI AS FOLLOWS: FOUND CAR NOT STARTING, DURING FAULT INSPECTION FOUND FAULT FOR EXHAUST CAM SENSOR NOT READING. FOUND EXHAUST CAM NOT MOVING THROUGH OIL CAP ON VALVE COVER. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOR CYLIND… Look up ODI 10450757 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10450765 · 30,147 mi WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, OIL STARTED TO DRAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES OVER THE STREET. STEADY STREAM ABOUT 2 INCHES WIDE WAS VISIBLE ON THE STREET ONCE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. OIL LIGHT CAME ONE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER OIL SPIN WAS NOTED. CAR WAS MOVED TO SAFE LOCATION ONCE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NOTES FROM KNAUZ MINI SERVICE MANAGER: FOUND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WALKING OUT OF POSITION CAUSING OIL TO COME OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. CLEANED OIL RESIDUE AND REPLACED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS. DUE TO LACK OF PROPER TENSION … Look up ODI 10450765 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling	0	0	2 ODI 10450757 · 44,463 mi WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABRUPTLY HALTED CAUSING ME TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT IT COULD BE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SAFE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY SORT WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO A LOCATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE TOWED. DETAILS OF SERVICE PROVIDED FROM KNAUZ MINI AS FOLLOWS: FOUND CAR NOT STARTING, DURING FAULT INSPECTION FOUND FAULT FOR EXHAUST CAM SENSOR NOT READING. FOUND EXHAUST CAM NOT MOVING THROUGH OIL CAP ON VALVE COVER. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOR CYLIND… Look up ODI 10450757 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10450765 · 30,147 mi WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, OIL STARTED TO DRAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES OVER THE STREET. STEADY STREAM ABOUT 2 INCHES WIDE WAS VISIBLE ON THE STREET ONCE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. OIL LIGHT CAME ONE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER OIL SPIN WAS NOTED. CAR WAS MOVED TO SAFE LOCATION ONCE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NOTES FROM KNAUZ MINI SERVICE MANAGER: FOUND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WALKING OUT OF POSITION CAUSING OIL TO COME OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. CLEANED OIL RESIDUE AND REPLACED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS. DUE TO LACK OF PROPER TENSION … Look up ODI 10450765 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	0	0
Electrical System	2 ODI 11112588 · 55,000 mi MY 2009 MINI COOPER S MADE RATTLE NOISE AND THE WHOLE TIMING CHAIN GOT REPLACED PLUS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSE AND WATER PUMP! THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL KEEPS ON AFTER TROUBLE-SHOOTING BY MY MECHANICS, WHICH MIGHT BE THE COMPUTER ISSUE WHICH HAS TO BE FIGURED OUT SOON! THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE SHOULD BE UNDER FULLY-COVERED BY MANUFACTURER SINCE TOO MANY MINI COOPER OWNER HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND PAID THOUSAND OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT! MY MINI IS ONLY ABOUT 55K MILES AND ALREADY HAS TIMING CHAIN ISSUE! Look up ODI 11112588 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11320262 THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILED AND CAUSED THE CIRCUIT BOARD TO OVERHEAT. IF THE CIRCUIT BOARD WERE TO OVERHEAT, IT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A FIRE. OTHER OBSERVATION: MISFIRE PRESENT AT SEVERAL CYLINDERS. INTAKE PORTS CARBONIZED. Look up ODI 11320262 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—	1 ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	0
Seat Belts	0	2 ODI 10340585 · 30,010 mi I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME APPROPRIATELY RESULTING IN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. I HAD HEAD CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FACE BRUISES, INCLUDING A DEEP CUT IN MY LIP. MINI (BMW) IS INVESTIGATING. TR Look up ODI 10340585 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10693596 · 64,500 mi I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (IN RED) COMING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STARTED IN FEBRUARY, 2015. I'VE TOLD THAT MINI/BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IS NOT MAKING ANY MOVEMENT ON ESTABLISHING A SAFETY RECALL ON AFFECTED CARS. WARNING LIGHT COMES ON REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, OTHER TIMES IT CYCLES THROUGH ON-OFF, WITH THE AUDIBLE WARNING, SEVERAL TIMES A MINUTE. TR Look up ODI 10693596 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	0
Seats	0	3 ODI 10795342 · 52,000 mi MY AIRBAG LIGHT/SEAT SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON BOTH CENTER CONSOLE AND DRIVER'S CONSOLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BOTH LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED. PROPER OPERATION OF SEAT SENSOR IN PASSENGER SEAT MAT WHICH ACTIVATES PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS NOW IN QUESTION. Look up ODI 10795342 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10958926 · 45,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAINS OFF DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION SYSTEM. Look up ODI 10958926 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	2 ODI 10810059 · 43,000 mi PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS Look up ODI 10810059 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11297681 · 12,500 mi WAS PARKED AND WENT TO START IT AND NO WARNING CHIMES SEAT BELT SEAT RADIO AIR BAGS Look up ODI 11297681 at NHTSA ↗	—	0
Fuel System, Gasoline	1 ODI 10555546 · 33,000 mi FIRE DID NOT OCCUR, BUT THERE IS A RISK. MANY MINI COOPER MODELS WITH TURBOCHARGERS ARE EXPERIENCING A LEAKY OIL FEED LINE TO THE TURBO AFTER APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. DUE TO A POORLY INSULATED RUBBER GASKET. IT IS A MANUFACTURING FLAW, BUT MINI HAS FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE. THIS IS A FIRE RISK. THE OIL IS ALLOWED TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE BAY, AND IT CAN DESTROY THE ENGINE BECAUSE MINI COOPERS DO NOT HAVE AN OIL SENSOR. *TR Look up ODI 10555546 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

6 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

16 mentions · 13.4% of complaints

Median mileage: 59,000 mi (15 usable records).

ODI 10436864 · 29,643 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT FUEL LINE WAS CLOGGED, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE FUEL TO FLOW FREELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 29,643.

Look up ODI 10436864 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 10450757 · 44,463 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABRUPTLY HALTED CAUSING ME TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO THAT IT COULD BE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SAFE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY SORT WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO A LOCATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE TOWED. DETAILS OF SERVICE PROVIDED FROM KNAUZ MINI AS FOLLOWS: FOUND CAR NOT STARTING, DURING FAULT INSPECTION FOUND FAULT FOR EXHAUST CAM SENSOR NOT READING. FOUND EXHAUST CAM NOT MOVING THROUGH OIL CAP ON VALVE COVER. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOR CYLIND…

Look up ODI 10450757 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 10490742 · 81,000 mi

TURBO OIL LINES LEAKING OIL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEING ACTIVATED. *TR

Look up ODI 10490742 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Stalling or loss of power

7 mentions · 5.9% of complaints

Median mileage: 86,000 mi (7 usable records).

ODI 10369213 · 14,000 mi

FAILURE OF TIMING BELT TENSIONER IN 2009 MINI COOPER S LEADING TO MASSIVE OIL LEAK LOSS OF POWER TO ENGINE AND NEAR LETHAL ACCIDENT. *TR

Look up ODI 10369213 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 10549028 · 86,000 mi

TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AS I WAS CROSSING A MAJOR HIGHWAY, CAR TOWED TO LOCAL BMW CERTIFIED MECHANIC, SHOWS TIMING CHAIN MISFIRE, NEEDS TOTAL REPLACEMENT WITH MULTIPLE COMPONENTS NEEDING REPLACED DUE TO TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM. 3300$ WORTH OF DAMAGE TO ENGINE. APPARENT PROBLEM WITH TIMING CHAIN ON THOUSANDS OF MINI COOPER AND THEY HAVE NOT CALLED A RECALL ON THE PIECE. THIS WAS ALMOST A MAJOR ACCIDENT FOR ME AND IS CAUSING ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. *TR

Look up ODI 10549028 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 10617810 · 44,000 mi

WHILE IDLING AT A RED LIGHT, VEHICLE RPMS VARIED DRAMATICALLY AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND MOVED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE VALVE COVER WAS FOUND TO HAVE A VACUUM LEAK, WHICH HAS BECOME A COMMON ISSUE WITH MINI COOPER S MODELS. *TR

Look up ODI 10617810 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Battery drain and no-start mentions

2 mentions · 1.7% of complaints

Median mileage: 63,600 mi (2 usable records).

ODI 10692862 · 32,000 mi

I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A BUSY CITY STREET. THE MINI COOPER S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND WOULD NOT START. THAT DAY WAS HEAVY SNOW AND THE ROADS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON. I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR. AFTER SOMETIME WAITING ON A TOW TRUCK THE FOUR WAY FLASHERS QUIT WORKING. FORTUNATELY NO ONE RAN INTO THE CAR. I DISRUPTED TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT AN HOUR UNTIL THE POLICE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MINI DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT. RESEARCH…

Look up ODI 10692862 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11221055 · 95,200 mi

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT 55-60 MPH. VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START OR TURNOVER. 15 MINUTES OF REST AND CAR WAS STARTED AND RPMS WERE FLUTTERING. MINI COOPER OF GRAND RAPIDS STATED THE TIMING CHAIN WAS "MOST LIKELY" "OUT". THEY ALSO STATED NO GOODWILL ASSISTANCE COULD BE PROVIDED WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE WINDOW, FOR A PREVIOUS LAWSUIT INVOLVING THEE 2009 MINI COOPER S, WAS CLOSED AND THE DEFECTIVE TENSIONER AND GUIDE RAILS (TO INCLUDE ENGINE DESIGN) WERE STILL IN MY MINI COOPER. CAR HAS STARTED ONCE SINCE BUT WILL NOT STAY RUNNING. OTHER CAS…

Look up ODI 11221055 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Fuel smell or leak mentions

1 mentions · 0.8% of complaints

Median mileage: 47,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10552320 · 47,000 mi

FUEL LEAK A/P MINI SERVICE; NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY; AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ADVISED SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPORTED DESIGN FLAW IN CRIMP DEVICE HOLDING OIL LINE CONNECTING TO TURBO. ADVISED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TURBO UNIT DEFECTIVE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT. MINI OF FAIRFIELD RETURNED VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE MANNER WITH STRIPPED BOLTS AND IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF OIL PAN. AFTER CALLING BMW OF NORTH AMERICA MINI OF FAIRFIELD DECIDED TO CHANGE OIL LINES WITHOUT CHANGING TURBO UNIT. ON DRIVING VEHICLE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD; VEH…

Look up ODI 10552320 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b

Hard or delayed shifting

1 mentions · 0.8% of complaints

Median mileage: 44,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10785590 · 44,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND BEGAN TO JERK. IN ADDITION, A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVEN AND OILS LEAKS WERE DISCOVERED WHEN PARKED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

Look up ODI 10785590 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 0.8% of complaints

Median mileage: 80,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10821516 · 80,000 mi

THE CAR'S ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE FAILED (APPARENTLY SHORTED OUT), AND UPON ATTEMPTING TO EVALUATE THE ISSUE THE UNIT WILL SPARK AND EVEN CATCH FIRE. IT HAS MELTED SEVERAL OF THE WIRING COMPONENTS IN MY CAR, AND HAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED AT LEAST MY ABS SYSTEM AND MY TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR. MINI COOPER OF ESCONDIDO INSPECTED THE DAMAGE AND DEEMED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE EPS UNIT AND THE STEERING RACK, BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO COVER THE COSTS OF REPLACEMENT.

Look up ODI 10821516 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b