Engine. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

15 reports

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24,662 miles · Feb 27, 2015

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED, FOUND TO BE SHEARED THROUGH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691008

31,000 miles · Nov 9, 2013

Engine And Engine Cooling

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MINI COOPER SENT A RECALL FOR A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN IN MY 2009 MINI COOPER. THIS IS THE 2ND TIMING CHAIN REPAIR IN 2 YEARS. WHEN I HAD IT IN FOR THE REPAIR I INFORMED THE TECH I SMELLED OIL BURNING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING DURING A HIGHWAY DRIVE. THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND INFORMED ME THE TURBO LINES WERE LEAKING WHICH POSE A RISK IF I LEFT IT UNREPAIRED. THE TURBO LINE REPAIR IS A $1000 REPAIR ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 35000 MILES. THE TECH INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT A HEAT SHIELD ON THE VEHICLE ALSO AS PART OF A RECALL. PERHAPS THIS SHIELD SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED PRIOR AND THE LINE WOULD STILL BE INTACT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10551646

70,000 miles · Sep 10, 2013

Engine And Engine Cooling

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED IT AND ITS THE THERMOSTAT. I HAD REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT 1 YEAR AGO AND NOW AGAIN. WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TX AND THEY TOLD ME THEIR ON BACK ORDER. APPARENTLY 17,000 ON BACKORDER! ITS ALMOST BEEN A MONTH AND A HALF AND MY CAR IS STILL IN MY GARAGE WITH NO DEFINITE ANSWER FR…

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NHTSA ODI #10542948

40,000 miles · Jun 26, 2013

Engine And Engine Cooling

FAN IS BARELY BLOWING OUT OF THE FRONT VENTS, THE AIR IS ALL FLOWING THROUGH THE BOTTOM VENTS. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. HEAT AND AIR-CONDITIONING WORKS FINE. ONLY THE AIR FLOW IS LIMITED REGARDLESS OF ADJUSTMENTS TO AIR FLOW SETTINGS OR TEMPERATURES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10521949

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2013

Engine And Engine Cooling

CPSC: I1350251A. MINI COOPER S 2009. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CAR WAS BROUGHT NEW AND HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED BECAUSE OF THE LATE RECALL, ISSUED BY BMW, THE OIL SUPPLY LINE WAS DAMAGED AND STARTED TO LEAK.

NHTSA ODI #10519290

30,147 miles · Mar 8, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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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 OF TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CHECKED TIMING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450765

44,463 miles · Mar 8, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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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 CYLINDER, FOUND TIMING CHAIN TO BE BROKEN CAUSING EXHAUST CAM TIMING CHAIN SPROCKET TO BREAK OFF EXHAUST CAM. FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING CAUSING DAMAGE TO COMPLETE ENGINE DUE TO TIMING CHAIN BREAKING IN TWO PIECES. FOUND LOWER CRANK DAMAGED FROM TIMING CHAIN WEDGING IN BETWEEN BLOCK AND TIMING CHAIN COVER AREA. REMOVED COMPLETE ENGINE AND REPLACED, NOTE DURING REMOVAL OF SUB-FRAME BOLTS ON RAIL FOUND TREADS TO BE DAMAGED FROM FACTORY (SUBFRAME NEVER REMOVED BEFORE) WHILE BEING INSTALLED. RE-TAPPED TREADS AND REPLACED BOTH BOLTS. TEST DROVE CAR WITH NEW MOTOR OVERNIGHT NO FURTHER PROBLEMS FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450757

14,800 miles · Jan 14, 2012

Engine And Engine Cooling

LOUD RATTLE AT COLD START. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10443818

53,000 miles · Dec 29, 2011

Engine And Engine Cooling

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WHY IS MY VIN # NOT ADDED TO THIS RECALL? IT HAS ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS.. I CALLED MINI USA WITHOUT GETTING ANYWHERE. DID I JUST A BUY A LEMON? SEE INFO BELOW: THE COLD START ISSUE HAS BEEN A COMMON THEME POPPING UP IN THE FAULTS AND FIXES THREADS ON VARIOUS MINI FORUMS. SPECIFICALLY, MCS OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT A PECULIARLY LOUD ENGINE RATTLE ON START-UP. NOW THE R56 IS A N?INTERESTING" SOUNDING ENGINE TO BEGIN WITH. THE DIRECT FUEL INJECTION SOLENOIDS GIVE THE CAR A VERY DIESEL-ESQUE SOUND AT IDLE. BUT THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT SOUND ALTOGETHER. BMW HAS DETERMINED THAT THE COLD START RATTLE WAS/IS BEING CAUSED BY THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER (WHICH IS IN TURN POWERED BY AN OIL-PRESSURIZED PISTON). MORE SPECIFICALLY THE SOUND IS CAUSED WHEN THE TENSIONER PISTON DOESN'T EXTEND ALL THE WAY (OR AT ALL) WHICH THEN ALLOWS THE TIMING CHAIN TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE GUIDES ON THE ENGINE COVER. AFTER TWO YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE ISSUE MINI NOW HAS OFFICIAL REPAIR INFORMATION AT DEALERS THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE ISSUE. THE PUMA MEASURE NUMBER THAT WILL NEED TO BE REFERENCED IS 10686850-13 (WE'VE SEEN 10686850-12 MENTIONED BUT WE BELIEVE 13 IS THE LATEST) AND THE PART NUMBER IS 11.31.7.598.956. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION WE'VE SEEN, ALL CARS AFFECTED IN WITH THE ISSUE WILL GET A NEW TIMING CHAIN, CHAIN GUIDES, CAM SPROCKETS AND VANOS UNIT. AT THIS STAGE MINI IS HANDLING THIS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS WHEN THE OWNER COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SOUND. WERE GUESSING THEY WOULD LIKE TO STEER CLEAR OF SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A RECALL (VOLUNTARY OR OTHERWISE) DUE TO THE COST OF THE SERVICE. HOWEVER DON'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE AND HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE OFFICIAL FIX SOON. IN THE MEAN TIME IF YOUR 2007-2009 MCS IS AFFECTED WED URGE YOU TO CALL AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10441678

34,000 miles · Oct 16, 2011

Engine And Engine CoolingFire

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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

NHTSA ODI #10430391

Official recalls

23V337000 · Electrical System

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 & remedy

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.

18V248000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine; Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

Apr 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 & remedy

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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

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

12V008000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

Jan 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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE11036 · Engine Compartment Fire

Opened Oct 11, 2011 · Closed Jun 11, 2012

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

In a January 10, 2012 letter to NHTSA, BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the electric auxiliary water pump in approximately 88,911 model year (MY) 2007-2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2006 through January 18, 2011 (Recall 12V-008).According to BMW, the auxiliary water pump on vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder turbocharged engines may overheat.Electro-migration can cause the pump electronic circuit board to overheat resulting in smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, it may lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.The pump supplier, Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH, redesigned the pump to address factors that may contribute to circuit board overheating.The redesigned pumps were completely implemented in production vehicles by January 2011.Recall 12V-008 was the third recall initiated by BMW to address electric auxiliary water pump fires in vehicles equipped with Pierburg pumps.In two October 20, 2011 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted DIRs for similar auxiliary water pump defect conditions in approximately 32,084 MY 2008-2011 BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X5 and X6 models equipped with 8- and 12-cylinder engines and manufactured from May 2008 through December 2010 (Recall 11V-521); and for approximately 589 MY 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from September 2009 through September 2010 (Recall 11V-522).In three separate April 5, 2012 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted amendments to Recalls 11V-521, 11V-522 and 12V-008.The amendments all described a common defect condition related to a manufacturing process deviation in a certain production range of the redesigned Pierburg water pumps that could result in cracks in the pump housing, which may allow coolant to enter and contact the pump?s circuit board.BMW indicated that further analysis identified a specific machine process error at the sub-supplier that manufactures the water pump housing.Pump housing cracks may cause the circuit board to overheat and lead to smoldering of the water pump.Recall 12V-008 was, thus, amended to include approximately 1,457 MY 2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2011 through April 22, 2011, when pumps manufactured with the suspect manufacturing process may have been used in vehicle assembly.The amendment to Recall 11V-521 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-161, and covered approximately 2,846 MY 2011-2012 BMW 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2011 through August 1, 2011.The amendment to Recall 11V-522 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-166, and covered approximately 69 MY 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from April 7, 2011 through June 2, 2011.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by BMW as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 30 unique Mini Cooper reports indicating engine fire.In addition, BMW provided warranty data showing 493 claims for replacement of the subject component on Mini Cooper vehicles.Owners of the recalled vehicles are notified to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer, who will replace the auxiliary water pump to prevent any incidents related to this issue.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.):10286597, 10286663, 10289793, 10310677, 10314796, 10342365, 10394808, 10394192, 10403982, 10418325, 10422646, 10429003.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Engine And Engine Cooling