← New search

2009 Mini Cooper

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Cooper years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Mini Cooper are substantially higher than the model-year median of 40.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Cooper years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

118 reports with mileage · 33 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports11 fire reports3 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

62 reports
Clear category filter
66,000 miles · Aug 3, 2016
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATING, THE AIR BAG WARNING CHIME WAS ACTIVATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR HAD ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATING, THE AIR BAG WARNING CHIME WAS ACTIVATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.

NHTSA ODI #10892755

59,960 miles · Jul 19, 2016
Air BagsSeat Belts

I WENT OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR 21 DAY AND LEFT MY MINI PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF MY CAR AND TAKE PRIDE IN APPEARANCE AND MAINTENANCE. I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED WHEN I RETURNED THE WARNING LIGHTS WAS ON. THE MILEAGE IS JUST UNDER 60000. THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON OUT OF THE BLUE (STAYS ON). WHEN …

Read full complaint

I WENT OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR 21 DAY AND LEFT MY MINI PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF MY CAR AND TAKE PRIDE IN APPEARANCE AND MAINTENANCE. I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED WHEN I RETURNED THE WARNING LIGHTS WAS ON. THE MILEAGE IS JUST UNDER 60000. THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON OUT OF THE BLUE (STAYS ON). WHEN I TOOK MY MINI TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS SUGGESTED TO LOOK FOR RECALLS FIRST. UPON RESEARCH FOUND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALLS FOR 2009. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND BMW SHOULD BE ASHAMED. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM BMW AND WILL WARN OTHERS BEFORE THEY CONSIDER MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE. I WILL BE TRADING MY CAR IN FOR AN AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10885744

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2016
Air BagsSeat Belts

AIRBAG SENSOR MAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHETHER A PERSON IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THEREBY NOT ACTIVATING THE AIRBAG; THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON & OFF FOR MONTHS; PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON IMMEDIATELY DESPITE OCCUPANCY WHILE PARKED AND DURING DRIVING (ALL CONDITIONS-HIGHWAY, CITY STREET, TURNING. THIS ISSUE STARTED RIG…

Read full complaint

AIRBAG SENSOR MAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHETHER A PERSON IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THEREBY NOT ACTIVATING THE AIRBAG; THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON & OFF FOR MONTHS; PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON IMMEDIATELY DESPITE OCCUPANCY WHILE PARKED AND DURING DRIVING (ALL CONDITIONS-HIGHWAY, CITY STREET, TURNING. THIS ISSUE STARTED RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS OVER. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AS NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IN CASE OF IMPACT. I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI #10884822

55,000 miles · Jul 13, 2016
Air BagsSeat Belts

THE CAR HAS 55000 MILES AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. AFTER RESEARCH THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR, ALSO KNOWN AS A PASSENGER OCCUPANCY MAT. MINI HAS RECALLED MANY VEHICLES FOR THIS REASON, HOWEVER THEY CONTINUE TO REFUSE THE PROBLEMS CONTINUES WITH THE 2009 MODEL. THIS IS A SAFETY AND COSTLY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10884494

38,000 miles · Jul 11, 2016
Air BagsSeats

FAULTY SEAT BELT LIGHT/ AIRBAG ON.

NHTSA ODI #10883881

80,000 miles · May 27, 2016
Air Bags

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG ALARM IS ON CONSTANTLY. WE WERE TOLD BY MINI DEALER THAT THE PAD THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAG IS FAULTY, OR CRACKED. THEY ALSO INFORMED US THAT THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS UNDER RECALL FOR MODELS 2005 TO 2008, BUT NOT OUR 2009. WE CONTACTED MINI USA AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T CONTROL RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI #10871294

70,000 miles · May 4, 2016
Air Bags

OCCUPANCY SENSOR 15V/205 R56 IS BUSTED

NHTSA ODI #10863058

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL....MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO YRS NOW AND FOR NO REASON I'M A SINGLE MAN WITH NO DEPENDENT CHILDREN SO RARELY IS ANYONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. DEALERSHIP WANT 100'S FOR REPAIR.RREALLY..SO I HAVE LET IT ON.

NHTSA ODI #10862447

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL: THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OVER A YEAR AGO AND IT SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF. IT WILL COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MINI MECHANIC IN TOWN WHO SAID THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAULTY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THE PASSENGER AIRBA…

Read full complaint

TAKATA RECALL: THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OVER A YEAR AGO AND IT SAYS THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF. IT WILL COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MINI MECHANIC IN TOWN WHO SAID THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAULTY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10862425

54,000 miles · Apr 25, 2016
Air Bags

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHING ON INTERMITTENTLY DURING OPERATION OF VEHICAL AND PASSENGER AIR BAG OVERHEAD STATUS LIGHT COMING ON SAYING AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED WHILE AN ADULT PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN VEHICLE IS MOVING AND STOPPED. PROBLEM IS ONGOING.

NHTSA ODI #10861298

Official recalls

1

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.