IllustrationTHE 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.
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
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
120–25K
2325–50K
4450–75K
1975–100K
15100–150K
5150K+
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
What owners actually said
151 reportsFAULTY SEAT BELT LIGHT/ AIRBAG ON.
MY MINI HAS UNDER 50,000 MILES AND IS A 2009, AND TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT, ONE WEEK AFTER A NEW OIL CHANGE A RATTLING STARTED IN THE TIMING CHAIN REGION UNDER THE HOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING AND RECENT LAWSUITS INVOLVING THE FAULTY TIMING COMPONENTS, HOWEVER BMW HAS REFUSED TO DO A RECALL. I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION WHERE…
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MY MINI HAS UNDER 50,000 MILES AND IS A 2009, AND TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT, ONE WEEK AFTER A NEW OIL CHANGE A RATTLING STARTED IN THE TIMING CHAIN REGION UNDER THE HOOD. THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING AND RECENT LAWSUITS INVOLVING THE FAULTY TIMING COMPONENTS, HOWEVER BMW HAS REFUSED TO DO A RECALL. I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION WHERE I LIVE THAN TO TAKE IT TO A MINI DEALERSHIP, WHICH IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS SITUATION, QUOTING A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF $2000-$4000 FOR A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTICS/REPAIR. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW COMMON THE PROBLEM IS AND THE FACT THAT A COMPANY THAT IS KNOWN FOR BEING REPUTABLE, BMW, IS BEING SO UNPROFESSIONAL IN ADMITTING THE FAULT. ALSO, I HAD TO TOW MY MINI TO PREVENT THE CHAIN FROM SPONTANEOUSLY BRAKING ON MY WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL, JUST ANOTHER FEE, TO PREVENT INCURRING AN EVEN PRICIER DAMAGE TO THE TURBO ENGINE, JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
IT'S THE ENGINE BURNED UP WAS DRIVING CAR GOT HOT STARTED SMOKING AND THE ENGINE BURNED UP VERY DISAPPOINTED DIDN'T EVEN FINISH PAYING FOR IT.
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.
OCCUPANCY SENSOR 15V/205 R56 IS BUSTED
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.
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…
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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.
I NOTED THAT AT IDLE THE ENGINE OF MY 2009 MINI COOPER WAS NOT RUNNING SMOOTH AND INSTEAD BEGINNING TO PULSATE/VIBRATE. WITHIN IN 3 DAYS I HAD MY MINI AT THE SERVICE CENTER. ON THE WAY TO THE APPOINTMENT THE ENGINE CUT OFF AT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. NO SENSOR LIGHT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A TIMING CH…
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I NOTED THAT AT IDLE THE ENGINE OF MY 2009 MINI COOPER WAS NOT RUNNING SMOOTH AND INSTEAD BEGINNING TO PULSATE/VIBRATE. WITHIN IN 3 DAYS I HAD MY MINI AT THE SERVICE CENTER. ON THE WAY TO THE APPOINTMENT THE ENGINE CUT OFF AT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT BUT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. NO SENSOR LIGHT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. AS A RESULT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE DAMAGE ALSO CAUSED AN OIL LEAK SO THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT OIL, THOUGH I'D RECENTLY RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VACUUM PUMP WAS ALSO LEAKING. AT NO TIME DID ANY SENSOR LIGHTS COME ON AS A WARNING, INCLUDING A CHECK ENGINE, LOW OIL, OR LOW COOLANT . I WAS INFORMED THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE UPWARDS OF $3500.00, OVER HALF OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. DESPITE THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT THAT I INQUIRED ABOUT, MINI FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAWSUIT RESULTED IN EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THESE VEHICLES FOR THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE TO 7 YEARS/100,000MI. MY MINI ONLY HAD 64,000MILES AND WAS WITHIN THE 7 YEAR MARK. ADDITIONALLY, I LEARNED THAT MINI HAD PREVIOUSLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE VACUUM PUMP. HOWEVER, I WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT FOR BOTH OF THESE ISSUES "[MY] VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES."
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.
Official recalls
123V337000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.