Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
REPLACED THERMOSTAT, HEATER STOPPED WORKING, VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHAT SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY WATER PUMP OR THERMOSTAT, CAR SMOKED INTENSELY DROVE SHORT DISTANCE- THERMOSTAT MELTED- MOTOR BLEW. THIS VEHICLE WAS WELL MAINTAINED***
TAMARA RECALL
IVE PERSONALLY DRIVEN MY 2009 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN 11K MILES OF THE 34K IT HAS ON IT WITHOUT ANY ISSUE UNTIL ON JUNE 5TH, 2016 I PARKED IT NEAR MY WORK AND RETURNED TO IT THE NEXT MORNING.IT STARTED UP JUST FINE AND I JUST LET THE FIRST GEAR TAKE ME OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE ONCE ON THE ROAD AND NOTHING... NO POWER. I PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING. I PULLED OVER AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A LABORED, CLANKY, ROUGH IDLE. GOT IT TOWED TO A SHOP, DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED MAIN RELAY FAILURE AND SOMETHING ABOUT VALVETRONIC SERVOMOTOR AND LIMITATION AND PLAUSIBLE AIR MASS SENSOR ISSUE. MAIN RELAY PART REPLACED FOR $20.WORKED FINE AFTER THAT. EIGHTEEN DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WENT HOME AND AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND SCARY POSSIBILITIES COULD HAPPEN WITH MY MINI RELATED TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS, AIR INTAKE, WATER PUMP AND TIMING CHAIN SENSOR WORST OF ALL. THINGS THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE IF FAILED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH OR IN AN INTERSECTION OR IN TRAFFIC! TO DATE, ILL BE RETURNING TO THE SHOP THAT HELPED MEET BAND AID THE PROBLEM, THEN TO MY REAL PROFESSIONAL TO HELP ME DIAGNOSE AND TREAT FURTHER POSSIBLE ISSUES.
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY HIGHWAY WHEN THE SMOKE STARTED POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CAR STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, OR SIGNAL LIGHTS APPEARING ON THE CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I STOOD BACK, WATER FOR THE SMOKE TO CLEAR, AND TRIED TO RESTART BUT THE ENGINE WAS DEAD. I CALLED MY TOWING SERVICE AND HAD IT DELIVERED TO MY SERVICE GARAGE, MINI OF MAIN LINE, 130 MONTGOMERY AVENUE, BALA CYNWYD, PA. NO WARNING LIGHT EVER APPEARED, AND I WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE CAR. THE GARAGE REPAIR ESTIMATE STATES THAT THE "WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT" FAILED. MY MINI COOPER MODEL IS NOT LISTED UNDER RECALL #12V008000, BUT THE CONSEQUENCE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THAT DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE: THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD TO MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT.
THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A STATE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING AT CRUISING SPEED OF 35MPH ON THE RIGHT MOST LATE, AND WITH ENGINE DEAD POWER STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE. THE CAR WAS LITERALLY DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, WE HAD KIDS ON BOARD AND FOR A SMALL CAR, WE WERE REALLY THAT LUCKY PASSING CARS WERE ABLE TO SPOT US AND AVOID HITTING US. WHEN WE TOOK TOWED IT TO THE SHOP, THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED AND ALSO CRACKED THE ENGINE TOP COVER ON THE LEFT SIDE. ON SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE "TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER ISSUES" THAT BMW/MINI IS ALREADY AWARE OF HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT YET DONE A RECALL. THERE WAS ALMOST NO WAY OF TELLING THERE WAS THIS PROBLEM BREWING WITH THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH NOW IN RETROSPECT THERE WERE A FEW TELL-TALE SIGNS, WHEN IT WAS COLD, WE HAD HEARD A RATTLE SOUND, WHICH WENT AWAY IMMEDIATELY. ALSO THE SAME DAY THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED WHEN STANDING AT A SIGNAL, BUT STARTED UP AGAIN. NOW WE REALIZE THAT THESE SIGNS WERE RELATED TO THE PROBLEM THAT OTHER USERS HAD COMPLAINED TOO BEFORE THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE.
CAR STARTED MAKING RATTLING NOISE ON START UP, DROVE IT TO MINI, THEY SAY MY TIMING CHAIN IS STRETCHED AND HOUSING BROKEN, AROUND $2500, TO REPAIR. READING ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, EVEN THE BASIS OF A LAWSUIT AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *TR
AFTER HEARING A RATTLING WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THERE WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. MY HUSBAND PUSHED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OPENED THE HOOD. IT APPEARED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BUSTED OUT OF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE COVER. WE WERE VERY CONCERNED AS THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH HE HAD JUST EXITED. WE HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE IN THE MINI AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT COME TO A RESOLUTION, AS OUR MECHANIC IS ADVISING US THAT THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BE UPWARDS FOR $6,000 AND MINI IS NOT COVERING COST OF REPAIR. WE ARE WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. WE HAVE READ THAT THEIR IS AN ACTIVE CLASS ACTION SUITE, AS WELL. *TR
MY CAR OVERHEATED AFTER DRIVING ONLY 15 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY. THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON (RED- STOP LET THE ENGINE COOL DOWN) THEN WENT OFF THEN CAME BACK ON (ORANGE- CONTINUE ON YOUR JOURNEY; LET ENGINE COOL DOWN SOON). BY THE TIME I LOCATED THE SYMBOL TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS I WAS AT MY EXIT. THE CAR SPUTTERED AND STALLED ON THE OFF RAMP AND I COULD SEE BLACK SMOKE AND SMELL BURNING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PUSHED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED FOR HELP. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO OIL OR WATER IN THE CAR AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I JUST HAD IT SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP 28 DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AS I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY KEY FOB NOT RELEASING AND WAS CONCERNED THIS MIGHT BE AN INDICATION OF A BIGGER PROBLEM. THE FOB FINALLY RELEASED AFTER 40 MINUTES OF SITTING IN A PARKING LOT! THEY PERFORMED A COMPLETE INSPECTION AND CHANGED THE OIL, AIR FILERS, BRAKE FLUID AND GAVE THE CAR A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH FOR $400 AND 28 DAYS LATER I HAVE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND THEY QUOTED ME $9000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE! I SAW SEVERAL POSTS OF SIMILAR ISSUES ON MINI BLOG SITES AND FELT COMPELLED TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I HAVE A BASE MODEL AND NOT AN "S" WHICH WAS PART OF A MINI RECALL FOR ELECTRICAL/WATER PUMP ISSUES. IF THERE IS A CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHERE THE THERMOSTAT FAILS OR WATER PUMP FAILS ON THE BASE MODEL THEN MINI SHOULD ADDRESS IT. *TR
DESPITE PERFORMING REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR TIMING CHAIN MAKING A NOISE FROM THE FIRST MONTH, MINI NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM ALWAYS INSISTING THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL OR THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. EVENTUALLY OUR TIMING CHAIN JUMPED THE RAILS AND DESTROYED OUR ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND MINI USA DECLINED TO FIX THE ISSUE. ONLY ONCE DID THEY TRY TO FIX IT BY REPLACING THE TENSIONER. THE PART THEY USED WAS AN OLDER DISCONTINUED PART. THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE AND SO THE TIMING CHAIN CONTINUED TO RATTLE AND THEN DESTROYED THE ENGINE. *TR
BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REGULAR SERVICE. SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WAS LEAKING AND COMING LOOSE. TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO BE 1500 DOLLARS TO REPLACE . I WAS READING ONLINE THAT THOUSAND OF VEHICLES LIKE THIS ONE HAVE HAD THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKEN AND HAVE A RATTLE NOISE AND ENGINE VALVES COMPLETELY BREAK. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL, IT SEEMS THAT TOO MANY VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED BY THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
LOUD RATTLE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON COLD START UP. LOSS OF POWER ON ACCELERATION. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN GUIDES WITH REPAIR COST OF $2,300. HAVE PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO REPAIR IS COVERED. HOWEVER, THIS IS A HIGHLY REPORTED ISSUE AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A RECALL OF ALL AFFECTED ENGINES. *TR
HAD CAR IN DEALER SHOP FOR REPAIR OF FAULTY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER/GUIDE (SEE SEPARATE COMPLAINT). WAS TOLD ALSO HAD A LEAK IN TURBOCHARGE OIL INLET LINE THAT WILL COST OVER $1,000 OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR. THIS IS CLEARLY A COMMONLY REPORTED ISSUE AND A FIRE SAFETY HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A RECALL. *TR
AFTER COMPLAINING REPEATEDLY TO THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT A RATTLING NOISE FROM OUR VEHICLE ENGINE AT START UP, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED OUR ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER REPEATEDLY CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS "NORMAL" ENGINE NOISE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. NOW THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TIMING CHAIN BROKEN, BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED FROM THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE. THERE IS A PETITION ONLINE (CURRENTLY OVER 800 SIGNATURES) FROM MINI OWNERS CLAIMING TO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT LOW MILEAGE AND SIMILAR EXPERIENCES DEALING WITH MINI OF NORTH AMERICA IGNORING THE ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERSPEED.COM/MINI-COOPER-COLD-START-KNOCKING-NOISE-ISSUE-2007/. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2009 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CLOSING THE REAR HATCH DOOR THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS ON HER LEGS CAUSED BY THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE EXTENDS OUT FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS A DESIGN FLAW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,130. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE EXTENDS OUT BEYOND THE REAR BUMPER AND IT IS SHING THERE IS CONSIDERABLE RISK THAT A CHILD LEFT UNATTENDED NEAR THE VEHICLE COULD EXPERIENCE THE SAME TYPE OF BURNS. UPDATED 10/03/2011 *LN *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .