RoadVitals

2009 MINI Cooper Convertible Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jan 22, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
44%
of 18 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

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 Convertible submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Jan 22, 2023

Timing chain guides are broke into alot of pieces into the engine.

NHTSA ID
11503083
Incident
Nov 15, 2022
Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2022

While driving the car the engine stalls due to timing chain issues . These timing chain issues were part of a safety recall but this car's vin number doesn't qualify! The car will stall at full speed

NHTSA ID
11483627
Incident
Sep 8, 2022
ElectricalEngineExterior lighting
Filed Sep 5, 2019

MY CAR I BOUGHT AS A PRE-OWN AND THE OWNER BEFORE E HAD LEAKS AS WELL. THESE LEAKS CAUSED ELECTRICAL DAMAGE ON THE CIRCUIT BOARDS THAT MADE THE CIRCUIT BOARD SHOULDER AND HEAT UP SO HOT IT ALMOST WENT ON FIRE. ALSO THE TIRES WERE THE WRONG SIZE AND SALES PERSON WOULD NOT ADMIT FAULT SO I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THEM ALL. I WAS DRIVING WHEN I FELT THE CAR LOSE CONTROL ON THE HIGHWAY AND STREETS, THEN I WAS DRIVING WHEN CAR OVERHEATED. I PAID TO FIX LEAKS MORE THAN $7000 AND STILL LEAKING. NOW ANOTHER LIGHT BULB IS OUT MY BACK BREAK LIGHT SO I CANNOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE THAT IS UNSAFE TO OTHERS DRIVING BEHIND ME.

NHTSA ID
11253486
Incident
Jul 15, 2019
Mileage
55,000 mi
ElectricalEngineExterior lighting
Filed Aug 26, 2019

ELECTRICAL FAILURE SINCE DAY ONE BOUGHT CAR AS A PRE-OWN. PRIOR OWNER HISTORY SAME ISSUES AS ME. MY CAR ALMOST WENT ON FIRE, POOR PERFORMANCE , LEAKS AND LEAKS WITH NO RELOAD FROM $6,000+ REPAIRS. STILL LEAKING. SUSPECTED WATER DAMAGE CAUSING ELECTRICAL OR JUST FAULTY ELECTRICAL. BULBS GO OUT WHEN CAR NOT EVEN DRIVEN, CANOPY BROKE AT SERVICE DEPT AND THEY WON'T REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE. BATTERY DID NOT WORK AND ISSUES WITH KEY FOB RECOGNITION.

NHTSA ID
11246389
Incident
Jul 15, 2019
Mileage
20,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 29, 2018

ISSUES WITH OIL SYSTEM HAVE LEAD TO ENGINE HEAD FAILURE WHERE OIL IN MIXING WITH COOLANT. THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS FULL OF OIL. I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING AND STALLING WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID
11163915
Incident
Dec 21, 2018
Mileage
78,464 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 8, 2015

TIMING CHAIN PROBLEMS AT 75,000 MILES ON BASE MODEL 2009 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WELL KNOWN "DEATH RATTLE" WHEN ENGINE FIRST STARTS. ALSO OIL DIPSTICK WILL NOT GO FULLY BACK INTO THE TUBE (STICKS OUT ABOUT 4 INCHES). DEALER AND MINI CONTACTED. DEALER SAYS TIMING CHAIN ISSUE AND QUOTED ~$1400 REPAIR. ALSO SAID OIL PAN NEEDS REPLACING, ANOTHER ~$300. MINI NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR REPAIR. WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. 500,000 MINI'S RECALLED (S MODEL). NOT SURE WHY BASE MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. IT SHOULD BE.

NHTSA ID
10780893
Incident
Sep 9, 2015
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 29, 2015

RATTLING NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. TOOK TO MINI, TIMING CHAIN WAS STRETCHED OUT. 2000K FIX CAR HAS LESS THAN 84K MILES. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT 13 MONTHS AGO. SAID IT WAS THE TENSIONER BUT CHAIN WAS FINE. THAT WAS AT 64K MILES. IN 13MONTHS SPENT 3K ON THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10713688
Incident
Apr 29, 2015
Mileage
83,234 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 23, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT WOULD VIBRATE AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ID
10549224
Incident
Oct 22, 2013
Mileage
23,000 mi

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .