Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 MINI Cooper S US, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and airbags categories. 79 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2009 | 2 | 2 |
| Mar 2011 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 4 |
| Sep 2013 | 1 | 5 |
| Feb 2014 | 1 | 6 |
| Jun 2015 | 1 | 7 |
| May 2017 | 1 | 8 |
| Dec 2018 | 1 | 9 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SEAT SEAMS FAULTY. THE LIGHTS FOR THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT KEEPS COMING ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE MECHANIC SAID THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF ACCIDENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER S US. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
VEHICLE STARTING MAKING A RATTLING NOISE IN THE LEFT FRONT TIMING CHAIN AREA, TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED ONE OF THE TIMING TENSIONERS HAD SNAPPED, PROBABLY DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN HAVING TOO MUCH SLACK, I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THESE AS IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT. HE ADVISED ME TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONERS IN ORDER TO NOT RISK THE TENSIONER FAILING AND CAUSING CATASTOPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, PARTS COST IS ABOUT $900 AND INSTALLATION ABOUT $500. THIS SEEMS TO BE GOING ON A LOT AND THERE IS LOTS OF INFO ON THE INTERNET STATING IT IS AN ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH SHOULD THE VEHICLE BE INOPERABLE ON A HIGHWAY OR IN TRAFFIC.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON US 75 SOUTH (DOWNTOWN DALLAS) AND THE VEHICLE (2009 MINI COOPER S) JUST STOPPED, AND ALL OF THE OIL WAS LEAKING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THE ISSUE IS WITH A MINI ISSUE RELATING TO THE TENSIONERS/TIMING CHAIN. *TR
THERMOSTAT HOUSING DESIGN FLAW. SPOKE WITH PART DEPT MANAGER ABOUT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING LEAKING COOLANT AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT IN THE HOUSING CAUSES THE PART TO SPLIT OPEN WHERE THE 2 PIECES WERE SEAMED TOGETHER. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND CURRENTLY THAT PARTICULAR PART IS ON BACK-ORDER AND THUS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT LEAKS ALL THE COOLANT OUT BEFORE LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY. *TR
I HAD A GOODYEAR RUNFLAT TIRE THAT WAS OEM AND LESS THAN 2 YRS. OLD W/ 20,000 MILES BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL. IT WAS REPLACED AT DISCOUNT TIRE. THE TIRE COST $257 ON A 2009 MINI COOPER S. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. TIRES ARE EXCELLENCE ROF AND NOT INTEGRITY SINCE YOUR SITE MISTAKENLY DOES NOT GIVE THE CORRECT OPTION. *TR
I HAVE A 2009 MINI COOPER S. BOUGHT NEW. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS A RATTLING NOISE WHEN ENGINE HAS STARTED ON A COLD DAY. THIS NOISE HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER EVERY WINTER. THE NOISE SUBSIDES AS THE ENGINE GETS WARM. HAVE TOLD MINI ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND NO ACTION. *TR
AFTER PURCHASING A 2009 MINI COOPER THE OUTLET IN BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALERS EVALUATION WAS AS FOLLOWS: NEITHER THE FRONT OR THE REAR CIGARETTE OUTLETS ARE WORKING. CHECK AND ADVISE. CAUSE: CHECKED/FOUND 20 AMP FUSE BLOWN, INSPECTED OUTLETS, FOUND SOCKET/OUTLET IN CENTER CONSOLE SHORTED TO GROUND CORRECTION: R & R FRONT CENTER CONSOLE REPLACED SOCKET & ILLUMINATED RING. UPDATED IVOQ. 05/01/09. *TR
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The energy diagnosis test module helps to localize these causes. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle âÂÂdischarged batteryâ complaints. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of a discharged battery cannot be identified. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time, it is very important that the diagnostic test plan is performed to completion; with all results taken into consideration.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT; WHEELS
New RDC wheel electronics will be introduced with future generation MINI models. The new wheel electronics are identified as Huf Generation 5. These new wheel electronics will need to be programmed using the new tool when replaced or when depressurized (0 psi) for more than 2 minutes.
SEATS
OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT - LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES: Component-Specific Limited Warranty Extension For the above-referenced vehicles, MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC (MINI USA) is extending the limited warranty for the front passenger's OC3 seat occupancy mat (shown) to: 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT: N14 HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HDP) SERVICE BENEFIT CLASS VEHICLES: The MINI vehicle may experience a sudden engine operational failure reduced or loss of power while driving and the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) may be illuminated along with high-pressure fuel pumprelated faults stored in the Engine Control Module (DME). PROCEDURE Perform the corresponding diagnosis/vehicle test and run the test plans to completion as applicable.
POWER TRAIN
"MANUAL TRANSMISSION - STIFF DIAGONAL GEARSHIFT LEVER MOVEMENT. The customer may complain of a ""stiff diagonal shift"" (e.g., N-R, R-N, 2-3/3-2 or 4-5/5-4). Also, in some cases, gears cannot be selected, or the selector gear does not go into the neutral position. CAUSE 1. The deflection lever circlip of the gearshift mechanism is damaged or missing. 2. Possible corrosion at the gearshift mechanism (shift cables or transmission gearshift unit)"
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE CRANKS, NO START AND/OR ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE FAULTS: NOTE: The engine may also exhibit the same starting behavior as in Situation1.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009Viewing | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.