WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE, CAUSING NUMEROUS AND SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS.
- NHTSA ID
- 11101962
- Incident
- Jun 9, 2018
- Mileage
- 87,000 mi
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 MINI Cooper S US, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and fuel system categories. 115 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 2011 | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 2011 | 2 | 3 |
| Apr 2018 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 2018 | 1 | 5 |
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
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE, CAUSING NUMEROUS AND SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER S US. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PRESSURE PUMP FAILED, STATING THAT THE PRESSURE WAS AT ZERO PSI. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,774.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A BMW 2011 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE BEGIN SMOKING AS HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE JUST AS IT IGNITED INTO FLAMES, FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES FROM THE EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED BY THE STATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK TO HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120.
WHEN ACCELERATING, THERE APPEARS TO BE A 1-1.5 SECOND DELAY FROM COMPLETE STOP POSITION TO START WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS DELAYED ACCELERATION IS PROBLEMATIC ONLY FROM COMPLETE STOPPING POSITION. EXAMPLE, AT PERPENDICULAR INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT (PULLING OUT OF A GAS STATION OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE REQUIRES A ROLLING OR MOVING START BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL ACTUALLY ACCELERATE OR AT A SAFE ENOUGH SPEED TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE BY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR FIRMLY FROM ANY COMPLETE STOP POSITION IN A SAFE ENOUGH SPEED TO CROSS TRAFFIC WHEN TURNING, THERE IS ALWAYS A DELAYED REACTION FROM THE TIME I DEPRESS THE PEDAL AND THE TIME THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF. THIS DOES NOT TO APPEAR AS A PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS ONLY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT APPEARS ALL THE TIME AND TO BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION AND GEAR CONTROL. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD ACTIVATE THE SPORT BUTTON AND DE-ACTIVATE THE DCS CONTROL WHICH CONTROLS THE "SPIN-OUT" ACTION ON THE COUNTRYMAN. I HAVE TRIED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THIS IS NOT ONLY THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WHEN I AM SIMPLY IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THERE IS ALSO THAT "DELAYED" REACTION AFTER THE CAR IS ALREADY IN GEAR, ALMOST LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS TO THINK ABOUT MOVING BEFORE IT ACTUALLY DOES. THIS OCCURS EACH AND EVERY TIME WHILE IN THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC. I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND HAVE OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND HAVE PURCHASED OVER 15 CARS IN MY DRIVING CAREER AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE EVERY EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH AN AUTOMATIC.
OCCASIONALLY AND INTERMITTENTLY, THE DIGITAL AUDIO DISPLAY IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MINI'S LARGE SPEEDOMETER WINDOW GOES BLANK, WHILE ALLOWING YOU TO CHANGE CHANNELS AND CHOOSE FUNCTIONS (IPOD, TELEPHONE, RADIO, SATELLITE) WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE CHOOSING. THE GAS MILEAGE DIGITAL DISPLAY ABOVE THE AUDIO SYSTEM IS READABLE AT ALL TIMES. OCCASIONALLY ALSO AN ORANGE LINE WILL GO THROUGH THE DIGITAL AUDIO DISPLAY HINDERING THE ABILITY TO READ IT COMPLETELY. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF PURCHASING IT NEW TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND AND THE CAR WAS RETURNED WITHOUT A REPAIR AFTER 2 DAYS AT THE SHOP. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THE DISPLAY EACH TIME. *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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011Viewing | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 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.