2010 MINI Cooper S Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2010 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11649587

Incident

Mar 20, 2025

THE CAR COMPLETELY QUITS RUNNING WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IT. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT CAR HAS ALREADY DIED. HAVE TO COAST TO A STOP WITH NO POWER STEERING SINCE THE ENGINE HAS DIED. CAR WILL NOT ALWAYS RESTART. SOMETIMES IT WILL CRANK BUT NOT TURN OVER. SOMETIMES IT WILL RESTART. TODAY IT DIED WHILE I WAS GOING 65MPH ON THE INTERSTATE A D I HAD TO DODGE ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. HAVE HAD THIS EXACT ISSUE BEFORE. 3 YRS AGO I REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS A $1500 REPAIR COST. MINI COOPER SAID THAT 2010 MINI COOPERS WERE NOT COVERED. ONLY MINIS UP TO TNE YEAR 2009 WERE COVERED IN THAT SAFETY RECALL SO I PAID OUT OF POCKET. HOWEVER, MINI COOPER USED THE SAME PART THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED ON MY 2010. IT FAILED IN 2017 AND THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS NOW FAILED AGAIN. MINI COOPER CALLED IT A "KNOWN" ISSUE, BUT WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT COST IN 2017. REPAIR ORDER NUMBER WITH MINI COOPER DEALER: 262724 AND PART NUMBER 13-51-7-588-879

NHTSA ID

11373045

Incident

Nov 4, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

MI VEHCULO MINI COOPER S 2010, ESTANDO ESTACIONADO EN EL GARAGE POR MS DE 12 HORAS Y SIN PRENDER EL MOTOR EN NINGN MOMENTO COMENZ A INCENDIARSE SIN NINGN MOTIVO. POR FORTUNA HABA PERSONAS QUE ALERTARAN DE LO OCURRIDO Y PUDE APAGAR EL FUEGO EN EL VEHCULO, AUNQUE YA HABA CONSUMIDO PARTES ELCTRICA, DE MOTOR Y COFRE, ETC. CABE MENCIONAR QUE ESTO SUCEDI EN LA CIUDAD DE MXICO, NO EN EUA, PERO USTEDES TIENEN MEJOR INFORMACIN AL RESPECTO. SALUDOS.

NHTSA ID

11310103

Incident

Feb 18, 2020

Mileage

64,000 mi

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP NEEDS REPLACED @ 30,000 MILES

NHTSA ID

11289322

Incident

Dec 14, 2019

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE JERKS/HESTIATES AT LOW SPEED AROUND 10MPH. JERKS DURING STOP AND GO IN TRAFFIC. BE TO A HANDFUL OF AUTO SHOPS AND NO SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

11143453

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

52,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TOM BUSH MINI (9881 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225, (904) 371-4360) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11104737

Incident

May 29, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi

DURING MY MORNING COMMUTE ON AUGUST 2ND IN BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS, THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2010 MINI COOPER FAILED CAUSING MASSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE AND ULTIMATE FAILURE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION, APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON 93 NORTH, A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY LEADING INTO BOSTON. THE CAR BECAME DISABLED AND WOULD NOT NOT START AGAIN. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO HERB CHAMBERS, THE NEAREST MINI DEALER.

NHTSA ID

11016074

Incident

Aug 2, 2017

Mileage

81,000 mi

I HAVE MINI COOPER R56 S MODELS AND I HAVE SPENT ALMOST 5K IN JUST REPAIR THE TIMING CHAIN IS BROKE EVERY 2 OR 3 WEEKS THIS CAR IS PIECE OF CRACK EVERY 2 OR 3 WEEKS HAS SOMETHING NEW !! NEVER WOULD BUY AGAIN THIS PIECE OF CRACK AND WOULDN'T RECOMMEND TO ANYONE GET THIS PIECE OF CRACK!!

NHTSA ID

11006001

Incident

Jul 14, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. UPDATED 06/07/17*LJ UPDATED 07/12/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10971605

Incident

Mar 30, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE IS LEAKING. IT IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES, IT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE AS THE OIL SPRAYS OUR THE LINES ON THE EXHAUST. DEALER HAS TO COMMENT ABOUT THE REPAIRS BEING FREE OF CHARGE BUT DOES SAY IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. MANY MINI COOPERS HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE

NHTSA ID

10967611

Incident

Mar 2, 2017

Mileage

132,788 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP AND ENGINE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND, UPON OPENING THE HOOD, EXCESSIVE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AND AUXILIARY WATER PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ *AS

NHTSA ID

10967559

Incident

Mar 13, 2017

Mileage

89,000 mi

LEAVING FOR WORK, HEARD A SNAP AND LOST POWER TO ENGINE LESS THAN A MILE FROM HOME. PULLED OVER, THEN COASTED (WITH NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES) DOWNHILL TO A SAFER SPOT. TOWED TO MECHANIC; ISSUE IS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THIS VEHICLE IS JUST A FEW MONTHS OUTSIDE THE FINAL RECALL DATES FOR SKEEN V BMW. I BELIEVE THE CLASS WAS TOO NARROWLY DEFINED; THIS 2010 COOPER S (69K MI) HAS THE SAME N14 ENGINE AND PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. (CAN'T TELL BUT FROM SOME OF THE EARLY REPORTING ON THAT CASE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS CAR MAY HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AN EARLIER VERSION/DRAFT??). VERY UPSET THAT THIS CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND ISSUE COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND YET WE HAVE NO RECOURSE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10934158

Incident

Dec 8, 2016

Mileage

69,000 mi

MOTOR HAS RATTLE WAS TOLD IT WAS TIMING CHAIN BY MECHANIC AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED OR MOTOR WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED/ MINI SOLD A DEFECTIVE CAR AND KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT. NOW I AM OUT 10K IF THE CAR BREAKS AND HAVE NO CAR FOR FAMILY

NHTSA ID

10934000

Incident

Dec 2, 2016

Mileage

770,000 mi

DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION, VEHICLE LOST POWER. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN.

NHTSA ID

10926514

Incident

Nov 3, 2016

Mileage

83,500 mi

TIMING CHAIN EVIDENTLY BROKE WITH LITTLE WARNING AND CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. BMW MINI HAS KNOWN OF THIS AND SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WITHOUT EVER ISSUING A RECALL OR NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10919193

Incident

Oct 25, 2016

Mileage

25,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, A TECHNICIAN HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10896920

Incident

Aug 15, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, SMOKE AND A BURNING OIL ODOR EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THE TURN SIGNALS AND WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,568.

NHTSA ID

10860132

Incident

Nov 30, 2015

Mileage

66,568 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE MINI COOPER ON HWY 101W WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY AND WITH OUT WARNING LOST ALL POWER. SHE WAS FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE BEEN STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. WE HAD THE CAR LIFTED AND TAKEN TO A BMW DEALER. THEY DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE #4 CYLINDER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER. THE CAR HAS 55K MILES ON IT AND IS 5K MILES OUTSIDE OF FULL WARRANTY. WE HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT EXCEED BMW \MC RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE SINCE HAD THE CAR LIFTED AND TAKEN TO THE MC DEALER IN CAMARILLO CA. THEY WITH OUT EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED STATE THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AT OUR COST OF $6,500+. THIS IS CRAZY GIVEN THE LOW MILES AND THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THERE IS MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE HOWEVER THE SITE SEEMS TO TIME OUT AND THIS IS MY THIRD ATTEMPT AT WRITING THIS NOTIFICATION. PLEASE ADVISE OR CONTACT ME IF YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS MATTER. BMW IS FRAUDULENTLY SELLING THESE VEHICLES AS RELIABLE AND THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN TO TASK. REGARDS, [XXX] 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *BF

NHTSA ID

10817392

Incident

Aug 24, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

PURCHASED CAR W/50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE ALREADY HAD WATER PUMP REPLACED AND NOW WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 40 MPH THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND BLEW PARTS INTO THE ENGINE, SO IT PRETTY MUCH NEEDS A NEW ENGINE ALREADY NOW 25,000 MILES AFTER WE BOUGHT IT. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TIMING BELT/CHAIN ON THESE 2010 MODELS. SEEMS ODD TO ME.

NHTSA ID

10816892

Incident

Dec 27, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAME LOOSE CAUSING AN OIL LEAK AND THE TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP/SKIP WHICH IN TURN CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR AND NOW MY CAR NEEDS A NEW TIMING CHAIN & NEW MOTOR WHICH IS COSTING AROUND $9K. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 35K MILES ON IT & THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED! I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN ALL MY OIL LEAKED OUT, CAUSING LIGHTS TO FLASH & LOUD NOISES. ONCE PULLED OVER TO A GAS STATION AND FOUND ALL THE OIL WAS GONE, A MECHANIC THERE NOTICED THE TENSIONER COMING OUT, TIGHTENED IT, THEN REFILLED THE OIL. THE CAR HELD THE OIL AT THIS POINT BUT THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER TOWING IT TO A SHOP, THEY SAW THAT IT WOULD NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN BUT DIDN'T WANT TO DO A FULL BREAK DOWN OF THE CAR SINCE IT IS VERY INVOLVED AND THERE COULD BE MOTOR ISSUES SO HE SUGGESTED I CONTACT MINI USA & A MINI DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD TO HAVE IT THERE TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE & SEE IF THE MANUFACTURER WOULD COVER THE COSTS. SO I TOWED THE CAR AGAIN TO A MINI DEALERSHIP & THEY SAID IT NEEDS A NEW MOTOR SINCE THE VALVES WERE DAMAGED ALSO. AFTER SENDING THIS INFO TO MINI USA (THE MANUFACTURER), THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT THEY WOULD PAY $4K OF THE $9K IN COSTS (NOT EVEN HALF). GETTING ADVISE FROM A LAWYER, THIS ENTIRE ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND I ALREADY PAID TOO MUCH JUST BY HAVING IT TOWED TWICE WHEN THIS IS A FLAW IN THE CAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 35K MILES & THIS TENSIONER SHOULD NOT HAVE COME LOOSE IN THE 1ST PLACE CAUSING ALL THIS DAMAGE. IN THE END, I AM STILL FIGHTING WITH MINI USA (AFTER BEING WITHOUT MY CAR FOR ALMOST 4 WEEKS) TO COVER ALL COSTS OF REPAIR FOR THIS AND ASKING THAT THIS BE REPORTED AS A "KNOWN ISSUE" ON THE TSB SO OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING!! I HAVE ATTACHED THE EMAIL I GOT FROM SEATTLE MINI FOR THE DIAGNOSIS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY SEE HAPPENED!

NHTSA ID

10811179

Incident

Nov 24, 2015

Mileage

35,000 mi

TIMING CHAIN MECHANISM FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES. KNOWN ISSUE AMONG AT LEAST 500,000 MINI COOPER GENERATION 2 MODELS

NHTSA ID

10806725

Incident

Oct 25, 2015

Mileage

69,000 mi

DRIVING ON FREEWAY WHEN TIMING CHAIN BREAKS AND CAUSES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO ENGINE. COMPRESSION TO ENGINE STOPS AND CAR STALLS OUT. ONE MOMENT TOTALLY FINE, THE NEXT WRECKED ON FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

10789338

Incident

Oct 27, 2015

Mileage

48,000 mi

PURCHASED CAR APRIL 2014 W 46,000 MILES. WARRANTY HISTORY SHOWED VALVE GASKET REPLACED. AT 64000 MILES DEALER SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. NOT TOLD AT PURCHASE - AT MINI DLR - THAT CAR CONSUMES A QUART OF OIL EVERY 700 MILES WHICH I WAS JUST TOLD BY LOCAL SERVICING DEALER THAT THEY CONSIDER THAT NORMAL. LEAK AT GASKET CONTRIBUTES TO AIR INFILTRATION AND POOR OIL CONSUMPTION I WAS TOLD. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR KNOWING THIS. IT ADDS CONSIDERABLY TO THE OPERATING COSTS. AFTER TELLING SERVICING DLR THIS WEEKEND THAT I KNEW THE CAR HAD ALREADY HAD VALVE COVER GASKET REPLACED, HE SAID HE WOULD COVER 75% OF OVER $800 COST. HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT IT DIDN'T OR SHOULDN'T NEED THAT WORK SO SOON AFTER BEING DONE. THE MINI DEALERS ARE THIEVES AND WITHHOLD VITAL INFORMATION. THE STRUT MOUNT APPARENTLY IS ALSO "DOMED" WHICH SPEAKS TO STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THIS CAR. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND A MINI TO ANYONE AND FEEL THEIR PRACTICES ARE COMPLETELY UNETHICAL AND THE BUILD QUALITY IS SUBSTANDARD TO WHAT IS CONSIDERED NORMAL. WHO NEEDS TO HAVE THE VALVE COVER GASKETS REPLACED TWICE IN UNDER 65,000 MILES? WHO HAS TO GO AND BUY OIL EVERY MONTH AND A HALF? THE LAST CAR I OWNED THAT NEEDED THAT WAS A 20 YEAR OLD 1975 PONTIAC WITH OVER 100K. MILES. GARBAGE.

NHTSA ID

10783460

Incident

Oct 17, 2015

Mileage

65,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 MINI COOPER S 50-55 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FROM THEN ON, THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A RATTLING AND CLACKING NOISE AND THE OIL LIGHT EVENTUALLY CAME ON. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE CAR. OIL WAS ALL OVER THE FRONTSIDE AND WHEELWELL OF THE CAR. ALL THE OIL HAD CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE. TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED AND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAD BROKEN LOSE AND SOMEHOW THAT ALLOWED ALL THE OIL TO POUR OUT OF THE ENGINE. HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED FOR A COST OF A LITTLE OVER $5,000. A BMW SPECIALIST WANTED $8,500 TO DO THE SAME JOB. NOW MY NEW ENGINE THEY JUST INSTALLED IS LEAKING OIL FROM SOMEWHERE AND THERE'S A LIGHT CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IM SO AFRAID IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGIAN, AND I KNOW THAT MINI USA WILL BE OF NO HELP. IT'S A SHAME THAT I HAD TO FIND OUT WHAT A TERRIBLE COMPANY THEY ARE IN THIS WAY. I NEEDED A RELIABLE CAR FOR MY NEW JOB AND ENDED UP WITH THE EXACT OPPOSITE, AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE FROM A MANUFACTURER THAT HAS NO INTEGRITY WHATSOEVER. I LOVED THESE CARS, NOW I JUST HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE.

NHTSA ID

10759867

Incident

Dec 31, 2014

Mileage

58,768 mi

MY CAR SHUT DOWN WHEN I WAS DRIVING OUT OF A HIGHWAY ON A RAMP. IT STOPPED ON THE RAMP. I NOTICED THIS BECAUSE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS MY CAR DIDN'T SPEED UP BUT SLOWED DOWN. I TRIED TO RESTART IT MULTIPLE TIMES BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. FINALLY IT WAS TOLLED TO AN MECHANICAL SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS BROKEN.

NHTSA ID

10750025

Incident

Aug 17, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi