2005 MINI Cooper Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Coop S Hardtop. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the vehicle alarm activated inadvertently and the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that he lifted the hood open and noticed fire coming from underneath the engine. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11524398

Incident

May 24, 2023

Mileage

160,000 mi

Driving at approximately 10-15 miles an hour entering a parking lot when I noticed flames coming out of the hood scoop of my 2005 Mini Cooper S. After brief inspection from my mechanic, it is believed to have been caused by the wiring harness for ABS or possibly the power steering unit since the fire originated from the rear/right hand side of the engine and those two components. I have a claim opened with USAA but during simple research, I have found tens, if not close to a hundred issues with similar characteristics. I know I am not the first R53 Mini Cooper (2002-2006 run) with this problem and this should be considered a hazard and public safety issue. I have included the link to many of the cases captured by the North American Motoring Association (a primarily North American Mini car association) which details 24 pages of these issues. https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/73527-spontaneous-engine-bay-fires.html?ispreloading=1

NHTSA ID

11432141

Incident

Sep 1, 2021

2005 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE ELECTRONIC FAILURE. CONSUMER HAS ANOTHER VEHICLE COMPLAINT LISTED IN ARTEMIS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS VEHICLE WAS A COMPUTER TEST CALLED COMPREHENSIVE COMPONENT KEPT READING INCOMPLETE. THE DEALER FOUND AN INTERNAL SHORT INSIDE THE ENGINE BASIC CONTROL COMPUTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC HARDWARE WAS $1968 WHICH WAS EXCESSIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10725031

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

IN SEPTEMBER 2012 I NOTICED A LOUD FAN NOISE THAT WOULDN'T TURN OFF. THE CAR WAS ALSO OVERHEATING. I NOTICED THAT IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER THE CAR, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS DUE TO THE OVERHEATING. MECHANIC DETERMINED FAILED CYLINDER HEAD GASKET IN 11/2012. THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. IN 11/2012 THE WATER PUMP WAS ALSO REPLACED. IN 12/2012 THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN 06/2013 THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT THESE ISSUES ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE ASSOCIATED FAN FAILING, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO OVERHEAT AND THE BATTERY TO FAIL. PLEASE SEE NHTSA COMPLAINTS 10453158, 10444328, 10379750, 10442431,10379459 FOR SIMILAR CASES OF THESE SAME ISSUES RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF POWER STEERING AND THE ASSOCIATED PUMP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532274

Incident

Sep 20, 2012

Mileage

60,246 mi

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR/SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR, MY TRANSMISSION WOULD REV UP THE RPMS AND MY CAR NO LONGER ACCELERATES. IT WENT FROM ABOUT 2 TO 5.5 RPMS, EVEN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. ONCE IT FINALLY DOES SHIFT, IT LURCHES THE CAR FORWARD VIOLENTLY. IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO START ACTING UP, BUT ONCE THE CAR IS FULLY WARMED UP, IT SEEMS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE IT NOT HAPPEN. IT'S EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING AND FRIGHTENING BECAUSE I DO ALL CITY DRIVING, WHERE I SLOW DOWN AND SPEED UP SO I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO GET WITHIN THE 30MPH RANGE. MY CAR STOPS ACCELERATING SO I AM AFRAID OF MY TRANSMISSION DYING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC OR SLOWING DOWN SO MUCH THAT IS CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. BOTTOM LINE: MY CAR DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND POTENTIALLY ENDANGERS ME, SO I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504694

Incident

Mar 13, 2013

Mileage

82,300 mi

AT LOW MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. NO FORE WARNING JUST GONE. I'M TRYING TO DRIVE AND AT 10 MPH I'M REVVING AT UP TO 3000 RPM'S. THIS SHOULD DEF NOT BE HAPPENING! I'M FUMING BEING THAT I HAVE TO NOW REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WHEN I HAVE NOT BEATEN ON IT OR ANYTHING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO FAR MY EXPERIENCE WITH BMW HAS NOT BEEN GOOD. I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER BUYING ANYTHING ELSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487188

Incident

Dec 3, 2012

Mileage

41,230 mi

GENERALLY, I LOVE THE MINI COOPER HAVING PURCHASED IT IN THE AFTER MARKET. HOWEVER, NOT LONG AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, I HAD PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITH MY STEERING WHEEL SEIZING UP BUT AN INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY 2012 STICKS OUT MOST IN MY MIND SINCE I WAS ON I-95 IN THE RAIN AND COULD NOT ADEQUATELY STEER THE CAR TO TAKE AN EXIT. MY 11 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AT THE TIME. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND RESUME DRIVING. FINANCIALLY, I COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALER BUT THE CONDITION AND WORK AROUND CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW WEEKS WHEN I COULD AFFORD THE REPAIR. IN EARLY MAY 2012, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND IT COST OVER $1300 TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE COOLING FAN ALSO NEEDED REPAIR FOR ANOTHER $720 -- I JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT. TODAY, MY 2-YR OLD BATTERY FAILED APPARENTLY DUE TO DRAINING FROM THE FAN. FOR NOW, I REPLACED THE BATTERY FOR $249. I WILL BE INCREMENTALLY GETTING REPAIRS DONE, HOWEVER, IN READING SOME PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE STEERING PUMP, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PUMP GOING BAD AND AN IMPACT ON THE FAN. I'D APPRECIATE ANY INSIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT POSSIBILITY. I AM REPORTING THIS NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR OTHERS WHO ALSO MAY BE IMPACTED BY THE PUMP DEFECT THAT I AM LEARNING IS SOMEWHAT COMMON. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF YOUR ENGINEERING ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473282

Incident

Feb 4, 2012

Mileage

97,610 mi

ELECTRIC FAN THAT COOLS THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON OUR 2005 MINI COOPER FAILED. OUR MECHANIC SAYS HAD WE DRIVEN VERY FAR, OUR POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE FAILED. HE TELLS US THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINIS, AND A FULL 50% OF HIS MINI CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPERIENCE FAN FAILURE, PUMP FAILURE, OR BOTH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358165

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

2005 MINI COPPER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE AUTOMOBILE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10346723

Incident

Jul 18, 2010

Mileage

61,000 mi

ON MARCH 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM DINNER IN NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA WHEN I MADE A STOP AT THE LOCAL POST OFFICE. I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER HATCHBACK AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR ERRANT BEHAVIOR WITH THE CAR. I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE TO MAIL A PACKAGE, PARKED THE CAR, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, LOCKED THE CAR WITH MY WIFE INSIDE THE AUTO, AND WENT IN. WHEN I RETURNED APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES LATER I FOUND MY WIFE IN THE CAR IN A GREAT STATE OF PANIC WITH SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY UNLOCKED THE DOORS WITH MY CAR KEY, MADE SURE THAT MY WIFE WAS OUT OF THE CAR, AND WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE BOTH WITNESSED A SMALL FIRE BURNING UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT QUICKLY ARRIVED, OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CONTACTED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MINI ON THE 13TH WHO INFORMED ME THAT SOMEONE FROM BMW WOULD BE CONTACTING ME REGARDING THE CAR. I TOWED THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE AND TOWED IT TO BOB SMITH BMW IN CALABASAS ON SATURDAY THE 14TH. BOB SMITH BMW HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A RENTAL CAR IN THE INTERIM. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM BMW FROM A STEVE KOSSAR ON MARCH 17TH, WHO REQUESTED THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. WHEN I SPOKE WITH SUSAN AT BOB SMITH BMW LATER THAT WEEK I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL PARTS. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA WOULD BE ASSIGNING AN ENGINEER WRITE A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE MINI AND THAT BOB SMITH BMW WOULD NOT RELEASE THE CAR TO ME UNTIL THEY RECEIVED WORD FROM BMW NORTH AMERICA THAT THE CAR WAS SOUND. SINCE THEN I HAVE PLACED TWO PHONE CALLS TO MR. KOSSAR AT BMW ON APRIL 1 AND APRIL 7 AND LEFT MESSAGES ASKING FOR A STATUS REPORT ON THE CAR. TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLY AND NO WORD ON THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10265668

Incident

Mar 12, 2009

Mileage

48,737 mi

OUR 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS BEEN PLAGUED WITH AN ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE WE FIRST PURCHASED IT IN JULY OF 2005. WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WE'VE CONTACTED THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES AND REQUESTED SERVICE APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD EACH TIME THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY A LOOSE GAS CAP. LIVING IN THE STATE OF NJ WHERE YOU CANNOT PUMP YOUR OWN GAS, WE CONSISTENTLY REMIND THE GAS ATTENDANT TO PROPERLY ATTACH THE GAS CAP AND WE CHECK THE CAP AFTER GETTING GAS. THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED BY THE GAS CAP, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. MY WIFE WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THIS OCCURRED. SHE WAS STUCK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED VERY SOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162449

Incident

Jul 12, 2006

Mileage

14,600 mi

WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IT HAS FREQUENTLY GONE INTO WHAT DEALERS AND OTHER OWNERS CALL "LIMP MODE". IT BASICALLY LOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS AND IS ENTIRELY UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. IT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR ANY CAR TO STALL THIS OFTEN LET ALONE A NEW CAR. THIS CAR IS MONTHS OLD AND WE ARE HAVING SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEMS. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS AND HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRING THEM ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER NOTIFIED ANY OWNER OR DONE A FORMAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (ACCORDING TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE REP.). THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS CONSIDERING WHAT IS AT STAKE . THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL SAFETY PROBLEM NOT A CONVENIENCE ITEM FAILURE. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE TO ADDRESS THIS WITH YOUR DEALERS BEFORE IT STARTS HAPPENING TO YOUR VEHICLE. WE ONLY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE THINGS TO BE DONE WHEN ART DEALER LOOKED AT OUR VIN NUMBER AT OUR REQUEST. NO NOTICE WAS GIVEN, AND OTHERS SEEM TO REPORT THE PROBLEM CONTINUING AFTER THE CURRENT FIX IS APPLIED. GOOD LUCK! *NM

NHTSA ID

10135558

Incident

Sep 6, 2005

ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AFTER TRAVELING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OR SO OUR MINI WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND GO INTO A "LIMP MODE" AS WE MOVE FROM EITHER A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE INTERSECTION CAUSING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION. THE VEHICLES SES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIMES TO GET THIS DEFECT ADDRESSED. MINI STATES THAT IT IS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT SOFTWARE. I NOW HAVE A THIRD VERSION OF THE SOFTWARE, BUT WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR TO "TEST" IT OUT. I HOPE EITHER MINI OR THE NHTSA WILL POST A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10131711

Incident

Jul 3, 2005

Mileage

2,000 mi

STARTED VEHICLE IN THE EVENING WHEN LEAVING WORK THEN DROVE OUT ONTO THE STREET AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. THE DEALER SAID A TEMPERATURE SENSOR TOLD THE COMPUTER IT WAS OUT OF RANGE AND SENT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO A LIMP MODE. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE CAR IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO MAP SENSORS AND AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MOTOR, BUT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED UNTIL THEY CORRECT THE SOFTWARE. THERE ARE 7 MINI COOPER S AUTOMATICS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT THIS DEALER AND MANY MORE THROUGHOUT THE U.S.

NHTSA ID

10127331

Incident

Jun 16, 2005

Mileage

2,250 mi