2009 MINI Cooper Problems

The seatbelt and air bag warning light for the passenger front seat stays on.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the seat belt warning light illuminated even though there was no passenger seated in the passenger’s seat. The contact stated that the warning light remained illuminated with the passenger’s seat occupied and the seat belt properly fastened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

This has a major recall and won’t pass inspection. Engine light is on . I’ve called dealership and was told parts are on back order . Last year I was told the same thing before I received a letter in the mail.

MINI was totally destroyed by fire after driving for 15 minutes. It was parked in a parking lot and was in flames 5 minutes after my wife entered the store. This is comparable with problem requiring recall (with no remedy). No warnings

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH at night, the exterior lights started flickering and started to become inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, removed the battery terminals, and performed a master reset. After the master reset, there was an abnormal clicking sound inside the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence. After arriving to the residence, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was parked and turned. The vehicle was then taken to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the relays inside the junction box used to control several of the electronic features had become inoperable. The mechanic suggested that the vehicle not be driven. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

When it rains, my car seems to have a short circuit and all the electrical components start going crazy, mainly the windows, locks and indoor lights/dash. There is an active recall for the same problem and car model but mine doesn't seem to fit the recall I am not sure why.

The seatbelt and air bag warning light for the passenger front seat stays on.

The passenger occupancy seat sensor is defective (as reported by many other owners of this vehicle model). The sensor is very costly to replace in terms of parts ($1,500) and labor ($1,500) and MINI does not sell the sensor separately as it is embedded in the seat foam. The defective sensor does not recognize a passenger sitting in the passenger seat and deactivates the passenger airbag which is an essential, lifesaving device fitted to a small vehicle. When involved in a major vehicle collision, without a working airbag, the risk of fatality drastically increases. The sensor is also responsible for NOT deploying the airbag if a passenger under 100lbs is sitting in the seat ie. a child. Again, this is a massive safety concern especially due to other owners resorting to a cheap aftermarket bypass module which will always deploy the airbag. This solution could seriously injure or cause fatalities for passengers under 100lbs. Other MINI models with the same electronic occupancy sensor problems have had recalls issued by the NHTSA and has not issued recalls for vehicles with the same issue consistently. It is the NHTSA's responsibility to hold the manufacturer accountable for ALL vehicle models with similar defects impacting the safe and consistent operation of life preservation devices such as airbags especially when repair costs for these defective devices are cost prohibitive for vehicle owners to replace.

The problem was that the gas pedal began to stick. Suddenly it began to idle at 4000 rpm. I had to reach down and pull up the gas pedal while driving. I had it replaced a few weeks ago. Then I received a letter from Mini about a footwell control module. It sounds like a similar corrosion problem and it needs to be fixed as well. I had it looked at several times before it was fixed properly because a dirty throttle body can cause it to idle too fast

The high pressure fuel pump failed. There was a class action settlement and a warranty extension campaign for this part. Mini refused to warranty my vehicles h/p fuel pump stating it was only covered for 10 years or 120,000 miles. My vehicle only has 71,312 miles. I was informed by a local news source that manufacturers are required to honor the recall for 15 years per NHTSA, and that I should file a complaint. Please help. Thank you very much.

This has a major recall and won’t pass inspection. Engine light is on . I’ve called dealership and was told parts are on back order . Last year I was told the same thing before I received a letter in the mail.

ADVISED FROM MECHANIC THAT WATER IS GETTING DOWN FROM THE FRONT AREA BELOW THE WINDSHIELD AND IS CAUSING THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND OTHER ELECTRONICS TO SHORT OUT. GOT TO WHERE THE CAR WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER TO TRY AND START. HAD TO HAVE OVER $3450 WORTH OF REPAIRS DONE AND WAS TOLD THEY SPOKE WITH MINI AND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WAS TOLD THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IF NOT FIXED. WAS TOLD TO TAKE TO MINI, BUT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

LIGHT IS COMING ON AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SMOOTHLY BUT WHEN YOU DECELERATE IT BUCKS DOWN. IT HAPPENS ANYWHERE ON THE ROADS WHEN DRIVING AND YOU DECELERATE. THE LIGHT THAT INDICATES ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION, IN THE BOOK IT SAYS I WON'T BE ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK BUT THERE IS NO ISSUE SHIFTING OUT OF PARK, SO NOT SURE IF IT IS CONSIDERED ELECTRICAL OR IF IT IS POWERTRAIN

NOTICED DECREASED ACCELERATION PERFORMANCE AND VISIBLY NOTICED LEAKING OIL FROM THE TOP OF THE TURBO SYSTEM NEXT TO THE HEAT SHIELD AFTER RETURNING HOME AFTER A DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY. MINI DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A TURBO OIL FEED LINE LEAK. NOTICED ON NHTSA FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MINI OWNERS AND COULD BECOME A FIRE HAZARD UNDER THE HOOD IF NOT DETECTED AND QUICKLY REPAIRED. *TR

The seatbelt and air bag warning light for the passenger front seat stays on.

The passenger occupancy seat sensor is defective (as reported by many other owners of this vehicle model). The sensor is very costly to replace in terms of parts ($1,500) and labor ($1,500) and MINI does not sell the sensor separately as it is embedded in the seat foam. The defective sensor does not recognize a passenger sitting in the passenger seat and deactivates the passenger airbag which is an essential, lifesaving device fitted to a small vehicle. When involved in a major vehicle collision, without a working airbag, the risk of fatality drastically increases. The sensor is also responsible for NOT deploying the airbag if a passenger under 100lbs is sitting in the seat ie. a child. Again, this is a massive safety concern especially due to other owners resorting to a cheap aftermarket bypass module which will always deploy the airbag. This solution could seriously injure or cause fatalities for passengers under 100lbs. Other MINI models with the same electronic occupancy sensor problems have had recalls issued by the NHTSA and has not issued recalls for vehicles with the same issue consistently. It is the NHTSA's responsibility to hold the manufacturer accountable for ALL vehicle models with similar defects impacting the safe and consistent operation of life preservation devices such as airbags especially when repair costs for these defective devices are cost prohibitive for vehicle owners to replace.

HELLO, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON I STARTED MY 2009 MINI COOPER AND NOTED THAT MY GAUGES SUDDENLY FAILED. THE TACH DROPPED TO ZERO. SUDDENLY I RECEIVED A TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. I DECIDED I WOULD MOVE THE CAR TO A MORE FAVORABLE LOCATION TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD. AS I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE I NOTED THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. I STOPPED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND POPPED THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. I RAN DOWN TO THE BASEMENT TO GRAB A WRENCH TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. WHEN I RETURNED I COULD HEAR POPS AND CRACKS AND NOTED CHAR ON THE HOOD INTERIOR. THOUGH THE KEYS WERE OUT I CONTINUED TO HEAR POPS AND CRACKS AND FELT HEAT ACCUMULATING . I FINALLY GOT THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED AND THE POPPING STOPPED. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE WIRING NEAR THE POWER STEERING MODULE WAS COMPLETELY BURNT OUT. THE CAR DROVE FINE THE DAY PRIOR. MY WIFE IS 38 WEEKS PREGNANT AND I AM SHAKEN BY THE IDEA THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE DAY BEFORE.

TAKATA INFLATORS POWER STEERING WENT OUT, GOING DOWN ROAD AND WEMT OUT.

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSTALLATION HEAT SHIELD FOR TURBO FEED LINE. THIS IS A RECALL AND NEWLY INSTALLED PART TO PROTECT THE TURBO FEED LINE DUE TO OVERHEATING. TO MY SURPRISE THEY INSTALL THE HEAT SHIELD ONLY TO TELL ME THAT THE TURBO LINE IS FAILING AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $1000.00. THE FAILURE OF THE LINE IS OBVIOUSLY DUE FOR THE SAME REASON THEY ARE INSTALLING A HEAT SHIELD. THUS ITEM SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. *TR

I STOPPED AT A GROCERY STORE ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK AT APPROX. 6:30 PM ON 11/17/11. I PARKED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND LOCKED IT. WHEN I EXITED THE STORE APPROXIMATELY 13-15 MINUTES LATER, I FOUND THE CAR A SMOLDERING SHELL SURROUNDED BY FIREFIGHTERS. IT APPEARED TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY GONE UP IN FLAMES. FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT (CAR PERFORMED "NORMALLY" AND THERE WERE NO ALARM OR FLASH INDICATORS ON THE CONSOLE SUGGESTING A PROBLEM.) *JB

My car has had an exterior lighting problem related to a bad FRM. This is causing my lights not to work. After seeking help, I saw that there was an actual recall on the FRM and I decided to take my car to International Mini dealership in Wisconsin. Once there, they proceeded to only fix the leak on sunroof. I then went back and explained that the leak had caused actual damage to the FRM and connectors and they told me to leave the car for another night. Next day I went to pick it up and they gave me the paperwork stating that they had replaced and reprogrammed the FRM but the problem persist. The connector on the FRM are also water corroded and they just refuse to do anything else to the car. I can’t drive my car due to the safety hazard of not having any exterior lights working.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ILLUMINATION RANGE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO ILLUMINATE THAT WAY SO OTHER DRIVERS ARE NOT BLINDED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION RANGE . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE FAR ENOUGH TO SEE IN FRONT OF HIM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,900.

I WAS ON THE I-40 HIGHWAY FROM GATLINBURG TO NASHVILLE. THERE WAS A HOLE ON THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR PASSED THE HOLE THEN FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BECAME CURVED. ALSO, I HAVE BLACK BOX IN MY CAR. I CAN PROVE IT. I NEED TO CHANGE MY WHEEL IT TAKES MORE THAN 500 DOLLARS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE TPMS SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ UPDATED 04/27/2016*JS UPDATED 9/17/2017*CN

SHOCKED TO FIND AN 8-INCH HAIRLINE CRACK TO THE UPPER RIGHT PORTION OF MY WINDSHIELD (RIGHT ABOVE MY EYES ON DRIVER'S SIDE). THE WINDSHIELD GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ON THE EXTERIOR, WITH ZERO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT, HARSH WEATHER OR TEMPERATURE CHANGES. IT'S BEEN 60 DEGREES FOR WEEKS NOW AND MY MINI HAD BEEN SAFELY PARKED, OUTSIDE OF MY HOME. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM MINI CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WILL BE TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST MINI FOR THEIR DISREGARD FOR MY OWN AND PUBLIC SAFETY. SHAME ON THE NHTSA FOR SETTLING WITH MINI ON CHARGES OF SUB-PAR GLASS INSTALLED IN MINI COOPER HATCHBACK MODELS UNTIL 2008, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE MY '09 MINI WAS PRODUCED.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER MINI COOPER HARDTOP WITH GLASS SUN ROOF ON THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY THE GLASS SUN ROOF SHATTERED AND FELL OVER HER. THERE WAS NO CAR NEARBY OR ANY EXTERNAL OBJECT TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE. THE GLASS SUN ROOF JUST SHATTERED WITH A LOUD BAND. MY WIFE WAS INJURED DUE TO THE GLASS FALLING OVER HER AND SOME OF THE PIECES WENT INTO HER AND BRUISED HER FOREARM. THE GLASS SUNROOF WAS NOT TEMPERED AND THE PIECES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE WITH SHARP EDGES. IT FELL OVER HER BODY AND HIT HER HEAD FIRST. SHE SUFFERED HEAD INJURY ALSO. I TOOK PICTURE AND LOOKS LIKE THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE SUN ROOF IS SLIGHTLY BENT UPWARDS. I BELIEVE IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE GLASS SUN ROOF. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 12/04/2014 WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVE GOING ABOUT 75 MPH. A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME BECAME TOO CLOSE BECAUSE HE WAS GOING SLOWER. MY CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING AND I HIT THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, AND DE-ACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. HOWEVER NOTHING HAPPENED AND MY MINI-COOPER CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND I HIT THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK. I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL ON/OFF AND TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND I STOPPED ACCELERATING. I CHANGED LANES TO PULL OVER, HOWEVER I HAD NO BRAKES. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AS THERE WAS A BIG HILL, HOWEVER WITH NO BRAKES I WENT FLYING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHILE HONKING MY HORN, AND THROUGH THE RED LIGHT. THE ONLY OPTION WAS BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER THE LIGHT AND I EVENTUALLY SLOWED DOWN AND THEN USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. I REALLY PANICKED AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. THE TRUCK HAD NO DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE MINI-COOPER GOT A DENT ON THE HOOD. THIS ALSO HAPPENED BRIEFLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHERE I HIT THE BRAKE AND MY MINI CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, HOWEVER WHEN I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL THAT TIME, THE BRAKES WERE FINE AND I HAD A CLOSE MISS OF REAR ENDING ANOTHER CAR. IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE PUT MY 6 SPEED IN NEUTRAL OR TURNED OFF THE CAR. AT THE TIME, THESE OPTIONS DIDN'T COME TO ME IN A PANICKED STATE. *TR