2014 MINI Cooper Engine Problems

The fuse box JBE module has a Quality Assurance problem with a solder connection to the NEC low pressure fuel relay. This is a known issue with BMW/Mini. The car suddenly stalls without warning. If the driver is not keen or if traffic patterns do not allow, the car can be left in very dangerous situations on the highway or in the middle of intersection. The repair for this problem is widely distributed online via blogs and YouTube, but replacement modules are $1500 (part only) and these modules are not available until at least October 2023. There are no warning lights or other warnings prior to the incident. While I am not aware of any serious injuries, it is only a matter of time before someone is t-boned at an intersections. This part MUST be immediately recalled due to the safety risk. The images below show the JBE fuse box housing as well as the PCB where the cold solder joint can be seen. I have circled the cold solder joint in the close up picture.

NHTSA ID

11537267

Incident

Aug 2, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, there was smoke detected from the vehicle. The vehicle caught fire without warning. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or crash. The fire department distinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to a lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,700.

NHTSA ID

11473561

Incident

Jul 11, 2022

Mileage

84,700 mi

TURBO CHARGER HAS SYSTEMATICALLY FAILED OVER THE LAST YEAR, WITH WORSENING EFFECTS. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO "LIMP MODE" AND CUTS POWER. THIS IS DANGEROUS FOR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH MINI COOPERS WITH MANY, BUT NOT ALL YEARS RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11233525

Incident

Jul 20, 2019

Mileage

68,000 mi

THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAULT CODE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. 2014 MINI COOPER HARDTOP MODELS HAVE A RECALL. MY VIN # DOES NOT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AND INITIATE A RECALL FOR MY VIN.

NHTSA ID

11192704

Incident

Mar 21, 2019

Mileage

50,344 mi

I HAVE A 2014 MINI COOPER HARDTOP. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SERVICED AT LEAST 4 SEPARATE TIMES FOR A RECURRING ISSUE. TODAY WAS VERY DIFFERENT AND UNEXPLAINABLE. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY, MY CAR REACHES SPEEDS OF 80 AT LEAST, BUT I HAD SLOWED TO A CRAWL BEFORE THE TOLL PLAZA. TRAFFIC WAS THE USUAL HEAVY TRAFFIC. I MUST HAVE BEEN GOING 5-10 MPH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY, TH CAR STARTED BUCKING , LIKE IT WAS HAVING TROUBLE DOWNSHIFTING . THIS IS THE TYPICAL BUCKING IT MAKES RIGHT BEFORE THE "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION: DRIVE MODERATELY." WARNING COMES ON. THE ENGINE STARTED TICKING (TO ME THAT IS INDICATING LACK OR NO OIL). "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION: DRIVE MODERATELY." AND "DROP IN OIL PRESSURE. SLOW TO A STOP " WARNINGS BOTH CAME ON. I PULLED OVER 3 LANES QUICKLY TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY , SHUT THE CAR OFF AND HOPED I WAS IN A SAFE SPOT. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR CAME, HE TOLD ME OIL WAS UNDERNEATH MY CAR. WHY WOULD A CAR JUST SPILL OIL OUT WHILE DRIVING ? IM PRETTY SCARED OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY ENGINE. CAR IS AT THE DEALER, AND I'M REALLY NOT CONFIDENT IN THIS CAR. I HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIDENT SINCE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD SINCE PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID

10783527

Incident

Oct 19, 2015

Mileage

20,800 mi

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, CAR LOST OIL PRESSURE SUDDENLY, OIL POURED OUT OF VEHICLE, SMOKING AS WARNING LIGHTS INDICATED "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" AND THEN, "LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE: STOP VEHICLE". DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF A WELDING ON THE OIL PUMP HOUSING. MINI REPLACED PART AND RETURNED CAR TO ME. WITHIN 1 MILE, "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" IGNITED AGAIN. A WEEK LATER, THEY REPORTED THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. I SOLD IT BACK TO MINI AS A LEMON.

NHTSA ID

10715824

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

9,200 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED SHAKING AND HAVING LOUD CLUNKING RATTLING NOISE. THE EXHAUST WAS SPEWING HEAVY WHITE SMOKE. THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED AND THEN STOPPED WITH " DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION." WE ALSO GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT! *TR

NHTSA ID

10704005

Incident

Apr 3, 2015

Mileage

6,500 mi

THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME IN WHICH I HAVE HAD TO VISIT NICK ALEXANDER IMPORTS OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING OF MY VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME, MY CAR HAD STALLED ON THE FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TIME. THE SERVICE SPECIALIST AT THE DEALERSHIP ATTRIBUTED MY CAR STALLING AS A SYSTEM UPDATE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THEIR WAS A RECALL ON A VEHICLE PART (A NUT THAT SECURES THE SPARE TIRE TO THE CAR THAT COULD BECOME LOOSE DURING DRIVING), WHICH HE REPLACED. THIS SECOND TIME, WHICH WAS ON JANUARY 5TH, 2015, MY CAR STARTED TO WARN ME THAT THE "ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WAS TOO LOW" AND TO STOP MY ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF PARKING MY CAR, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF OIL GATHERING UNDER THE UPPER PORTION OF MY VEHICLE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO HAVE MY CAR INSPECTED BY THE DEALER'S SERVICE SPECIALIST, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL ON A PART. THIS TIME IT WAS THE OIL FILTER HOUSING THAT CRACKED BECAUSE IT WAS "TOO WEAK". THE SPLASH SHIELD AND OIL DEFLECTOR ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN BOTH INCIDENTS I WAS PLACED IN LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS AND CAN NO LONGER FEEL CONFIDENT THAT MY MINI COOPER IS SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10672090

Incident

Jan 5, 2015

LEG BURN FROM HOT EXHAUST PIPE WHILE UNLOADING ITEMS FROM TRUNK. LEANED AGAINST REAR BUMPER WITH BARE LEG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10618846

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

4,600 mi

ON TWO OCCASIONS (7/19/14 AND 7/29/14), THE ENGINE CUT-OFF, PUTTING THE CAR IN "ACCESSORY MODE." ON BOTH OCCASIONS, I WAS DRIVING ON A FLAT ROAD, AT LOW SPEED. THERE WAS NO ABILITY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT COMPLETELY STOPPING, PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK, AND RESTARTING THE CAR. AS A RESULT OF BEING IN ACCESSORY MODE, I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO GLIDE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE CAR'S SCREEN: "TRANSMISSION NOT IN PARK, VEHICLE MAY ROLL." I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AGO. I AM VERY CONCERNED, AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AS I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. AS EVIDENCED IN THE GM IGNITION SWITCH CASES, WHEN A CAR IS SWITCHED INTO ACCESSORY MODE WHILE DRIVING, THE AIRBAGS ARE DEACTIVATED AS WELL. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN ON A BUSY ROADWAY/HIGHWAY, AND THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10617503

Incident

Jul 29, 2014

Mileage

3,000 mi