ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2009 MINI Jcw
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 MINI Jcw, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and body & structure categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 8 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2008 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2008 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 2009 | 1 | 3 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 4 |
| Jan 2012 | 1 | 5 |
| Feb 2012 | 1 | 6 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2015 | 1 | 8 |
| Nov 2016 | 1 | 9 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine436.4%
- Airbags327.3%
- Body & structure19.1%
- Brakes19.1%
- Interior & seats19.1%
- Other / unspecified19.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
4 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Engine compartment fire
In a January 10, 2012 letter to NHTSA, BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the electric auxiliary water pump in approximately 88,911 model year (MY) 2007-2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2006 through January 18, 2011 (Recall 12V-008).According to BMW, the auxiliary water pump on vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder turbocharged engines may overheat.Electro-migration can cause the pump electronic circuit board to overheat resulting in smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, it may lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.The pump supplier, Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH, redesigned the pump to address factors that may contribute to circuit board overheating.The redesigned pumps were completely implemented in production vehicles by January 2011.Recall 12V-008 was the third recall initiated by BMW to address electric auxiliary water pump fires in vehicles equipped with Pierburg pumps.In two October 20, 2011 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted DIRs for similar auxiliary water pump defect conditions in approximately 32,084 MY 2008-2011 BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X5 and X6 models equipped with 8- and 12-cylinder engines and manufactured from May 2008 through December 2010 (Recall 11V-521); and for approximately 589 MY 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from September 2009 through September 2010 (Recall 11V-522).In three separate April 5, 2012 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted amendments to Recalls 11V-521, 11V-522 and 12V-008.The amendments all described a common defect condition related to a manufacturing process deviation in a certain production range of the redesigned Pierburg water pumps that could result in cracks in the pump housing, which may allow coolant to enter and contact the pump?s circuit board.BMW indicated that further analysis identified a specific machine process error at the sub-supplier that manufactures the water pump housing.Pump housing cracks may cause the circuit board to overheat and lead to smoldering of the water pump.Recall 12V-008 was, thus, amended to include approximately 1,457 MY 2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2011 through April 22, 2011, when pumps manufactured with the suspect manufacturing process may have been used in vehicle assembly.The amendment to Recall 11V-521 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-161, and covered approximately 2,846 MY 2011-2012 BMW 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2011 through August 1, 2011.The amendment to Recall 11V-522 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-166, and covered approximately 69 MY 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from April 7, 2011 through June 2, 2011.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by BMW as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 30 unique Mini Cooper reports indicating engine fire.In addition, BMW provided warranty data showing 493 claims for replacement of the subject component on Mini Cooper vehicles.Owners of the recalled vehicles are notified to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer, who will replace the auxiliary water pump to prevent any incidents related to this issue.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.):10286597, 10286663, 10289793, 10310677, 10314796, 10342365, 10394808, 10394192, 10403982, 10418325, 10422646, 10429003.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SAME ISSUE AS COMPLAINT NHTSA ID NUMBER 10809500 AND 10250135
- NHTSA ID
- 10927868
- Incident
- Nov 14, 2016
- Mileage
- 51,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI JCW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10809500
- Incident
- Dec 8, 2015
- Mileage
- 67,000 mi
THE OIL SUPPLY AND RETURN LINE CONNECTIONS AT THE TURBO HAVE FAILED AND SPRAYED OIL ONTO A VERY HOT TURBO CAUSING A HIGH RISK OF FIRE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10472854
- Incident
- Aug 28, 2012
- Mileage
- 51,500 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI JCW. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE GARAGE IN HIS HOME WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND REPORTED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FLAMES CAUSED DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS ALSO PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY OVERHEATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V008000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO VERIFY IF HIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10448836
- Incident
- Feb 12, 2012
- Mileage
- 20,000 mi
TURBOCHARGER OIL LINE CRIMP FITTING FAILED DUE TO O RING BECOMING HARD FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM TURBOCHARGER RESULTING IN SPRAY OF ENGINE OIL ON HOT TURBOCHARGER. DEALER REPLACED INLET AND OUTLET OIL LINES WITH NEWER DESIGN AND THE ADDITION OF AN OIL LINE HEAT SHIELD NOW BEING USED IN PRODUCTION OF 2011 AND 2012 MODELS. OIL SPRAY COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND THE DESIGN CHANGE FROM MINI INDICATES TO ME THAT A PROBLEM WITH OLD DESIGN EXISTS AND HEAT ISSUE IS PRESENT FROM THEIR ADDITION OF A HEAT SHIELD. MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER REIMBURSEMENT OR POLICY REPAIR WHEN A REQUEST WAS MADE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE DUE TO VEHICLE FIRE EXPOSURE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10443940
- Incident
- Dec 6, 2011
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF TWO DEFLECTORS (UNDER THE VEHICLE'S FRONT BUMPER ' ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE CAR) APPARENTLY DESIGNED TO FLEX WHEN, AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE'S LOW GROUND CLEARANCE, SUCH DEFLECTORS CONTACT THE GROUND DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE (E.G., ON DRIVEWAY APRONS, SPEED BUMPS, ETC.). INSTEAD OF FLEXING, THE DEFLECTORS REPEATEDLY FAIL AS A RESULT OF THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THE DEFLECTORS ARE OBVIOUSLY DESIGNED TO BE FLEXIBLE BY FUSING HARD RUBBER TO HARD PLASTIC. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF FLEXING, THE DEFLECTORS FAIL AT THE SEAM WHERE THE HARD RUBBER IS FUSED TO THE HARD PLASTIC. MINI HAS REPLACED ONE SET OF DEFECTIVE DEFLECTORS, WHICH PROMPTLY FAILED WITHIN WEEKS UNDER NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. MINI REFUSES TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE DEFLECTORS. BMW NORTH AMERICA, LLC REPEATEDLY REFUSES TO RESPOND TO INQUIRIES REGARDING WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE DEFLECTORS IN PLACE. SUCH REPEATED REFUSAL BY BMW NORTH AMERICA, LLC IMPLIES THAT THE VEHICLE IS INDEED NOT SAFE TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE DEFLECTORS IN PLACE. BMW NORTH AMERICA, LLC REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THE DEFLECTORS ARE DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED, CITING 'OUTSIDE INFLUENCES' (WITHOUT EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT IS MEANT THEREBY) AS THE CAUSE OF THE REPEATED FAILURE OF THE DEFLECTORS. THE FUSING OF HARD RUBBER TO HARD PLASTIC ON A PART SUCH AS THE DEFLECTORS WHICH ARE TO BE FASTENED TO A CAR WITH SUCH A LOW GROUND CLEARANCE REPRESENTS A DESIGN SPECIFICALLY MEANT TO BE FLEXIBLE IN RESPONSE TO 'OUTSIDE INFLUENCES,' AND WHEN SUCH PART FAILS AT THE SEAM OF THE TWO DIFFERING SUBSTANCES, THE DESIGN IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST AND A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE FRONT BRAKES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE DEFLECTORS AND POTENTIALLY CREATING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE RETAINED THE HARD RUBBER AND HARD PLASTIC PIECES OF THE DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED DEFLECTORS FOR INSPECTION. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10313585
- Incident
- Oct 15, 2008
- Mileage
- 2,500 mi
2009 MINI COOPER S, ONLY 3600 MILES, SUFFERS FROM WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS COLD START RATTLE/KNOCK. UPON STARTING DEAD COLD ENGINE, A LOUD AND VIOLENT SYNCOPATED KNOCK (SIMILAR TO A METAL HAMMER HITTING METAL) EMANATES FROM THE ENGINE ON THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT SIDE, AND LASTS FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN 3600 MILES, BOTH TIMES CAR PARKED WITH NOSE TILTING DOWN. AMBIENT TEMPS AROUND 30-40 DEGREES F. NOTIFIED DEALER BOTH TIMES. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10265639
- Incident
- Jan 20, 2009
DURING HEAVY RAIN, THE FRONT WINDOWS OPEN COMPLETELY UNCOMMANDED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONE TIME. EVERYTHING IN THE CAR, EXCEPT THE HEADLINER, WAS WET. WATER WAS STANDING MORE THAN ONE INCH DEEP ON THE FLOOR. THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS HAD STANDING WATER. THE DASH BOARD WAS WET. THE DOOR STORAGE AREAS HAD STANDING WATER. THE DASH BOARD VENTS HAD WATER STANDING IN THEM. THE A AND B PILLARS WERE DRIPPING WATER. WATER WAS STANDING IN THE TRAY UNDERNEATH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SWITCHES ON IT WERE SOAKED. THE DEALER DRIED THE CAR AND REPLACED A SENSOR IN THE DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. THE DEALER SAID THAT A REDESIGNED PART FROM MINI WAS INSTALLED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10253337
- Incident
- Dec 23, 2008
- Mileage
- 430 mi
Manufacturer communications
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
The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, MINI Assistance and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice control of the vehicle and all other telephone (paired mobile devices) functions are not affected. Emergency call location data is unaffected.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE
MINI: FAULTY SOFTWARE CAUSES THE CHECK CONTROL AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT TO APPEAR. *MA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
MINI: SOME VEHICLES HAVE TURBOCHARGER NOISE AND A LACK OR LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, DUE TO RESTRICTION OF TURBOCHARGER OIL SUPPLY, RESULTING IN OIL STARVATION AND SEIZING OF TURBOCHARGER ASSEMBLY. MODEL ALL. *PE
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP; FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL FILTER
MINI: INFORMATION PROVIDED REGARDING PROCEDURE OF REPLACING FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO FAILURE ON THE RIGHT AND/OR LEFT SIDE. *PE
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
BMW: INFORMATION ON THE BUMPER BRACKET CASTING FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT. *RM
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.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.