2009 MINI Cooper S problems
The 2009 MINI Cooper S has 151 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (52%) concerns engine. Next are air bags (13%) and drivetrain & axles (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 151 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 52% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 53,000 miles 137 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 9 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 26 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 46 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 26 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 20 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 137 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 53,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 53,000 miles (72 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the MINI Cooper S with enough data (81 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was involved in a multiple car accident. None of the air bags deployed and the seat belt did not hold me appropriately resulting in hitting the steering wheel with my face. I had head concussion and multiple face bruises, including a deep cut in my lip. Mini (BMW) is investigating.
2009 mini cooper s. Drove car 20km to local mall. Came out to retrieve wallet from glove box after being in mall for approximately 20min. Car was completely engulfed in flames. Fire department said it was an electrical fire that most likely started in the dashboard somewhere. No warning signs of imminent danger on my drive to the mall. Car only serviced at authorized bmw/mini dealership. 30k kms on car. Car is completely destroyed.
Fire did not occur, but there is a risk. Many mini cooper models with turbochargers are experiencing a leaky oil feed line to the turbo after approximately 25,000 miles. Due to a poorly insulated rubber gasket. It is a manufacturing flaw, but mini has failed to acknowledge the issue. This is a fire risk. The oil is allowed to leak into the engine bay, and it can destroy the engine because mini coopers do not have an oil sensor.
I purchased this car with 24k miles on it. It now has a little over 28k miles. It has been starting and running just fine, until the weather turned colder. Now if the car sits outside for a few hours with the temp below about 45 degrees, the engine rattles and sounds horrible when I first start it. This is a very loud rattle coming from the passenger side of the engine. The noise is so bad that I am afraid to drive the car until it warms up and the sound goes away.