NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
17 reportsMileage unknown · Mar 10, 2018
Power Train
TRANSMISSION ISSUE: WHEN INDICATOR DISPLAY OF TRANSMISSION STATUS IS NOT THE SAME AS SELECTED ON THE STICK. THEREFORE, CAR ALWAYS STUCK WHEN EVER TRANSMISSION IS PUT ON PARK MODE. SAFETY ISSUE IS MOST PEOPLE LAND THE TRANSMISSION ON NEUTRAL MODE TO AVOID LOCKING WHEN PARKING. THIS ISSUE CAN EFFECT SAFETY WHEN PARKED ON UP OR DOW…
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TRANSMISSION ISSUE: WHEN INDICATOR DISPLAY OF TRANSMISSION STATUS IS NOT THE SAME AS SELECTED ON THE STICK. THEREFORE, CAR ALWAYS STUCK WHEN EVER TRANSMISSION IS PUT ON PARK MODE. SAFETY ISSUE IS MOST PEOPLE LAND THE TRANSMISSION ON NEUTRAL MODE TO AVOID LOCKING WHEN PARKING. THIS ISSUE CAN EFFECT SAFETY WHEN PARKED ON UP OR DOWN HILL CAUSE IT'S NOT ON PARKED MODE.
NHTSA ODI #11078443
71,000 miles · Feb 13, 2018
Steering
POWER STEERING FAILURE AT 71,000 MILES. ONE DAY THE POWER STEERING WAS FINE AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN STARTED, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT WENT ON AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING.
NHTSA ODI #11072459
74,000 miles · Jan 9, 2014
EngineFuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 1.2 MILES FOR FIRST RUN OF THE DAY. TEMP WAS 48 F. CAR WAS IN DRIVE AT STOPLIGHT WHEN ENGINE ACCELERATED BEYOND MAX RPM. CAR LUNGED FORWARD INTO INTERSECTION AND A LOT OF EFFORT HAD TO BE APPLIED TO BRAKE TO KEED CAR FROM GOING ANY FURTHER. DRIVER GRABBED GEAR SHIFTER AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND HAVING SLIPPED …
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VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 1.2 MILES FOR FIRST RUN OF THE DAY. TEMP WAS 48 F. CAR WAS IN DRIVE AT STOPLIGHT WHEN ENGINE ACCELERATED BEYOND MAX RPM. CAR LUNGED FORWARD INTO INTERSECTION AND A LOT OF EFFORT HAD TO BE APPLIED TO BRAKE TO KEED CAR FROM GOING ANY FURTHER. DRIVER GRABBED GEAR SHIFTER AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND HAVING SLIPPED INTO REVERSE. ENGINE RPM THEN SUBSIDED AND VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN 14 MILES WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENCE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10559163
33,240 miles · Jan 24, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling
AFTER NUMEROUS TRIPS TO GARAGE TO DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND CAR SIGNALING BY WAY OF ALARM FOR ME TO SEE SERVICE DEPT IMMEDIATELY AND AT LEAST TWICE HAVING BEEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AND FOUND MYSELF STRANDED WITH EXTREMELY LOW LEVEL OF ANTIFREEZE, BMW SERVICE DEPT RECOMMENDED A CHANGE OF HEATING THER…
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AFTER NUMEROUS TRIPS TO GARAGE TO DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND CAR SIGNALING BY WAY OF ALARM FOR ME TO SEE SERVICE DEPT IMMEDIATELY AND AT LEAST TWICE HAVING BEEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AND FOUND MYSELF STRANDED WITH EXTREMELY LOW LEVEL OF ANTIFREEZE, BMW SERVICE DEPT RECOMMENDED A CHANGE OF HEATING THERMOSTAT. SAID THEY HAD SEEN THIS NUMEROUS TIMES. I TRUSTED THEM AND SPENT $550.00 ONLY TO START HAVING THE PROBLEM AGAIN 3 WEEKS LATER. NOW I'M TOLD BY MINI DEALERSHIP I NEED A RADIATOR, BUT GUESS WHAT, IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS CAR LIVES AT THE GARAGE AND I CANNOT TAKE IT ON A TRIP WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. BMW REFUSES TO COMPENSATE FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN ERROR IS DIAGNOSIS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10445141
12,000 miles · May 8, 2008
Structure
AREA NEAR THE GAS PEDAL GETS EXTREMELY HOT, AS WELL AS THE WALL TO THE RIGHT OF THE GAS PEDAL. IT'S HOT ENOUGH THAT I CAN'T LEAN A BARE FOOT AGAINST IT.. TOO HOT. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AS A DRIVER COULD INADVERTENTLY REST HIS FOOT ON THE WALL, AND BE SURPRISED BY THE EXTREME HEAT, JERK THEIR FOOT AWAY AND POSSIBLE HIT THE GA…
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AREA NEAR THE GAS PEDAL GETS EXTREMELY HOT, AS WELL AS THE WALL TO THE RIGHT OF THE GAS PEDAL. IT'S HOT ENOUGH THAT I CAN'T LEAN A BARE FOOT AGAINST IT.. TOO HOT. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AS A DRIVER COULD INADVERTENTLY REST HIS FOOT ON THE WALL, AND BE SURPRISED BY THE EXTREME HEAT, JERK THEIR FOOT AWAY AND POSSIBLE HIT THE GAS PEDAL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10227054
Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
MT CLIENT WAS REACHING INTO THE REAR OF A 2007 MINI COOPER BMW WHEN HER LEG MADE CONTACT WITH THE PROTRUDING MUFFLER THAT CAUSED A SEVERE BURN ON HER LEG. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10217342
9,000 miles · Jan 28, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
MINI COOPER S 07 MAKES A HORRIBLE RATTLE ON COLD START UP. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CAR DIES. SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS NO OIL IN ENGINE. AFTER CAR IS WARMED UP NOISE GOES AWAY. DEALER HAS REPLACED NON RETURN OIL VALVE. DIDN'T WORK. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS MUST BE DAMAGING THE ENGINE. …
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MINI COOPER S 07 MAKES A HORRIBLE RATTLE ON COLD START UP. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CAR DIES. SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS NO OIL IN ENGINE. AFTER CAR IS WARMED UP NOISE GOES AWAY. DEALER HAS REPLACED NON RETURN OIL VALVE. DIDN'T WORK. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS MUST BE DAMAGING THE ENGINE. ONLY 13,300 MILES ON THE CAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10216298
8,800 miles · Oct 24, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
(1) A DEISE-LIKE RATTLING NOISE, NOT IN TIME WITH THE ENGINE, COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON START-UP. THE NOISE WOULD EVENTUALLY GO AWAY AS THE ENGINE WARMED UP. AS TIME PROGRESSED, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER AND TOOK LONGER TO SUBSIDE. VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TURNED OVER TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. (2) THE NOISE WAS DETERMINED…
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(1) A DEISE-LIKE RATTLING NOISE, NOT IN TIME WITH THE ENGINE, COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON START-UP. THE NOISE WOULD EVENTUALLY GO AWAY AS THE ENGINE WARMED UP. AS TIME PROGRESSED, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER AND TOOK LONGER TO SUBSIDE. VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TURNED OVER TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. (2) THE NOISE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILURE OF THE OIL-FED CAM CHAIN TENSIONER. THE PISTON WAS DETERMINED TO BE STARVED OF OIL, CAUSING THE CAM CHAIN TO CREATE A RATTLING NOISE INCREASING IN VOLUME AND DURATION. (3) PARTS WERE ORDERED TO FIX THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER AND THE PISTON AND TENSIONER WERE REPLACED. THERE IS STILL SOME RATTLING ON START-UP, BUT THE NOISE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED. SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS ONLINE HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES AND IT APPEARS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER IS A TEMPORARY FIX (WITH THE NOISE RETURNING SOME WEEKS LATER). FAILURE OF THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER WILL LEAD TO ADDITIONAL WEAR ON THE CAM CHAIN EVENTUALLY DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CASE, CAMS AND VALVES THEMSELVES. A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WILL OCCUR IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT ADDRESSED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10206727
5 miles · Oct 15, 2007
Visibility
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER US. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKED HIS VIEW AND NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO NOTIFY THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REMOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR DUE TO CIRCUITS IN THE MIRROR THAT ARE USED TO OPERATE THE VEHI…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER US. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKED HIS VIEW AND NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO NOTIFY THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REMOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR DUE TO CIRCUITS IN THE MIRROR THAT ARE USED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.
NHTSA ODI #10205684
7,500 miles · Oct 11, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
THE HOOD (RIGHT ABOVE THE HOOD SCOOP) ON MY R56 07 MINI COOPER S IS EXTREMELY HOT AFTER ANY DRIVING AT ALL. IT'S LITERALLY HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC ON THE HOOD. THIS IS WELL OVER 200 DEGREES F AND IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD TO NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT ANY INDIVIDUAL PASSING BY THE CAR. I'M DEATHLY AFRAID THAT THIS WILL EITHER STAR…
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THE HOOD (RIGHT ABOVE THE HOOD SCOOP) ON MY R56 07 MINI COOPER S IS EXTREMELY HOT AFTER ANY DRIVING AT ALL. IT'S LITERALLY HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC ON THE HOOD. THIS IS WELL OVER 200 DEGREES F AND IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD TO NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT ANY INDIVIDUAL PASSING BY THE CAR. I'M DEATHLY AFRAID THAT THIS WILL EITHER START A FIRE IN MY GARAGE OR CAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL TO ACCIDENTALLY BURN THEMSELVES ON THE HOOD OF MY CAR. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURNED FROM THIS ONCE BY PLACING MY HAND ON THE HOOD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10205391