Your vehicle report
2010 MINI Cooper
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 92
- Received Sep 2010 to Jan 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off11 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Timing chain fails and destroys engine11 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on8 complaints · 8.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V337000BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
- Recall #09V474000Bmw is recalling certain model year 2010 mini cooper and cooper s vehicles for failing comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the affected vehicles were equipped with 17 inch wheels, but their label states that they were equipped with 16 inch wheels. Also the tire pressure stated on the label for the cooper s is incorrect.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 7 fires, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 92 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 11 | 12% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 11 | 12% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 8 | 8.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 8 | 8.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 3.3% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 3 | 3.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 3.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V337000May 11, 202397,933 vehicles affected
electrical system
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
NHTSA recall #09V474000December 15, 2009205 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
Bmw is recalling certain model year 2010 Mini Cooper and Cooper s vehicles for failing comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the affected vehicles were equipped with 17 inch wheels, but their label states that they were equipped with 16 inch wheels. Also the tire pressure stated on the label for the Cooper s is incorrect.
Erroneous tire information could lead to improper tire fitment and inflation which could affect the durability of the tire and the stability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The recall began on march 4, 2010. Owners may contact Bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2010 MINI Cooper.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN