2009 MINI COOPER Electrical System Problems

When it rains, my car seems to have a short circuit and all the electrical components start going crazy, mainly the windows, locks and indoor lights/dash. There is an active recall for the same problem and car model but mine doesn't seem to fit the recall I am not sure why.

My car has had an exterior lighting problem related to a bad FRM. This is causing my lights not to work. After seeking help, I saw that there was an actual recall on the FRM and I decided to take my car to International Mini dealership in Wisconsin. Once there, they proceeded to only fix the leak on sunroof. I then went back and explained that the leak had caused actual damage to the FRM and connectors and they told me to leave the car for another night. Next day I went to pick it up and they gave me the paperwork stating that they had replaced and reprogrammed the FRM but the problem persist. The connector on the FRM are also water corroded and they just refuse to do anything else to the car. I can’t drive my car due to the safety hazard of not having any exterior lights working.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that the headlights, taillights, and the turn signal lights were inoperable. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); but the repair failed to fix the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights had remained illuminated after the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

The contact owned a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that after the vehicle was unoccupied and parked in the residential garage, she was putting her children down for a nap and 2 minutes later, the contact and her husband smelled smoke within the residence, shortly afterward it was discovered that the garage was engulfed in flames. The contact called 911 and evacuated her family of 2 dogs, and 2 minor children. The contact sustained injuries to both arms, both legs and her rear end up to her back. The husband sustained bruises right leg and back. The contact's toddler son sustained a bruise from running into the wall in the residence. No medical attention was sought. The contact mentioned that 1 of the dogs sustained abnormal breathing injuries. The police and fire departments arrived on the scene, and the firefighters extinguished the fire. The fire consumed the vehicle in the garage and resulted in damage to the residence. Police and fire department reports were filed. The contact does not have the fire report, yet, and was currently being worked by the chief of the fire department. The vehicle currently remained on the scene. The insurance company deemed the vehicle and her home totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

Mileage: 140,000

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

My car started acting up when it rains and all the electrical goes crazy, all the lights turning on and off and all the locks opening and closing and it seems to have short-circuit and drained my battery, car left me stranded twice in the middle of the street. No electrical wire seems to be exposed and was informed it might be a footwell module issue, I see there is a recall happening yet my vehicle doesn't seem to be included eventhough it fits the specs and the has the same issues.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that several electrical features had failed to operate as needed with several warning lights flickering on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that water and salt had entered the footwell circuit causing wiring corrosion. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Mileage: 100,000

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper Hardtop. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the remedy to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated less than half the lights are working on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was confirmed that water and salt could enter the circuit and corrode and this service falls under the recall repair. The contact was informed the vehicle could be repaired if the contact paid out of pocket. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Mileage: 110,000

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the windows failed to roll up or down intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Mileage: 102,000

The car horn was going off randomly. I inspected the interior electrical panel on the passenger side of the car and it was damp. There is water getting into the passenger side of the car and infiltrating the panel causing this one issue and likely others. There is a recall for this problems in some places, but my vehicle is not included, currently.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the parking brake warning light and the tire pressure warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that after the front driver’s and passenger side doors were closed, the windows failed to readjust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Mileage: 70,000

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2009 Mini Cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the battery was replaced four times in four years. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Mileage: 19,000

MINI was totally destroyed by fire after driving for 15 minutes. It was parked in a parking lot and was in flames 5 minutes after my wife entered the store. This is comparable with problem requiring recall (with no remedy). No warnings

HELLO, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON I STARTED MY 2009 MINI COOPER AND NOTED THAT MY GAUGES SUDDENLY FAILED. THE TACH DROPPED TO ZERO. SUDDENLY I RECEIVED A TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. I DECIDED I WOULD MOVE THE CAR TO A MORE FAVORABLE LOCATION TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD. AS I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE I NOTED THAT MY POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. I STOPPED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND POPPED THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. I RAN DOWN TO THE BASEMENT TO GRAB A WRENCH TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. WHEN I RETURNED I COULD HEAR POPS AND CRACKS AND NOTED CHAR ON THE HOOD INTERIOR. THOUGH THE KEYS WERE OUT I CONTINUED TO HEAR POPS AND CRACKS AND FELT HEAT ACCUMULATING . I FINALLY GOT THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED AND THE POPPING STOPPED. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE WIRING NEAR THE POWER STEERING MODULE WAS COMPLETELY BURNT OUT. THE CAR DROVE FINE THE DAY PRIOR. MY WIFE IS 38 WEEKS PREGNANT AND I AM SHAKEN BY THE IDEA THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE DAY BEFORE.

Mileage: 120,000

LIGHT IS COMING ON AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SMOOTHLY BUT WHEN YOU DECELERATE IT BUCKS DOWN. IT HAPPENS ANYWHERE ON THE ROADS WHEN DRIVING AND YOU DECELERATE. THE LIGHT THAT INDICATES ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION, IN THE BOOK IT SAYS I WON'T BE ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK BUT THERE IS NO ISSUE SHIFTING OUT OF PARK, SO NOT SURE IF IT IS CONSIDERED ELECTRICAL OR IF IT IS POWERTRAIN

Mileage: 128,500

WE PARKED THE CAR AND 3 HOURS LATER IS WAS ON FIRE. IT SEEMS TO HAVE EMANATED FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP AREA BUT CANNOT TELL WITH ALL THE FIRE DAMAGE. THE CAR IS MOST LIKELY A TOTAL LOSS.

Mileage: 65,000

I PURCHASED A 2009 MINI COOPER WITH 16,000 MILES IN DECEMBER 2011 THROUGH A DEALERSHIP. IN THE SPRING OF 2012 THE CAR SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING BOTH WINDOWS WERE COMPLETELY DOWN. IT HAD RAINED 5 INCHES DURING THE NIGHT AND THE PIE WAS AN AQUARIUM. I HAD JUST HAD AN OIL CHANGE AT A MINI DEALERSHIP SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THEM. THE DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WATER DAMAGE. THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AND PAID FOR THROUGH A CLAIM ON MY INSURANCE POLICY. I TOLD MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO NOT PAY THE CLAIM BECAUSE THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE CAR. AFTER THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED THE WINDOWS AGAIN LOWERED ON THEIR OWN ACCORD BUT THIS TIME THEY ONLY WENT DOWN HALF WAY. THE DEALER THEN SAID THEY REINITIALIZED THE COMPUTER. SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS RANDOMLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN HOUSTON, MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAYS, WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MINI DEALER IN HOUSTON AND THEY KEPT THE CAR BUT CLAIMED IT NEVER STALLED WHEN THEY DROVE IT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL RANDOMLY. EACH TIME THE CAR STALLED I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES OF BEING TOLD THERE WERE NO CODES SHOWN BY READING THE FOB I QUIT TAKING THE CAR TO THEM. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RANDOMLY STALL. IN MARCH 2014 THE CAR STALLED IN 4:00PM TRAFFIC WHILE I TOPPED AN OVERPASS ON A FRIDAY. AFTER A WRECKER TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC THE DIAGNOSIS IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A SECOND OPINION AND HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED YET. THIS MINI COOPER TRULY HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND IS A HAZARD TO BE ON THE ROAD. I NO LONGER DRIVE THE MINI, WILL NEVER DRIVE ANOTHER MINI AND I NO LONGER HAVE TO SAY A PRAYER BEFORE I GET IN MY CAR. I HOPE THE NHTSA CAN PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS SITUATION . *TR

Mileage: 40,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSTALLING A GPS SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE HE BECAME AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER WAS GIVEN THE INCORRECT READING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GPS READ 51MPH AND THE VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER READ 60 MPH, BUT VEHICLE WAS GOING SLOWER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT PROVIDING ANY ASSISTANCE GIVEN THAT THE VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER WAS IN TOLERANCE SINCE THE MARGIN OF ERROR ALLOWED WAS TEN PERCENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 11/29/12 *BF UPDATED 12/4/2012 *JS

Mileage: 21,300

ON JULY 25TH, APROX 9:00PM. MY DAUGHTER (DRIVER) HAVE JUST ARRIVED FROM COLLEGE INTERNSHIP AND ARRIVED BOYFRIEND FAMILY HOME (12-15MI TRIP). UPON TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND GETTING OUT OF THE CAR SHE SMELL BURNT AND SAW SPARKS AND FIRE THROUGH THE CAR FRONT GRILL. BOYFRIEND CAME AND OPEN THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE FIRE. THE BOYFRIEND'S FATHER CAME AND USED DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER TO PUT FIRE OUT. REPORT WAS MADE TO MINI COOPER. I CAME LATER AND NOTICE SEVERAL WIRES BURNT. THE CAR WAS TOWED (7/25, 7/26 EARLY MORNING) AND IS TODAY (8/7/2012) AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY MINI COOPER ROCKVILLE, MD, AWAITING INSPECTION BY BMW ENGINEERING. THE CAR STILL PENDING REPAIR. I TOOK PICTURES LAST SATURDAY (8/4). THESE PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

I STOPPED AT A GROCERY STORE ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK AT APPROX. 6:30 PM ON 11/17/11. I PARKED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND LOCKED IT. WHEN I EXITED THE STORE APPROXIMATELY 13-15 MINUTES LATER, I FOUND THE CAR A SMOLDERING SHELL SURROUNDED BY FIREFIGHTERS. IT APPEARED TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY GONE UP IN FLAMES. FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT (CAR PERFORMED "NORMALLY" AND THERE WERE NO ALARM OR FLASH INDICATORS ON THE CONSOLE SUGGESTING A PROBLEM.) *JB

Mileage: 18,794

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER WAS DISPLAYING A READING OF 70 MPH. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE SPEEDOMETERS ALL OF THE VEHICLES WERE 10% OFF AND THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 21,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 200

I HAVE A MINI COOPER 2009 WHICH TODAY MARKS A YEAR OF PURCHASE, FOR ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS HAS BEEN LEADING THE WARRANTY SERVICE DUE TO FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAG PASSENGER AND THE CAR TURNS OFF WHILE USING. UNFORTUNATELY TO GET THE CAR TO SERVICE NEVER CAN DIAGNOSE THE FAULT. *TR

Mileage: 21,700