2007 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated May 5, 2025 · 249 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Cooper S years
Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 22 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 249 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 2nd out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (94 complaints, 38%), typically at around 65,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 14 fires, 10 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2007 MINI Cooper S problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine94 · ~65,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling79 · ~43,250 mi
Air Bags28 · ~66,861 mi
Power Train26 · ~35,464 mi
Electrical System13 · ~71,270 mi
Unknown or Other11 · ~59,228 mi
Fuel/propulsion System8 · ~46,200 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline7 · ~40,865 mi
Steering7 · ~61,000 mi
Structure6 · ~41,450 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine problems9438%65,000“timing chain” (57%)$3,600
Engine and Engine Cooling problems7932%43,250“timing chain” (38%)$6,400
Air Bags2811%66,861——
Power Train2610%35,464——
Electrical System135%71,270——
Unknown or Other114%59,228——
Fuel/propulsion System83%46,200——
Fuel System, Gasoline73%40,865——
Steering73%61,000——
Structure62%41,450——
Seat Belts42%65,921——
Vehicle Speed Control42%37,184——
Visibility31%39,202——
Tires21%9,600——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)10%29,000——
Equipment10%10,000——
Exterior Lighting10%51,842——
Parking Brake10%48,000——
Seats10%78,000——
Service Brakes10%34,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2012, with 54 complaints
2007: 1200712008: 29292009: 112009112010: 16162011: 352011352012: 54542013: 362013362014: 24242015: 132015132016: 11112017: 6201762018: 662019: 3201932020: 112023: 1202312024: 112025: 120251

n = 249 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2007 MINI Cooper S recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Electrical systemMay 11, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V337000 · 97,933 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/superchargerApr 18, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V248000 · 47,806 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.

Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.

Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/superchargerJan 11, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V008000 · 90,368 vehicles

Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 mini cooper s, 2008-2011 mini cooper s clubman, 2009-2011 mini cooper s convertible, 2009-2011 mini cooper jcw, 2009-2011 mini cooper jcw clubman, 2009-2011 cooper jcw convertible, and 2011 cooper s countryman passenger cars manufactured from november 14, 2006, through january 18, 2011. The electric auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.

Risk: The circuit board may smolder which could result in a vehicle fire.

Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump free of charge. The safety recall beganduring february 2012. Owners may contact bmw at 1-866-275-6464.

Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipeDec 12, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V657000 · 28,450 vehicles

Problem: Bmw is recalling 28,450 my 2007-2008 mini cooper s vehicles. The centrally located tailpipe extension protrudes slightly beyond the rear bumper. It is possible for inadvertent contact to occur with a person's leg.

Risk: If the tailpipe extension is hot during inadvertent contact, a burn could occur.

Fix: Dealers will replace the tailpipe with a new shorter tailpipe free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during january 2009. Owners may contact bmw at 1-866-275-6464.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Engine compartment fire (PE11036) — opened Oct 11, 2011, closed Jun 11, 2012, led to recall 12V008000.
  • Exhaust pipe burns (EA08020) — opened Aug 29, 2008, closed Jan 2, 2009, led to recall 08V657000.
  • Exhaust pipe burns (PE08031) — opened Apr 28, 2008, closed Aug 29, 2008.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that water was entering the vehicle through the sunroof. The contact stated that the water was collecting inside the headliner and would overflow and leak down the driver’s and passenger’s side sun visors and into the electronics of the…

Electrical System · received May 5, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11658879

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. 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 while the vehicle was parked, the sunroof was inoperative. The contact waited…

Electrical System · received Dec 30, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11633249

The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the parking brake engaged, and the vehicle came to a stop. The contact manually pulled the parking brake lever several times until the parking brake released. There were no warning lights…

Parking Brake · received Jun 1, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11524779

Vehicle was stationary in my driveway, was not started and was unattended, had not been started in over a week and keys were not in the vehicles. The vehicle spontaneously burst into flames which burned the engine bay and front end of the car before the fire dept. Arrived and extinguished the fire…

Structure · received May 5, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11323318

Passenger seat mat occupancy sensor/pad has gone bad again after the recall.*dt safety recall report xxx-xxx 'parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).' *jb

Air Bags · received Aug 26, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11246321

Other MINI Cooper S years

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 MINI Cooper S?

Owners most often report engine, engine and engine cooling, air bags problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 94 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2007 MINI Cooper S?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2007 MINI Cooper S a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper S model years, the 2007 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.