What breaks most · 2008 to 2020 model years
MINI Cooper S Clubman problems by year
Owners have filed 90 safety complaints with NHTSA about the MINI Cooper S Clubman across model years 2008 to 2020. Three years stand out: 2009 for engine complaints, 2010 for electrical system complaints and 2011 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2008.
- Years to check closely: 2009, 2010, 2011
- Fewest complaints: 2008
- Complaints on file
- 902008 to 2020, all trims
- Worst year
- 200951 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 27 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 51kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 11Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 0 | 2 | Air bags (3) | |
| 51 | 0 | 2 | Engine (23) | |
| 13 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 12 | 2 | 3 | Electrical system (7) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Engine (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Latches and locks (1) |
What fails on the 2009 MINI Cooper S Clubman
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 45% |
23 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 22% |
11 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 16% |
8 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
8 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 12% |
6 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Unknown or other | 2% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 2% |
1 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 2% |
1 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
I was driving and then the engine made a weird rattle and then quit. Thankfully i wasn't traveling faster than 45mph at the time of occurrence. Engine is completely ruined.
-
Timing chain tensioner makes very loud rattle when engine is cold. Requires replacement. Cost $1500. Known issue by mini but they are unwilling to repair or recall
-
Mini/bmw issued recall information may of 2023 for the frm electronic control unit, as of 12/30/2024 they are still unable to repair the vehicle, toyota website says they are still working on a resolution. Dealers offer no solution to problem. It has been a year since recall was issued. NHTSA recall number - 23v337
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which MINI Cooper S Clubman years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2009, 2010, 2011 carry the most filings on the MINI Cooper S Clubman. The 2009 alone has 51 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common MINI Cooper S Clubman problem?
On the 2009 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 23 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do MINI Cooper S Clubman problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all MINI Cooper S Clubman complaints that include mileage is about 51,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.