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2007 MINI Cooper SProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 249 owner complaints about the 2007 MINI Cooper S, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-337 the manufacturer reports only 19% of affected cars repaired.

2007 MINI Cooper S
41
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.4× the Cooper S median · #2 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 19%Owner complaints24926 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 5, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2007 MINI Cooper S has problems

249 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine946
Engine and engine cooling7911
Air bags282
Power train261
Electrical system136
Fuel/propulsion system80
Steering70
Fuel system, gasoline70
Structure62
10 other systems192

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2007 MINI Cooper S recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

66%repaired · 2019 Q3

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 18V-248 · Apr 18, 2018 · 47,806 vehicles · 31,460 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe

Recall 08V-657 · Dec 12, 2008 · 28,450 vehicles

Risk. IF THE TAILPIPE EXTENSION IS HOT DURING INADVERTENT CONTACT, A BURN COULD OCCUR.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with MINI.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

65kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 91 engine complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
9under 30k miles77under 100k miles14100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine

26 owners mentioned a cost

$2,500median

Middle half: $1,650 – $4,225

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2007 vs. every other Cooper S year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cooper S median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'19'20'21'22'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2007 MINI Cooper S, and the recalls they led to.

  1. EXHAUST PIPE BURNSEA08020 · closed Jan 2, 2009
    Led to recall 08V-657
  2. EXHAUST PIPE BURNSPE08031 · closed Aug 29, 2008
    No recall
  3. Engine compartment firePE11036 · closed Jun 11, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-008
In owners' words

What Cooper S owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11323318 · May 5, 2020 · 92,000 miles
THE TURBOCHARGER HAD TO BE REPLACED, NEW TURBO GOT HOT AND MELTED THE VALVE COVER. THEN THE TURBOCHARGER CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IN MOTION IN A RURAL NEIGHBORHOOD. ALL WITHIN 6 MONTHS.
Complaint 11182392 · Feb 25, 2019 · 153,368 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND WAS TOWED TO BRAMAN MINI OF PALM BEACH (2815 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409, [PHONE]). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE…
Complaint 11114990 · Jul 31, 2018

Own a 2007 Cooper S?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.