Check a VIN

2010 MINI Cooper S problems

The most common problem on the 2010 MINI Cooper S is engine and cooling, typically around 64,000 miles. It has 1.9 times the complaints of a typical Cooper S model year.

Typical year1.9x the typical complaints
Year score
48/100
Owner complaints
59
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
140
Worst area
Engine
Fuel economy
27-29mpg

The worst 2010 MINI Cooper S problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Engine
    43
  • Airbags
    6
  • Fuel system
    6
  • Transmission
    5
  • Electrical
    4
  • Suspension
    2
  • Brakes
    1
  • Driver assistance
    1
  • Seat belts
    1
  • Seats
    1
  • Steering
    1
  • Wheels
    1

Specific symptoms reported on the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Engine failure 7Fuel pump 6Loss of power 6Check engine light 5Fire or smoke 5

Recalls 4

Electrical systemReported May 11, 2023 · 97,933 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
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.

Recall number 23V337000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/superchargerReported April 18, 2018 · 47,806 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Remedy
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.

Recall number 18V248000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/superchargerReported January 11, 2012 · 90,368 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Remedy
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.

Recall number 12V008000 · Recall details

Equipment: other: labelsReported December 15, 2009 · 205 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
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.

Recall number 09V474000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Defect investigations

Engine compartment fireOpened October 11, 2011, closed June 11, 2012

In a January 10, 2012 letter to the federal safety agency, BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the electric auxiliary water pump in approximately 88,911 model year (MY) 2007-2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2006 through January 18, 2011 (Recall 12V‑008).According to BMW, the auxiliary water pump on vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder turbocharged engines may overheat.Electro-migration can cause the pump electronic circuit board to overheat resulting in smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, it may lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.The pump supplier, Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH, redesigned the pump to address factors that may contribute to circuit board overheating.The redesigned pumps were completely implemented in production vehicles by January 2011.Recall 12V‑008 was the third recall initiated by BMW to address electric auxiliary water pump fires in vehicles equipped with Pierburg pumps.In two October 20, 2011 letters to the federal safety agency, BMW submitted DIRs for similar auxiliary water pump defect conditions in approximately 32,084 MY 2008-2011 BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X5 and X6 models equipped with 8- and 12-cylinder engines and manufactured from May 2008 through December 2010 (Recall 11V‑521); and for approximately 589 MY 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from September 2009 through September 2010 (Recall 11V‑522).In three separate April 5, 2012 letters to the federal safety agency, BMW submitted amendments to Recalls 11V‑521, 11V‑522 and 12V‑008.The amendments all described a common defect condition related to a manufacturing process deviation in a certain production range of the redesigned Pierburg water pumps that could result in cracks in the pump housing, which may allow coolant to enter and contact the pump?s circuit board.BMW indicated that further analysis identified a specific machine process error at the sub-supplier that manufactures the water pump housing.Pump housing cracks may cause the circuit board to overheat and lead to smoldering of the water pump.Recall 12V‑008 was, thus, amended to include approximately 1,457 MY 2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2011 through April 22, 2011, when pumps manufactured with the suspect manufacturing process may have been used in vehicle assembly.The amendment to Recall 11V‑521 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V‑161, and covered approximately 2,846 MY 2011-2012 BMW 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2011 through August 1, 2011.The amendment to Recall 11V‑522 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V‑166, and covered approximately 69 MY 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from April 7, 2011 through June 2, 2011.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by BMW as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 30 unique Mini Cooper reports indicating engine fire.In addition, BMW provided warranty data showing 493 claims for replacement of the subject component on Mini Cooper vehicles.Owners of the recalled vehicles are notified to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer, who will replace the auxiliary water pump to prevent any incidents related to this issue.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.):10286597, 10286663, 10289793, 10310677, 10314796, 10342365, 10394808, 10394192, 10403982, 10418325, 10422646, 10429003.

PE11036

Technical service bulletins for the 2010 MINI Cooper S 140

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 140 bulletins for the 2010 MINI Cooper S

2010 MINI Cooper S fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
1.6L 4‑cylFWD24-2632-3427-29

What 2010 MINI Cooper S owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Mar 20, 2025 · Engine · CA

The contact owns a 2010 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Dec 7, 2020 · Airbags · 86,000 miles · NC

The passenger airbag sensor/passenger seatbelt sensor issue that has been reported and fixed in lots of other mini cooper model years is seemingly an issue with 2010 models too and needs to be corrected via recall. The sensor being faulty is a serious safety concern, and runs close to $1200 to repair. My sensor was intermittently off and on and is now full time warning about the airbag being off. This happens no matter the status of the vehicle - as soon as the motor is running the warning lights are lit up.

Filed Nov 4, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 100,000 miles · SC

The car completely quits running while you are driving it. Check engine light comes on but car has already died. Have to coast to a stop with no power steering since the engine has died. Car will not always restart. Sometimes it will crank but not turn over. Sometimes it will restart. Today it died while I was going 65mph on the interstate a d I had to dodge across 3 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder. Have had this exact issue before. 3 yrs ago I replaced the high pressure fuel pump for this exact same problem. This was a $1500 repair cost. Mini cooper said that 2010 mini coopers were not covered. Only minis up to tne year 2009 were covered in that safety recall so I paid out of pocket. However, mini cooper used the same part that had been recalled on my 2010. It failed in 2017 and the replacement part has now failed again. Mini cooper called it a "known" issue, but would not cover the replacement cost in 2017. Repair order number with mini cooper dealer: 262724 and part number 13-51-7-588-879

Filed Feb 19, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 64,000 miles · CA · fire

Mi vehculo mini cooper s 2010, estando estacionado en el garage por ms de 12 horas y sin prender el motor en ningn momento comenz a incendiarse sin ningn motivo. Por fortuna haba personas que alertaran de lo ocurrido y pude apagar el fuego en el vehculo, aunque ya haba consumido partes elctrica, de motor y cofre, etc. Cabe mencionar que esto sucedi en la ciudad de mxico, no en eua, pero ustedes tienen mejor informacin al respecto. Saludos.

Filed Dec 16, 2019 · Engine · 30,000 miles · AZ

High pressure fuel pump needs replaced @ 30,000 miles

Filed Dec 9, 2019 · Airbags, Seat belts · 119,000 miles · FL

Airbag and seatbelt warning lights come on for passenger seat and will not turn off. It indicates that the passenger airbag will not activate in the event of an accident with an occupant in the passenger seat. Front passenger will not have airbag protection in the event of a crash.

Filed Oct 4, 2019 · Airbags, Electrical · 45,000 miles · ID

Mini cooper seat occupation sensor oc3 is faulty causing airbag not to work properly.

Filed Aug 23, 2019 · Fuel system · CA

The high pressure fuel pump had the warranty extended to 10 years or 120000 miles due to federal emissions requirements on all years except the 2010. M01 01 16 [si] july 2016 shows the 2011 and 2012 and a letter from mini shows 2007 -2009. Nobody at mini corporate understands why the 2010 was left out, but all agree it is the same pump and I have found thousands of complaints online saying the dealer did not honor the warranty because it was the wrong the year. These pumps fail and the vehicle fails emissions testing. The pump is 1300 dollars plus labor and can only be done at the dealer.

Filed Aug 6, 2019 · Fuel system · 97,000 miles · SC

High pressure fuel pump failed, mini has issued ext warranties o the 2009, 2001, 20012 models because of this issue but not this model. Car is below 100,000 miles if these years have problems and now I am having a problem should the 2010 models be covered

Filed Feb 13, 2019 · Fuel system · 71,800 miles · CA

Got the high pressure fuel pump issue, the car will not start and stall and will not keep in ideal until stepping on the gas over 3000 RPM for over 1 mins, it stalled on local street couple times. The dealership said mini cover up to 7 years only.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2010 MINI Cooper S before you buy

Compare the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Other model years

200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720192020202220242025

Questions about the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Is the 2010 MINI Cooper S reliable?

Owners have filed 59 complaints about the 2010 MINI Cooper S, 1.9 times a typical Cooper S model year.

What is the 2010 MINI Cooper S year score?

The 2010 MINI Cooper S scores 48 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the MINI Cooper S: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2010 MINI Cooper S?

Engine and cooling, with 43 complaints, typically around 64,000 miles. Next is airbags (6).

How many recalls does the 2010 MINI Cooper S have?

4 recalls, covering electrical system, engine and engine cooling and equipment.

Was there a recall on the 2010 MINI Cooper S engine?

Yes, 2 recalls: 18V248000, 12V008000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the MINI Cooper S have bad engine?

The MINI Cooper S model years with the most engine complaints are 2007 (173 complaints), 2008 (120 complaints) and 2009 (80 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2010 MINI Cooper S get?

Official estimates for the 2010 MINI Cooper S range from 27 to 29 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 24-26 city and 32-34 highway.

Share your experience with the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2010 MINI Cooper S?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN