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Engine coolingPart report

2010 MINI Cooper S Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
6about this part
Share
10%of 59 total for the year
Median mileage
32,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2010 MINI Cooper S, 10% of the 59 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 32,000 miles. 3 a fire, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Cold start problem, no power, lots of noise. Timing chain on r56 Mini cooper. There is a service bulletin but there should be a recall. It sounded like the motor was going to blow up!”

NHTSA complaint #10372292, filed 2010-12, 45,000 miles

“Car driven two miles to market and returned home to high rise condo. Parked in garage of high rise. No problems noted during drive, parking or locking. Within 4-6 minutes, another resident in the garage reported a car on fire, hood/engine area to the management office. A 911 call sent out, took fire department ~ 1 1/2 hours to extinguish the blaze. Car has no history of any problems. Car in for tire rotation, oil change, gas gauge float replacement and xm radio antenna check six weeks earlier. Never any problems mechanically or electrically. Had manual transmission. …”

NHTSA complaint #10428234, filed 2011-10, 26,000 miles

“The vehicle in question was being towed behind my motor home (which I do all the time) when another driver got my attention to see smoke coming from my car. I immediately pulled over grabbed my fire extinguishers and lifted the hood and put out the fire, before the fire department arrived. 6 firemen were unable to determine the cause or where it started.”

NHTSA complaint #10432258, filed 2011-10

“The contact owns a 2010 Mini cooper. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 12v008000 (engine and engine cooling) and took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs. Two days after the recall repair was performed on the vehicle, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle while sitting at a traffic stop. The contact turned the vehicle off but the vehicle proceeded to ignite into flames. The police and fire department were called to assist and a report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10453334, filed 2012-03, 32,000 miles

“2010 Mini Cooper S. Consumer writes in regards to issues with timing chain the consumer stated the engine light illuminated one week after being serviced. The first noticeable problem started with a leak. It was repaired by replacing a seal. It was then discovered there was a recall for the water pump, which was then replaced. When the vehicle was tested, the computer noted misfire faults and it was at that point, the timing chain was replaced and all its related parts. The technician noted carbon build-up. The consumer stated the fan stays on much longer than normal.”

NHTSA complaint #10467321, filed 2012-07

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201113%
2010610%
20091513%
20084326%
20077932%
2006158%
200583%
200431%
2003105%
200256%

Other parts of the 2010 MINI Cooper S

Engine
37 complaintsAir bags
6 complaintsFuel system
6 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
5 complaintsElectrical system
4 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsSeat belts
1 complaintsSeats
1 complaintsSteering
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2010 MINI Cooper S

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology