Most common 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman problems
Share of the 39 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mini Cooper Clubman complaints by model year
Best Cooper Clubman years: 2011, 2010. Years to avoid: 2009, 2008. Compare all years →
2009 Mini Cooper Clubman recalls (1)
Electrical system
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,…
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.
What 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman owners say
Engine & cooling
Ive personally driven my 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman 11K miles of the 34K it has on it without any issue until on June 5th, 2016 I parked it near my work and returned to it the next morning.it started up just fine and I just let the first gear take me out of the parking garage. Then I tried to accelerate once on the road and nothing... No power. I put the pedal to the floor and nothing. I pulled over and it sounded like a labored, clanky, rough idle. Got it towed to a shop, diagnostic test showed main relay failure and something about valvetronic servomotor and limitation and plausible air mass sensor issue. Main relay part replaced for $20.worked fine after that. Eighteen days later it happened again. Went home and after some research, I found scary possibilities could happen with my Mini related to the engine cooling systems, air intake, water pump and timing chain sensor worst of all. …
The car engine stopped dead in the middle of a state highway while going at cruising speed of 35mph on the right most late, and with engine dead power steering became unresponsive and became impossible to steer the car to the side. The car was literally dead in the middle of the highway, we had kids on board and for a small car, we were really that lucky passing cars were able to spot us and avoid hitting us. When we took towed it to the shop, the issue was that the timing chain had snapped and also cracked the engine top cover on the left side. On searching the internet it looks like this is the "timing chain, tensioner issues" that BMW/Mini is already aware of however they have not yet done a recall. There was almost no way of telling there was this problem brewing with the vehicle. …
Air bags
Following approximately 12 months of slow deterioration, the passenger-side airbag deployment system in this vehicle appears to have become continuously inoperative (red airbag failure annunciator continuously illuminated on instrument cluster in conjunction with continuous illumination of the amber "Passenger Airbag OFF" informational annunciator in the overhead console). Failure now occurs whether passenger seat is empty or occupied, although it previously only occurred when the seat was unoccupied and ambient temperatures were colder (below approximately 40 degrees F). I suspect that the passenger seat occupancy sensor mat is the failed system component due to the slow onset of the problem (continuous illumination of aforementioned annunciators was spurious at first, then intermittent, now continuous). Vehicle has not been submitted to a MINI dealer for diagnosis. …
I recently purchased a 2009 mini cooper clubman. Within three weeks of taking possession of the car, the airbag warning light activated. Upon a diagnostic test, it was determined that the passenger occupancy sensor was malfunctioning. After discussing this with the mini cooper dealer in my area and mini USA, it was acknowledged that this was a well known and documented issue. First generation mini coopers were afforded a safety recall to rectify this safety issue while second generation cars were given an extended warranty. Unfortunately, I am now driving a car outside of the extended warranty that was only offered to the original owner with a faulty airbag system for any passenger in my car. A recall MUST be issued for the second generation mini cooper to hold the company responsible for this faulty design. …
Electrical system
The contact owned a 2009 Min Cooper Clubman. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, turned on, and unoccupied, there was black smoke coming from the interior of the vehicle. The contact stated the footwell control module located on the driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. The vehicle was destroyed as it was consumed by the fire. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was provided; however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. A police report was not filed due to the incident occurring on private property. …
The driver's side footwell is continuously full of water for the past several years. During rain water runs inside the car, from somewhere behind the dash, into the driver's footwell. The Footwell Control Module (FRM) is in water and is actively corroding. The Footwell Control Module is an electronic control unit located behind an interior trim panel in the driver's footwell area. Mini/BMW has already found that this corrosion could potentially result in a short circuit, resulting in a potential thermal event which could increase the risk of fire or injury. For some reason this vehicle is not included in Recall Campaign No. 23V-337 for the very same issue. This vehicle has been erroneously excluded from all appropriate MINI recalls. This vehicle was not included in 09V-143 despite the fact that it has factory 15" wheels. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman a good car?
Based on 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Cooper Clubman rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cooper Clubman at the same age. It is one of the Cooper Clubman years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman?
The engine & cooling — 14 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system. Next are the air bags (10) and electrical system (8).
How many recalls does the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman have?
There is 1 recall for the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman, the most recent from May 11, 2023 (electrical system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mini Cooper Clubman?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2008. See the full Mini Cooper Clubman years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 28% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.