Most common 2009 Mini JCW problems
Share of the 9 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mini JCW complaints by model year
2009 Mini JCW recalls (4)
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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
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…
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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
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,…
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc
BMW is recalling 560 my 2009 jcw (john cooper works) and jcw clubman vehicles equipped with 16 inch diameter front brake discs rather than 17 inch discs. Under conditions of intense brake usage, braking performance would be reduced.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front brake discs and pads and, if necessary, replace them. The recall began on October 16, 2008. Owners May contact BMW/Mini at 1-866-275-6464 or by e-mail at Mini.assistance@askminiusa.com..
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Mini JCW:
Engine compartment fire
In a January 10, 2012 letter to NHTSA, 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…
What 2009 Mini JCW owners say
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mini JCW. While parked, the contact smelled smoke coming from the garage in his home where the vehicle was parked and found that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called and reported to the scene to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The flames caused damage to another vehicle that was also parked in the garage and also caused damage to the residence. The fire department determined that the fire was caused by overheating in the engine compartment. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 12V008000 (engine and engine cooling) but the contact had not spoken with the manufacturer to verify if his particular vehicle was included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
Turbocharger oil line crimp fitting failed due to o ring becoming hard from excessive heat from turbocharger resulting in spray of engine oil on hot turbocharger. Dealer replaced inlet and outlet oil lines with newer design and the addition of an oil line heat shield now being used in production of 2011 and 2012 models. Oil spray could cause a fire and the design change from Mini indicates to me that a problem with old design exists and heat issue is present from their addition of a heat shield. Manufacturer did not offer reimbursement or policy repair when a request was made. This appears to be a safety related issue due to vehicle fire exposure.
Air bags
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mini JCW. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the passenger side air bag sensor seat was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 67,000.
I have a 2009 Mini cooper s. The overhead passenger airbag disable warning light comes on when there is an adult sized passenger riding in the vehicle. This problem occurs intermittently and I have witnessed it about eight times between 10/2/08 and 11/26/08. When the warning light comes on, it stays on for the duration of the trip. I have taken my vehicle to Mini service department on three occasions for a total of 21 days in the shop and their diagnostic computer cannot identify an error so the problem remains unresolved. This is a defect in the vehicle's safety system and May cause death or serious bodily injury if not addressed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Mini JCW a good car?
Based on 9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 JCW rates average: 5.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the JCW at the same age. 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 JCW?
The engine & cooling — 4 complaints, 44% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (3) and locks & latches (1).
How many recalls does the 2009 Mini JCW have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2009 Mini JCW, 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.
At what mileage do 2009 Mini JCW problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 51,000 miles; 50% 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.