Problems · by component

2007 MINI Cooper power train problems

32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2007 MINI Cooper cite power train, 8% of all 383 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
32
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“PROBLEM 1: CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 50,000 JUST AFTER WARRANTY. UNABLE TO SHIFT ON HIGHWAY, HAD TO STAY IN LOW GEAR. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. IT FAILED A SECOND TIME, WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 80,000. I BELIEVE IT IS FAILING AGAIN AS THE CLUTCH IS SLIPPING IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS; MINI COOPER SAYS THEY NOTE NO PROBLEM. PROBLEM 2: TIMING CHAIN. PARKED, MY CAR WOULD NOT START EASILY; STARTED ON 3RD TRY. MY CAR STALLED, STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. RESTARTED AND CONTINUED. NO ENGINE LIGHT. DRIVING TO MINI SERVICE, CAR STALLED COMING IN; HAD TO COAST IN. FOUND TO BE TIMING CHAIN, VALVETRONIC ECCENTRIC SHAFT, PERHAPS PARTS FALLING INTO OIL PAN. $2800 IN REPAIRS. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT LAW SUITS OR RECALLS OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS BECAUSE I'VE HAD MAJOR PERFORMANCE ISSUES, MINI COOPER STATED NO KNOWN SUITS EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE. I FIND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SUITS, AND I "MISSED THE WINDOW" FOR THE TIMING CHAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2019Power train, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11267347
“TRANSMISSION ISSUE: WHEN INDICATOR DISPLAY OF TRANSMISSION STATUS IS NOT THE SAME AS SELECTED ON THE STICK. THEREFORE, CAR ALWAYS STUCK WHEN EVER TRANSMISSION IS PUT ON PARK MODE. SAFETY ISSUE IS MOST PEOPLE LAND THE TRANSMISSION ON NEUTRAL MODE TO AVOID LOCKING WHEN PARKING. THIS ISSUE CAN EFFECT SAFETY WHEN PARKED ON UP OR DOWN HILL CAUSE IT'S NOT ON PARKED MODE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 10, 2018Power trainODI 11078443
“LOUD RATTLING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP CAR HAS TURNED OFF, SOMETIMES IT CRANKS FOR A BIT TO START UP. ALSO WHILE DRIVING LOSSES POWER AND CAR DECELERATES SLOWS DOWN AND ALSO PULLS LIKE IF WAS OUT OF GAS. WHITE SMOKE WHEN YOU PRESS ON GAS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2016Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10849755
“MY CAR STARTED TO ACT FUNNY. ALMOST SOUNDING LIKE IT WAS SUFFOCATING. IT WOULD DIE ABOUT TEN TO FIFTEEN TIMES EVERY MORNING BEFORE I WOULD FINALLY GET THE CAR STARTED. IT WOULD SHUT OFF WHEN I STOPPED AT INTERSECTIONS. THE ONLY TIME IT RAN DECENT WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING HIGHWAYS SPEEDS FOR 20 MINUTES OR MORE. I CHANGED OUT FILTERS, SPARK PLUGS, AND FLUIDS BUT NONE OF IT CHANGED THE WAY IT WAS RUNNING. COME TO FIND OUT IT THAT THE CHAIN AND CHAIN TENSIONER HAD BROKEN. THIS DAMAGE CAUSED ROUGHLY $1000 TO FIX. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT IN TIME BEFORE IT DID ADDITIONAL DAMAGES TO THE CRANK SHAFT. WITH LOW MILES THE MECHANIC EVEN TOLD ME ITS A FAULT PART AND BRAKES EASILY. HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE NUMEROUS AMERICAN MODEL MINIS IN ITALY. MY COUNTRY CODE IS 39 IF YOU CALL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2014Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10637939
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WOULD LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE AXLE AND SEAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2013Power trainODI 10549490
“RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THESE WARNINGS CAME UP - 2D52 SUPER KNOCKING 2DCD FUEL SHUT OFF DUE TO SUPER KNOCKING CYLINDER 3 2968 INLET CAMSHAFT SENSOR 2B64 INTAKE MANIFOLD, UNMETERED AIR BASED ON ALL OF THESE SOUND LIKE MY MINI COOPER HAS BAD FUEL AND/OR SERIOUS CARBON BUILD, I'VE JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP AND I AM EXPERIENCING DELAYS IN ACCELERATION, LOSS OF FORWARD PROPULSION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2013Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10545040

Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.