2007 MINI Cooper problems

• 1.6 HDi 110 16V DPF (DV6TED4, 2004-2011)

  109–110 hp · DV6TED4, 9HY, 9HZ

  It is the version with the most complaints in the family (turbo, injection, EGR, DPF and dual-mass flywheel). It is only worth it with demonstrable maintenance and, if the turbo has already been replaced, with the complete cleaning procedure documented on the invoice.^[3][4][5]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2007 cars

• High severityFrequency: Very frequentTurboTurbo failure through lack of lubrication (carbon deposits and union filter)On the 16-valve 1.6 HDi/TDCi engines (2004-2011) the turbo can seize because carbon deposits from the oil clog the mesh filter in the union that feeds it. It is a serious, repeat fault: if only the turbo is replaced without cleaning the circuit, it fails again.Repair (garage): €700–€1,050
• High severityFrequency: Very frequentTimingTiming belt failure and premature wearOn the 8-valve 1.6 HDi/e-HDi 112/115 built between October 2010 and September 2011 the belt could break and leave the car stranded. PSA covered the repair and in 2014 preventively replaced the belt and crankshaft sprocket on those that had passed 120,000 km.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonInjectionLeaks at the injector washers and carbon build-up in the cylinder headIt is common for the copper washers of the 1.6 HDi injectors to stop sealing: the engine blows gases, carbon forms around the injector and soot gets into the oil. It is cheap to repair, but if left it contaminates the oil and is one of the causes of turbo failure.Repair (garage): €110–€310
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlAdditive-fed particulate filter (Eolys cerine): depleted additive and cloggingThe DPF on the 1.6 HDi and BlueHDi works with an additive (cerine) that runs out at 80,000-120,000 km and has to be topped up for around €100-120 (price in Spain). With a lot of town use the filter clogs and the warning appears; if it is left, a new DPF costs around €1,500.Repair (garage): €100–€1,500Appears at around 80,000 km
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlDirty EGR valve and EGR cooler leaksThe 1.6 HDi EGR valve gets dirty easily, especially in town use, and causes jerking and stalling at idle. On the 8V engines the EGR cooler also fails, consuming coolant with no visible leaks.

• 1.6 VTi 120 / 1.6 16v (EP6/EP6C, N12/N16, naturally aspirated)

  120 hp · EP6, EP6C, N12, N16

  It does not inherit the chain risk documented on the turbo versions, but it shares with the whole Prince family the fragility of the water pump and heat exchanger described by fiches-auto.fr.^[7]

  With caution

• 1.6 THP medium output (EP6DT/EP6DTS/EP6CDT, N14/N18; 140-190 hp)

  140–190 hp · EP6DT, EP6DTS, EP6CDT, N14, N18

  Real risk of stretching of the timing chain and tensioner on pre-2012 units, which can be checked by listening to the engine cold and reviewing the service history; it also shares the oil consumption and the high-pressure pump failures documented across the whole turbo family.^[8][9][10]

  With caution

• 1.6 THP high performance (EP6CDXD/EP6FDTR/EP6CDTR, John Cooper Works N14/N18; 200-270 hp)

  200–270 hp · EP6CDXD, EP6FDTR, EP6CDTR, N14, N18

  It shares with the rest of the turbo family the chain risk on pre-2012 units, the oil consumption and the high-pressure pump failures; as the highest-output versions, any cooling or lubrication defect is subjected to greater thermal stress.^[7][8][9]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2007 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonTimingTiming chain and tensioner stretch (turbo versions, before 2012)Yes: on the turbo versions of the 1.6 THP, built mostly before 2012, the timing chain and its tensioner wear out prematurely; if the chain jumps teeth, the engine can go out of time or seize. BMW, co-designer of the block, issued a technical bulletin on this fault in 2013.
• High severityFrequency: CommonCoolingFragile water pump and heat exchangerYes: both the naturally aspirated 1.6 VTi and the turbo 1.6 THP share, according to fiches-auto.fr, a water pump and a heat exchanger described as fragile; in the most serious cases, the resulting overheating has gone as far as damaging the cylinder head.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonInjectionHigh-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure on the turbo versionsThe high-pressure pump that feeds the direct injection of the turbo (THP) versions can fail. MINI, which uses the same block in the Cooper S, extended the warranty on this part in 2010 to 10 years or 192,000 km for 2007-2009 models in the US, without the need for a recall.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonLubricationOil consumption on the turbo versionsYes: oil consumption between changes is one of the defects that the French motoring press repeatedly associates with the turbo versions of the 1.6 THP, used by Peugeot, Citroën and MINI. We have not found that PSA or BMW acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionSpark plugs and ignition coils that wear out early on the 1.6 THPOn the 1.6 THP turbo a noticeable minority of owners replace spark plugs and coils earlier than expected: fiches-auto.fr records ignition warnings in 12% of opinions on the 200 hp THP. It causes judder and the engine warning light.

• 1.4 16v / VTi (EP3, N12; 90-98 hp)

  90–98 hp · EP3, N12

  It shares with the rest of the Prince family the risk of timing chain and tensioner wear flagged by a specialist German garage, and fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in this displacement; however, it does not inherit the problems specific to the direct injection of the turbo versions.^[9][12]

  With caution

• 1.6 16v / VTi (EP6/EP6C, N12/N16; 118-121 hp)

  118–121 hp · EP6, EP6C, N12, N16

  It shares with the rest of the Prince family the risk of timing chain and tensioner wear flagged by a specialist German garage, and fiches-auto.fr documents both frequent oil consumption and a fragile water pump and heat exchanger, shared with MINI and with the turbocharged 1.6 THP.^[7][9][12]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2007 cars

• High severityFrequency: CommonCoolingFragile water pump (and expansion tank or heat exchanger, depending on displacement)Yes: fiches-auto.fr describes a fragile water pump in both the 1.4 VTi (with an expansion tank prone to leaks) and the 1.6 VTi (with the heat exchanger), a cooling problem that the turbocharged 1.6 THP inherits from this naturally aspirated version.
• Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalTimingWear of the timing chain and tensionerYes, although with fewer documented cases than on the turbocharged 1.6 THP: a German garage says the timing chain and its tensioner can wear in any version of the Prince family, including the naturally aspirated one, although the most reported cases in forums are on the turbo engine.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonLubricationOil consumption on the 1.4 and 1.6 VTi versionsYes: fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in both the 1.4 VTi (93 of 245 reports) and the 1.6 VTi (173 of 533 reports). We have not found that PSA or BMW have acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.

• High severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchNoise and premature wear of the manual gearbox and clutchIt is the most frequently cited non-engine fault of the Cooper R56: the manual gearbox can become noisy, whine or be hard to get into gear through wear of the bearings and synchromesh, sometimes with an oil leak; the clutch and, on diesels, the dual-mass flywheel also wear out early.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalSteeringPower steering faults: pump, play and electrical supplySeveral owners describe steering that becomes heavy or vague through wear of the power steering pump, play in the rack or occasional faults in its electrical supply.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalClimate controlAir conditioning leaks from the condenser and pipesThe air conditioning stops cooling over time on some Cooper R56s because of leaks in the condenser or rubbing of the aluminium pipes in the circuit, which end up losing the refrigerant gas.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectrical systemWindow cable fatigue on the electric windows, with water leaksThe cable in the electric window mechanism fatigues with use on some Cooper R56s and stops the window closing fully, which also encourages water leaks into the door.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBrakesSeized rear brake calipers and damaged rear discs on the Mini Cooper R56Parkers warns that on poorly maintained R56s the rear calipers can seize and drag, and the German TÜV frequently flags the handbrake and footbrake on this model.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorWater leaks through the panoramic roof and drains on the Mini Cooper R56Gebrauchtwagenberater.de notes that the R56's panoramic roof tends to let water through, and that blocked drains under the windscreen cause water to enter through the cabin filter and reach the footwells.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectrical systemFRM module (footwell module) on the Mini Cooper R56 that locks up after a voltage dipGebrauchtwagenberater.de notes that the R56's FRM module reacts badly to voltage dips (a flat battery, jump-starting) and can leave the lights and electric windows uncontrolled.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalSuspensionNoise and wear of the front bushes, drop links and shock absorbersKnocking and creaking from the front end of the Cooper R56 are caused, according to the testimonies collected, by wear of the bushes, the anti-roll bar drop links, the ball joints or the shock absorbers themselves.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorRust under the chrome trim on the Mini Cooper R56 tailgateAccording to gebrauchtwagenberater.de, the chrome trim of the tailgate handle rests on the paint without enough protection and, with vibration, wears it away until rust appears through contact.