What 22 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman

CAR FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 I DROVE 10 MINUTES FROM HOME. I WAS PARKED IN A LOT FOR 5 MINUTES. CAME OUT OF STORE, STARTED ENGINE AND HEAVY SMOKE IMMEDIATELY STARTED FILLING THE INTERIOR AND BILLOWING UP FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I QUICKLY GOT OUT. OPENED THE HOOD. SAW FLAMES DEEP DOWN, JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. HEAVY WHITE/GRAY SMOKE. CALLED 911, WHO RESPONDED QUICKLY (DANBURY CT FIRE DEPT.) THE OWNER OF THE STORE I HAD BEEN IN, CAME OUT AND WITNESSED FIRE/SMOKE. FIRE SUBSIDED AND FIRE DEPT CHECKED FOR HOT SPOTS, AUTHORIZED FOR TOWING BY AAA TO DEALER. MY MINI HAD BEEN IN THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. APRIL 12, HAVING MAINTENANCE DONE... LESS THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE THIS FIRE HAPPENED. (WORK DONE INCLUDED NEW FAN BELT, OIL CHANGE, FILTER, BRAKES, 2 FRONT TIRES...) I PICKED MY CAR UP ON FRIDAY, APR. 13, AND DROVE HOME. AFTER 2 SHORT ERRANDS ON SUNDAY, THE FIRE BROKE OUT. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALER BEING FIXED BY MINI. MINI USA HAS AUTHORIZED THE WORK. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT DAMAGE THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSED TO SURROUNDING PARTS UNDER THE HOOD. SO MANY SENSORS AND CIRCUIT BOARDS/ELECTRICAL PARTS... SERVICE MGR SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY A "HOT WIRE." COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN? I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AGAIN. I HAVE THE DANBURY FIRE DEPT. RECORD IN AN EMAIL, AND PHOTOS OF MY CAR BEING TOWED. THE DEALER HAS THE INSPECTION REPORT OF DAMAGE. FIRE HAPPENED JUST HOURS AFTER CAR HAD BEEN WORKED ON. COINCIDENCE? THEY SAY SO. NO PROOF. BUT, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. IF I HAD BEEN ON A ROAD/HIGHWAY (WHICH I ALMOST WAS), I WOULD'VE BEEN OVERCOME WITH SMOKE AND PROBABLY PASS OUT BEFORE PULLING OFF THE ROAD. THANK GOD I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AT THE TIME! VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I OWNED THE CAR FOR 7+ YEARS. ONLY OWNER/DRIVER. 73K MILES. MAINTAINED VERY WELL. NO GAS/FUEL/OIL/COOLANT LEAKS.

NHTSA ODI 11088783

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A BMW 2011 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE BEGIN SMOKING AS HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE JUST AS IT IGNITED INTO FLAMES, FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES FROM THE EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED BY THE STATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK TO HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120.

NHTSA ODI 10410757