BMW Mini Cooper has issued a recall of Mini Clubman models from 2008-2014 along with Mini hardtop two-door models from 2007-2013 comprising nearly 98,000 vehicles. The vehicle manufacturer says water coming into contact with electronics could result in a “thermal event,” and that the vehicles’ sunroof drains are likely culprits.
BMW North America says the vehicles in question were manufactured with a Footwell Control Module (FRM) that could become susceptible to corrosion over time due to several factors. One such factor is with respect to sunroofs.
“For vehicles equipped with a sunroof, after a multi-year period involving large temperature changes, multiple freeze/thaw cycles can cause the vehicle’s sunroof drain hose to become damaged, loosen and eventually detach from the drain pipe within the A-pillar, which could allow water to enter the vehicle interior,” writes the vehicle manufacturer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
However, the recall is only relevant to certain locations, including “Salt Belt” states and territories of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin. Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah are also included.
“In certain U.S. states, large amounts of road salt may be utilized during their wintertime road treatment activities. If water were to enter the interior, then in combination with road salt that may be present in the footwell, this could create an electrolyte solution,” the manufacturer writes. “If this solution were to contact the FRM then, over time, this could lead to corrosion, possibly resulting in a short circuit.”
In rare cases, the issue could result in a thermal event, according to BMW North America. The vehicle manufacturer says a remedy is currently being developed, and that owners will be notified July 3.
