Mini is recalling 235,000 vehicles worldwide – 29,868 cars in the UK – due to a fault with an electric water pump.
The fault, which could potentially be a fire risk, is known to affect vehicles, including the Cooper S and John Cooper Works models, built between March 2006 and January 2011.
Owners will be contacted in the coming weeks to arrange a part replacement.
The company said the issue had been picked up by internal quality control.
BMW said it was investigating one incident in the UK of an engine-related fire caused by the fault. There have been no reports of any injuries or road accidents resulting from it worldwide.
Customers should receive a letter inviting them to have the water pump replaced for free at a Mini dealership. The upgrade work takes about an hour.
The Mini plant in Oxford, which produces 250,000 vehicles a year, is the only place in the world where the cars are built.
A Mini spokeswoman said: “The turbocharged engine of the Cooper S and John Cooper Works engines is equipped with an additional water pump which draws residual heat out of the turbocharger after the engine has been switched off, to prevent carbon build-up of the oil in the bearing.
“Under high operating temperatures an electro-migration can occur at the circuit board installed in the additional water pump.
“The electro-migration is caused by plastic additives in conjunction with high temperatures and can lead to a failure of the additional water pump.”
Source: BBC News
Most commented