Nearly 30,000 Minis recalled in UK

18/01/12

By Chris Gibbings

BMW is recalling almost 30,000 Mini Coopers in the UK due to an electrical fault which could cause the cars to overheat and catch fire.

The German car manufacturer is recalling 235,000 of the cars around the world after a problem was found which meant the water pump could fail, and manufacturers are looking into one British case where a fire is being linked to the pump.

The models being withdrawn are the Mini Cooper S and the Mini John Cooper Works, with around 29,800 in this country alone possibly affected, said the company.

A recall notice will be sent to owners of the cars within the next few weeks, although a spokesman said they are safe to drive and the amount of incidents involving the fault is "very low".

When owners receive the notice they should just go to their dealer and have a new water pump fitted if a problem is found, said a spokesman for BMW.

Extreme cases could see heat build up in the wiring and some smouldering, he said. The representative added that there could be a fire but the company did not know of any accidents or injuries linked to this.