My 2012 Cooper S is making a rubbing sound in the front right wheel well when making a slow speed, sharp right turn. Ideas?

 

Posted the following to your post on another forum (F56). Posting it here in case you didn't see it there.

Apply a bit of brake pedal while the noise is present to see if this affects it. What can happen is as the brake hardware accumulates miles a pad can drag lightly on the rotor during a turn.

Check the wheel well liner to make sure it is secure. (With another car the leading edge came loose and at speed air would force the leading edge to the pavement. But when stopped the liner would assume its correct position. Happened to notice signs of abrasion on the leading edge/under side of the liner.)

Bushing condition as offered by another thread contributor is a possibly. They'd have to pretty worn but one has to eliminate them. For this the car would have to be lifted and from under the car a tech would tug, pull, push, pry various suspension/steering members looking for signs of excessive movement/play.

 

My first guess would be bearings... Put the car in neutral, jack up the front of the car, and spin the wheel by hand. It should spin pretty freely, with maybe a little bit of brake drag, if everything is good. If it feels like any resistance or extra noises in the hub area, then its the bearings.