Mini Cooper complaints by model year
2,421 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2020 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2015 | 56 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 2014 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 2013 | 51 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 75 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 2011 | 83 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 | 92 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2009 | 169 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
| 2008 | 124 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2007 | 124 | 3 | 11 | 3 |
| 2006 | 227 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 2005 | 468 | 11 | 15 | 2 |
| 2004 | 282 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| 2003 | 320 | 3 | 27 | 2 |
| 2002 | 187 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2017–2026. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Power train | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Mini Cooper recalls (30)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Cooper model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25V616000 | Sep 17, 2025 | Damaged Seat Belt Retractor | 2025, 2026 | 91.7% |
| 24V697000 | Sep 18, 2024 | Improperly Welded Brake Control Module May Fail | 2025 | 98.1% |
| 24V104000 | Feb 12, 2024 | Integrated Brake System Malfunction | 2025 | 91.5% |
| 23V337000 | May 11, 2023 | Control Module in Footwell May Short Circuit | 2007–2013 | 18.8% |
| 21V554000 | Jul 21, 2021 | Passenger Seat Belt Malfunction/FMVSS 208 | 2021 | 98.8% |
| 20V283000 | May 20, 2020 | Air Bags May Not Deploy in Rollover | 2020, 2021 | 100% |
| 19V634000 | Aug 28, 2019 | Crash Pads Missing from Rear Side Trim Panels | 2020 | 99.7% |
| 19V601000 | Aug 14, 2019 | Steering Gear Tie Rod may Break | 2019 | 100% |
| 18V465000 | Jul 11, 2018 | Crankshaft Sensor Firmware may Cause Stall | 2019 | 98.2% |
| 17V222000 | Mar 31, 2017 | Turn Signal Deactivates Inner Brake Lamp/FMVSS 108 | 2016, 2017 | 98.2% |
| 16V914000 | Dec 20, 2016 | Seat Mounted Air Bags may not Deploy | 2017 | 88.5% |
| 16V747000 | Oct 17, 2016 | Seat Belt may Not Lock/FMVSS 209 | 2016, 2017 | 89.7% |
| 15V887000 | Dec 30, 2015 | Steering Gearbox Malfunction | 2016 | 100% |
| 15V739000 | Nov 9, 2015 | Replacement Passenger Seat Cushions/Air Bag Coding | 2014, 2015 | 89.5% |
| 15V660000 | Oct 15, 2015 | Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering Loss | 2002–2005 | 31.3% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Mini Cooper FAQ
How many recalls has the Mini Cooper had?
NHTSA lists 30 recall campaigns that cover at least one Mini Cooper model year from 2001 to 2026. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Mini Cooper year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2009 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (169) and the 2020 the fewest (7). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Mini Cooper problems?
Across the 2017–2026 model years, owners most often name the electrical system, unknown or other, air bags in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Mini Cooper get?
EPA rates the 2026 Mini Cooper at 32 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.