Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2017 Mini Cooper: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Mini Cooper, most recently filed March 2017. Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Compare

Recalls (3)

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Mini Cooper. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2017 Mini Cooper. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 17V222000 Filed Mar 31, 2017

Turn Signal Deactivates Inner Brake Lamp/FMVSS 108

Exterior lighting · brake lights
Official NHTSA text
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2017 MINI Cooper Clubman, Cooper S Clubman and JCW Clubman vehicles. When the affected vehicles are braking and the turn signals are on, the inner, bumper-mounted, brake light will go out. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence
If the brake light does not illuminate when a turn signal is activated, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
MINI will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the vehicle to correct the brake lighting, free of charge. The recall began May 22, 2017. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
98.2% repairedof 16,883 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 17V222000
Listed for 2017 Mini Cooper. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 16V914000 Filed Dec 20, 2016

Seat Mounted Air Bags may not Deploy

Air bags
Official NHTSA text
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.
Consequence
If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
88.5% repairedof 3,506 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V914000
Listed for 2017 Mini Cooper. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 16V747000 Filed Oct 17, 2016

Seat Belt may Not Lock/FMVSS 209

Seat belts · front · retractor
Official NHTSA text
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, MINI Hardtop 4 Door Cooper, Mini Hardtop 4 Door Cooper S, MINI Cooper Clubman, and Cooper S Clubman, 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost, and 2016 528i vehicles. The vehicle-sensitive locking mechanism of the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for the driver's seat may not lock as designed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Consequence
In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat, possibly increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
89.7% repairedof 15,455 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V747000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (28)

28 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.

5involved a crash
0involved a fire
2injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Mini Cooper, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 28.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2017 compares with other Cooper years

Best and worst Cooper years →
51 34 56 41 28 8 12 7 7 7
2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
This year (2017)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2017 Cooper for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Cooper years

Where to next

2017 Mini Cooper FAQ

How many recalls does the 2017 Mini Cooper have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 17V222000 (brake), 16V914000 (air bag), 16V747000 (seat belt). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2017 Mini Cooper problems?

Owners filed 28 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (6), Exterior lighting (6), Power train (6) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

How does the 2017 Cooper compare with other years?

Among the 2013–2021 Mini Cooper model years at least five years old, the 2020 drew the fewest complaints (7) and the 2015 the most (56). The 2017 drew 28. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

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.
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