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2017 Mini Cooper

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Mini Cooper do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 40.5.

About this comparison →
28Owner complaints

Model-year median: 40.5

3Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
34
201456
201528
201628
20178
201812
20197
2020
Compare all Cooper years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine
6Exterior Lighting
6Power Train
6Electrical System
5Air Bags
3
All reported categories
Fuel/propulsion System
2Seat Belts
2Seats
2Structure
2Visibility/wiper
2Back Over Prevention
1Service Brakes
1Steering
1Suspension
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 28 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

6 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · May 29, 2026
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

My vehicle has active VANOS failure codes (131401 and 130304). These codes are preventing my car from passing the New York State safety and emissions inspection, rendering it legally unable to be used on the road. BMW/MINI Corporate is refusing to honor their national extended component warranty bulletin because they are condit…

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My vehicle has active VANOS failure codes (131401 and 130304). These codes are preventing my car from passing the New York State safety and emissions inspection, rendering it legally unable to be used on the road. BMW/MINI Corporate is refusing to honor their national extended component warranty bulletin because they are conditioning the repair on a valid registration - which is a legal impossibility while the defect remains unaddressed.

NHTSA ODI #11740812

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2025
Engine

The motor mounts have been replaced twice in the last six years and per the dealer, This is normal which I find very hard to believe on a 2017 Mini Coop of convertible, with 90,000

NHTSA ODI #11677354

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2025
Engine

My 2017 mini coupe has 70,000 miles on it. I’ve had it 11 months… I was in a drive-through and it started making a hard knock sound no engine light or any other lights came on the vehicle. I had it towed to a shop where they informed me my engine was blown and it would cost $16,000 to replace the engine. My oil level was perfect…

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My 2017 mini coupe has 70,000 miles on it. I’ve had it 11 months… I was in a drive-through and it started making a hard knock sound no engine light or any other lights came on the vehicle. I had it towed to a shop where they informed me my engine was blown and it would cost $16,000 to replace the engine. My oil level was perfect. I reached out to Carvana. I missed my warranty by five days and they will not do anything about it. There is no reason why a car with 70,000 miles on it. The engine should be blown.

NHTSA ODI #11652692

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2023
EngineExterior LightingService Brakes

1. (Lighting) The front lights of the car kept turning off and on. We would always go to the repair shop every time the lights began to malfunction. (Engine) the oil was sticky which was not normal and the water entered inside. (Brakes) When you turned on the car, noises came from the brakes which were concerning and risky to dr…

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1. (Lighting) The front lights of the car kept turning off and on. We would always go to the repair shop every time the lights began to malfunction. (Engine) the oil was sticky which was not normal and the water entered inside. (Brakes) When you turned on the car, noises came from the brakes which were concerning and risky to drive in. 2. This car was risky to drive due to the problems with the oil and brakes. 3. Yes, this problem has already been confirmed by a dealer. 4. No. 5. No.

NHTSA ODI #11516980

10,000 miles · Nov 13, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainCrash

THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED IT LUNGED FORWARD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ANOTHER TIME IN DRIVEWAY VEH WAS BOUGHT TO A STOP IN OUR DRIVEWAY TO TURN AROUND. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND THE CAR LUNGED INTO A WALL AND THE TIRES CONTINUED TO SPIN UNTIL BRAKES WERE HEAVILY APPLIED

NHTSA ODI #11279886

190 miles · Apr 2, 2017
Engine

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 8-DAY-OLD COUNTRYMAN S ON A PARKWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED, A PEBBLE WAS APPARENTLY KICKED BACK FROM A VEHICLE AHEAD, CAUSING A PIERCING OF THE RADIATOR AND A VIRTUAL IMMEDIATE INABILITY TO DRIVE. THIS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THE ISSUE IS NOT THE PEBBLE ITSELF, BUT RATHER THE FACT THAT, AS …

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WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 8-DAY-OLD COUNTRYMAN S ON A PARKWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED, A PEBBLE WAS APPARENTLY KICKED BACK FROM A VEHICLE AHEAD, CAUSING A PIERCING OF THE RADIATOR AND A VIRTUAL IMMEDIATE INABILITY TO DRIVE. THIS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. THE ISSUE IS NOT THE PEBBLE ITSELF, BUT RATHER THE FACT THAT, AS WE LEARNED FROM THE MECHANIC, THERE IS NO PROTECTIVE COVER OR SCREEN OVER THE FRONT OF THE RADIATOR TO PREVENT SUCH AN EVENT FROM CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR. THIS IS A BRAND NEW MODEL OF COUNTRYMAN, AND IT APPEARS, AT LEAST AS COMPARED WITH A 2017 CLUBMAN, THAT THE RADIATOR IS NOT FULLY HIDDEN BEHIND THE FRONT END, BUT IS, INSTEAD, EXPOSED TO A PROJECTILE HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI #10969982

Official recalls

3

17V222000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

Mar 31, 2017

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 & remedy

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.

16V914000 · Air Bags

Dec 20, 2016

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 & remedy

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.

16V747000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor

Oct 17, 2016

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.