2017 MINI Cooper Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper years
- Fewer complaints than other years 15th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 MINI Cooper. That ranks 15th out of 26 Cooper model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (6 complaints, 21%), typically at around 5,095 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 28owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 MINI Cooper problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6 | 21% | 5,095 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 21% | 4,586 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 21% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 18% | 1,700 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 11% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 7% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 7% | 5,200 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 7% | 1,811 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 4% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | 1,700 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 MINI Cooper recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights
Problem: 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."
Risk: If the brake light does not illuminate when a turn signal is activated, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Air bags
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seat belts:front:retractor
Problem: 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."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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
The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the vertical aim headlights malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that rodents had chewed through the insulation around and the electrical wires. The contact was informed that…
My 2017 mini coupe has 70,000 miles on it. Iâve 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…
there is a leak which affected the control unit fuel pump. the leak is ongoing throughout many of these cars yet there has not been a recall to fix it. more than $3k in damages. It's something a modern car should not be facing.
Other MINI Cooper years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cooper | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Cooper | 1 | 3 |
| 2024 Cooper | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 Cooper | 7 | 0 |
| 2022 Cooper | 6 | 0 |
| 2021 Cooper | 7 | 2 |
| 2020 Cooper | 7 | 2 |
| 2019 Cooper | 12 | 2 |
| 2018 Cooper | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 | 28 | 3 |
| 2016 Cooper | 28 | 1 |
| 2015 Cooper | 56 | 6 |
| 2014 Cooper | 34 | 7 |
| 2013 Cooper | 47 | 1 |
| 2012 Cooper | 66 | 1 |
| 2011 Cooper | 83 | 1 |
| 2010 Cooper | 92 | 2 |
| 2009 Cooper | 151 | 1 |
| 2008 Cooper | 116 | 1 |
| 2007 Cooper | 117 | 1 |
| 2006 Cooper | 200 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper | 372 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper | 282 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper | 320 | 2 |
| 2002 Cooper | 187 | 3 |
| 2001 Cooper | 6 | 0 |
See all MINI Cooper problems by year, every MINI model, or the MINI VIN decoder.
Similar MINI models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2017 MINI Cooper?
Owners most often report engine, exterior lighting, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 MINI Cooper?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 MINI Cooper a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper model years, the 2017 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.