NHTSA Safety Recalls
MINI Cooper Recalls by Year
NHTSA's files hold 23 recall campaigns for the MINI Cooper, across 13 model years from 2002 to 2020. The 2015 has the most (6); the fewest among years with a recall is 2009 (1).
MINI Cooper years to avoid by our method: 2002 (2.2× the median year).
- Model years
- 13
- Recall campaigns
- 23
- Most recalls
- 2015
- Owner complaints
- 2,236
2002–2020, with a recall
6 recalls
all model years, NHTSA
Owners have filed 2,236 complaints with NHTSA about the MINI Cooper across 26 model years; the most, 372, concern the 2005.
Owners marked a crash on 62 of the MINI Cooper complaints (3%) and a fire on 108.
Across all MINI Cooper model years, owners name the steering most often (at least 792 complaints), then the air bags (416).
NHTSA received the most complaints about the MINI Cooper in 2012: 263, across all model years.
The component recalled most often on the MINI Cooper is exterior lighting: headlights, in 8 model-year listings.
The newest MINI Cooper recall, 23V337000, was reported on May 11, 2023 and concerns the electrical system.
NHTSA's recall file lists no recall for the 2018 MINI Cooper, model year owners have filed complaints about.
MINI Cooper years to avoid
The 2002 MINI Cooper stands out most: 62 complaints between 2001 and 2005, 33% of them naming the steering.
The 2002 also carries 5 recalls, against a median of 2 for the ranked MINI Cooper years.
The best-measured MINI Cooper years are 2017 (0.5×), 2012 (0.5×) and 2011 (0.7×).
The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method
Recalls and complaints by model year
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | First years | vs median year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 2 | — | not ranked |
| 2025 | 0 | 1 | — | not ranked |
| 2024 | 0 | 1 | — | not ranked |
| 2023 | 0 | 7 | — | not ranked |
| 2022 | 0 | 6 | 6 | not ranked |
| 2021 | 0 | 7 | 7 | not ranked |
| 2020 | 2 | 7 | 5 | not ranked |
| 2019 | 2 | 12 | 6 | not ranked |
| 2018 | 0 | 8 | 4 | not ranked |
| 2017 | 3 | 28 | 11 | 0.5× |
| 2016 | 0 | 28 | 0 | not ranked |
| 2015 | 6 | 56 | 20 | 0.9× |
| 2014 | 0 | 34 | 24 | 1.0× |
| 2013 | 0 | 47 | 8 | not ranked |
| 2012 | 0 | 66 | 11 | 0.5× |
| 2011 | 0 | 83 | 13 | 0.7× |
| 2010 | 2 | 92 | 16 | 0.8× |
| 2009 | 1 | 151 | 16 | 1.2× |
| 2008 | 1 | 116 | 20 | 1.0× |
| 2007 | 1 | 117 | 3 | not ranked |
| 2006 | 1 | 200 | 2 | not ranked |
| 2005 | 4 | 372 | 22 | 1.2× |
| 2004 | 4 | 282 | 9 | not ranked |
| 2003 | 4 | 320 | 46 | 2.0× |
| 2002avoid | 5 | 187 | 62 | 2.2× |
First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.MINI Cooper years without a link have no recall page on this site.
What gets recalled most on the MINI Cooper
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS8
- STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM4
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
- EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS3
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
- SEATS2
- POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY1
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
- STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
- STRUCTURE1
MINI Cooper model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.
Every MINI Cooper recall campaign (23)
| Campaign | Component | Years | Risk named | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23V337000May 11, 2023 | electrical system | 2007–2010 | fire | 97,933 |
| 20V283000May 20, 2020 | air bags: air bag/restraint control module | 2020 | crash and injury | 76 |
| 19V634000August 28, 2019 | structure | 2020 | crash and injury | 683 |
| 19V601000August 14, 2019 | steering: linkages: tie rod assembly | 2019 | crash | 32 |
| 18V465000July 11, 2018 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2019 | crash | 5,309 |
| 17V222000March 31, 2017 | exterior lighting: brake lights | 2017 | crash | 16,883 |
| 16V914000December 20, 2016 | air bags | 2017 | injury | 3,506 |
| 16V747000October 17, 2016 | seat belts: front: retractor | 2017 | crash and injury | 15,455 |
| 15V739000November 9, 2015 | seats | 2015 | crash and injury | 38 |
| 15V660000October 15, 2015 | steering: electric power assist system | 2002–2005 | crash | 86,018 |
| 15V628000October 7, 2015 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2015 | crash and injury | 6,073 |
| 15V450000July 17, 2015 | structure: body | 2015 | crash and injury | 30,456 |
| 15V205000April 6, 2015 | air bags: frontal | 2005–2006 | crash and injury | 91,800 |
| 15V034000January 26, 2015 | equipment: other: labels | 2015 | — | 13,130 |
| 14V789000December 15, 2014 | power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 2015 | injury | 1,928 |
| 14V721000November 10, 2014 | seats | 2015 | crash and injury | 846 |
| 09V474000December 15, 2009 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 | crash | 205 |
| 05V470000October 12, 2005 | equipment: other: labels | 2002 | — | 960 |
| 04V348000July 12, 2004 | tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems | 2004 | crash | 1,193 |
| 03V086000March 10, 2003 | suspension: rear: shock absorber | 2003 | crash | 5,110 |
| 02V201000July 25, 2002 | power train: manual transmission: floor shift assembly | 2002 | crash | 3,531 |
| 08E050000 | exterior lighting: headlights | 2002–2005 | crash | — |
| 09E025000 | exterior lighting: headlights | 2002–2005 | crash | — |
Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the MINI Cooper. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.
Newest record on this page: October 12, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted