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.
The worst 2017 MINI Cooper problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine6
- Lights6
- Transmission6
- Electrical5
- Airbags3
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine6
- Lights6
- Transmission6
- Electrical5
- Airbags3
- Body2
- Fuel system2
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Visibility2
- Brakes1
- Driver assistance1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
- Tires1
Recalls 3
Exterior lighting: brake lights
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 17V222000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 16V914000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: retractor
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 16V747000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2017 MINI Cooper 273
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The automatic transmission limited warranty for the vehicle Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock...
- For the eligible vehicles listed above, the limited warranty for the vehicle’s Selector Lever Magnetic...
- For this vehicle, the automatic transmission limited warranty for the vehicle Selector Lever Magnetic...
- It was determined that the integrated supply module is not strong enough over the service life of the...
- Evap purge (vent) valve ltd wty ext (elw) 10 years/120,000 miles
- During inspection and/or diagnosis there is noticeable dirt/grease buildup on the axles near the inner...
- Cavity protection applied to underside of the hood is leaking out onto the wheel arch trim and grille.
- MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years
- ?BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop: REPLACE CHARGE AIR LINE.
- ?The panoramic roof sunblind does not close, or jams while closing.
2017 MINI Cooper fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 3‑cyl | FWD | 27-28 | 36-38 | 30-32 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 23-25 | 32 | 26-28 |
What 2017 MINI Cooper owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 the insulation was made of soy, which attracted the rodents. The contact was informed that the electrical wires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. In addition, the contact stated the repair had occurred previously and the current issue was the second occurrence. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The VIN was unavailable.
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.
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.
2017 Mini Cooper - Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock Mechanism
Driver left the roadway to the outside of a curve to the left, sideswiping a telephone pole and spinning at least one time back onto and off the roadway again before coming to rest. Impact to the passenger front wheel, and entire passenger side, without impacting front or rear end of the vehicle. C pillars deployed, as well as seatbelt pretensioner. Impact was at 55+ mph. No air bags deployed. Dash now indicates fault or error in air bags.
Driver side front tire collapsed on side wall while driving. 4 days later the passenger side tire also collapsed while driving almost causing accident. Tires are relatively new installed in May 2022 and have only 14,500 miles of use. Losing TWO (2) tires the same week for sidewall failure is very very odd and pissible indicator of tire defect Barum Bavuris 5HM 215/35 17 size
The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a round quarter sized image was displayed in the in the center of the customer display screen and while the backup camera was activated the image caused a visibility hazard to the driver. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed of the Manufacturer’s Extended Service Campaign regarding the failure however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 35,000.
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.
Compare the 2017 MINI Cooper
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Questions about the 2017 MINI Cooper
Is the 2017 MINI Cooper reliable?
Owners have filed 28 complaints about the 2017 MINI Cooper, fewer than a typical Cooper model year.
What is the 2017 MINI Cooper year score?
The 2017 MINI Cooper scores 78 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the MINI Cooper: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 MINI Cooper?
Engine and cooling, with 6 complaints. Next is lights (6).
How many recalls does the 2017 MINI Cooper have?
3 recalls, covering exterior lighting, air bags and seat belts.
What gas mileage does the 2017 MINI Cooper get?
Official estimates for the 2017 MINI Cooper range from 26 to 32 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 3-cyl, FWD) gets 27-28 city and 36-38 highway.
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