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.
2017-2022 · 3 model years
Mini Hardtop Problems by year
Owners have filed 18 complaints about the Mini Hardtop across 3 model years, and it has 0 recalls. The 2022 has the most complaints once its age is allowed for (6), while 2018 has far fewer than a typical year. The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling, followed by the transmission & drivetrain.
- Complaints
- 18
- Recalls
- 0
- Crashes
- 2
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Deaths
- 0
Hardtop complaints by model year
Highlighted: the year with the most complaints for its age. Older vehicles have had more time to collect complaints - the Safety Index grade allows for that.
Most common Hardtop problems
Latest Hardtop complaints
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 instrument cluster completely went blank and stopped working while driving, causing loss of critical information such as speed, warning lights, fuel level, and other vital indicators. This failure significantly impaired the safe operation of the vehicle and posed a serious safety risk. The vehicle is no longer under warranty, and I had to pay out-of-pocket for repairs. I understand there is a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) related to this instrument cluster issue ("Instrument cluster version MID black...
Read the full complaint
screen"), which indicates this is a known defect. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter to ensure other owners of this vehicle model are aware and protected. Thank you for your attention.
My 2018 Mini Convertible has 47,000 miles on it. Recently the convertible top stopped retracting and now doesn't fit snuggly when closed. I brought my car into the dealer and they said that a cable broke and gave me a repair quote of $4600-. I sent a msg to Mini USA and they called me and said they would cover the repair if it breakage wasn't due to something I did improperly. About a week later they called back and stated that they would not cover the repair because the warranty had expired. They definitely...
Read the full complaint
mislead me on the initial call. My car no longer operates as a convertible, and I have excessive wind noise in the car. I feel like a car with 47,000 miles on it should not be experiencing such expensive repairs. I shared my experience on social media and apparently many others are having similar experiences. I am considering trading my car in for a different model as Mini Cooper does not stand behind their products.
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...
Read the full complaint
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 NHTSA 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.
Questions about the Mini Hardtop
Which Mini Hardtop years have the most problems?
Which Mini Hardtop years have the fewest complaints?
Among model years that have been on the road for at least three years, 2018 have the best Safety Index - the fewest complaints, crashes and recalls for their age compared with other Hardtop years. Always check the exact vehicle's recalls by VIN before you buy.
What are the most common Mini Hardtop problems?
Across every model year, owners report problems with the engine & cooling (4), transmission & drivetrain (3), wheels & tires (3) most often.
How many recalls does the Mini Hardtop have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for any Mini Hardtop model year on file.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data