RoadVitals

2017 MINI Clubman

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Dec 29, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Sep 17, 2017
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 23 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 MINI Clubman, most frequently naming the exterior lighting, powertrain (other) and brakes categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 139 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Exterior lighting523.8%
  • Powertrain (other)523.8%
  • Brakes314.3%
  • Electrical29.5%
  • Engine29.5%
  • Visibility14.8%
  • Fuel system14.8%
  • Transmission14.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

TRAILER HITCHES

Sep 17, 2017
166 units potentially affected
The defect: Curt Manufacturing LLC (Curt) is recalling certain Class 1 trailer hitches, part number 11451, sold for installation on 2016-2018 Mini Cooper Clubman and Countryman vehicles. The vehicles may have inadequate structure points for the trailer hitch mounting, causing the hitch to sag under to certain loads and possibly separate from the vehicle.
The risk: If the trailer hitch sags or separates from the vehicle, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
The remedy: Curt will notify owners, and dealers will provide a replacement hitch, free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2017. Owners may contact Curt customer service at 1-800-798-0813.
Curt Manufacturing LLCView on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS

Dec 20, 2016
3,506 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The 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.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Jul 25, 2016
7,810 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 MINI Clubman vehicles manufactured August 19, 2015, through July 14, 2016. The side curtain air bags for the front seat occupants may deploy in the intended positions in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
The risk: If a side curtain air bag does not inflate as intended in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front seat occupants.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the driver and passenger side curtain air bag covers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Airbags
Filed Dec 29, 2025
Crash reported1 injury reported

The contact owned a 2017 Mini Clubman. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH the vehicle in the lane ahead lost control and spun sideways into the path of the contact's vehicle. The contact stated that his vehicle crashed into the driver's door and slightly behind into the cab of the pick up truck. The contact stated that at the moment of the crash none of his air bags deployed. The contact stated that the seat belts had held him in place in his seat. The contact stated that the police arrived on scene as well as EMS. The contact stated that both he and the driver of the other vehicle were transported by ambulance to the emergency room. The contact had bruises on both shoulders, and had fractured his sternum. Additionally, he had whiplash and had herniated his sternum, pelvis and stomach. The police had written a report but the contact did not have the report number. The contact stated that both vehicles were towed to impound lots. The contact stated that his insurance provider declared his vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,630.

NHTSA ID
11707618
Incident
Dec 2, 2025
Mileage
95,630 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 5, 2025

There is a defect in the vehicle that is associated with a pervasive design flaw, wherein a spring fails in the gearbox, preventing the car from showing as parked.

NHTSA ID
11703302
Incident
Dec 4, 2025
Electrical
Filed Dec 5, 2025

Rear parking brake light in the bumper has caused a short and failed twice, after complete replacement of light assembly.

NHTSA ID
11703301
Incident
Nov 15, 2023
Electrical
Filed Aug 14, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Mini Clubman. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for servicing, the dealer informed the contact that based on the Carfax history report, there was a mileage discrepancy; however, the contact did not have the Carfax information available. Additionally, the contact stated that an inspection form and a GAP waiver document also showed a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a used car dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 108,396 on August 31, 2023; however, the mileage was 108,640 on the inspection form dated July 1, 2023, and the mileage was 108,990 on the GAP waiver document dated August 31, 2023.

NHTSA ID
11680596
Incident
Aug 31, 2023
Mileage
108,990 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper Clubman. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message was displayed that the rear brake light was not functioning. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the body domain controller needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V222000 (Exterior Lighting); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 48,000.

NHTSA ID
11646545
Incident
Mar 5, 2025
Mileage
48,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 5, 2025

Component/System That Failed: The oil filter housing cracked, causing a coolant leak. This part was made of plastic, which appears to be a weak point in the design and should ideally be aluminum for durability. Unfortunately, I no longer have the failed part for inspection. Safety Risk: The coolant loss resulted in a sudden loss of heat in freezing temperatures, which could be dangerous for drivers and passengers in winter conditions. While the engine did not overheat, the loss of coolant could have eventually led to engine overheating and failure, posing a safety risk if left undetected. Problem Confirmation: The issue was confirmed by an independent service center, which verified that the plastic oil filter housing cracked, leading to a coolant leak. The technician noted that this type of failure should not occur at such low mileage and suggested that the part’s material may be a design flaw. Inspection by Manufacturer or Others: At this time, the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, reports from other Mini owners suggest similar failures, indicating a potential widespread defect. Warning Signs Before Failure: There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The first noticeable sign was a loss of cabin heat in extremely cold weather. Upon checking, I discovered that the coolant level had dropped due to the leak.

NHTSA ID
11640914
Incident
Jan 13, 2025
Fuel system
Filed Dec 10, 2024

Warning to apply parking brake and contact service. Apparently a common occurrence with automatic transmission with the failure of the gear selection switch.

NHTSA ID
11629836
Incident
Nov 27, 2024
Engine
Filed Oct 31, 2024
Fire reported

on 10-15-2024 while i was on my way home my mini caught fire while driving. total loss, i was driving about 65mph and my coworker who travel the same direction flagged me down then calling me to tell me my car was smoking really bad. after i pulled directly over to the side of the road and went to pop the hood and saw nothing but smoke rising up from under the hood. with in 5-10 mins the whole front of the are was engulfed in flames. the damage was so bad that it was undetermined what caused the fire.

NHTSA ID
11622985
Incident
Oct 15, 2024

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

M010424

POWER TRAIN

The automatic transmission limited warranty for the vehicle Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock Mechanism (Gearshift lug assembly portion) has been extended to 10 years/120,000 miles, as determined by the vehicle’s original in-service date, when a gearshift lug repair kit installation procedure is required to be performed to address a displayed Check Control message (CCM) that states P not engaged - secure vehicle with parking brake against rolling away.

M010424

POWER TRAIN

For the eligible vehicles listed above, the limited warranty for the vehicle’s Selector Lever Magnetic Shift Interlock Mechanism (Gearshift lug assembly portion) has been extended to: 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle’s original in-service date, When a gearshift lug repair kit (item # 2) installation procedure is required to be performed to address a displayed Check Control message (CCM) that states: "P not engaged - secure vehicle with parking brake against rolling away."

M640116

STRUCTURE

Customer complains of a musty odor or damp front footwell carpet.

M511616

STRUCTURE

Cavity protection applied to underside of the hood is leaking out onto the wheel arch trim and grille.

M610607

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The energy diagnosis test module helps to localize these causes. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of a discharged battery cannot be identified. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time, it is very important that the diagnostic test plan is performed to completion; with all results taken into consideration.

M840322

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, MINI Assistance and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice control of the vehicle and all other telephone (paired mobile devices) functions are not affected. Emergency call location data is unaffected.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

MINI Clubman by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024100
2023000
2022200
2021000
2020000
2019610
2018110
2017Viewing233059.3
2016182057.8
2015100
2014500
2013130035.4
2012100037.2

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.