2023 MINI Cooper SE Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 MINI Cooper SE, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical444.4%
- Brakes111.1%
- Driver assistance111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
- Other / unspecified111.1%
- Suspension111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle's suspension system was improperly configured for its electric powertrain at the time of manufacture, resulting in an incorrect ride height that is incompatible with the vehicle's EV platform. This is not an isolated component failure but a fundamental design defect — the vehicle was delivered in a condition that was never properly suited to its own drivetrain. This defect has caused ongoing damage to the vehicle's undercarriage, compromised handling and dynamic stability, and produced accelerated and premature tire wear. BMW/MINI, as the manufacturer, knew or reasonably should have known at the time of sale that the suspension specification was incompatible with this vehicle's electric drivetrain configuration. The failure to disclose or remedy this condition prior to sale, and the failure to adequately repair it despite repeated attempts, reflects a willful disregard of its warranty obligations.
While driving in the rain, the car suddenly applied its brakes, all lights inside the car shut off, and the car came to a stop. The car behind hit it. The car was immediately taken to the service department at Dreyer & Reinbold MINI in Carmel, Indiana. They kept the car for 3 months and I was told the case went all the way to the manufacturer in Germany. When they were finished, they told us their tests could not "confirm" our report that the car came to a stop by itself, but their tests did show the brakes were applied and the car was hit from behind. They basically told us they did not believe my wife's account of the incident. I recently saw that this make and model of car was recalled about a year ago because the car could stall in the rain due to unsealed battery compartments, which is exactly what my wife experienced. I do not believe anyone looked inside the car at all, but merely relied on their computer analyses without interviewing my wife or any witnesses to confirm what happened.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving in the rain, the car suddenly applied its brakes, all lights inside the car shut off, and the car came to a stop. The car behind hit it. The car was immediately taken to the service department at Dreyer & Reinbold MINI in Carmel, Indiana. They kept the car for 3 months and I was told the case went all the way to the manufacturer in Germany. When they were finished, they told us their tests could not "confirm" our report that the car came to a stop by itself, but their tests did show the brakes were applied and the car was hit from behind. They basically told us they did not believe my wife's account of the incident. I recently saw that this make and model of car was recalled about a year ago because the car could stall in the rain due to unsealed battery compartments, which is exactly what my wife experienced. I do not believe anyone looked inside the car at all, but merely relied on their computer analyses without interviewing my wife or any witnesses to confirm what happened.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving in the rain, the car suddenly applied its brakes, all lights inside the car shut off, and the car came to a stop. The car behind hit it. The car was immediately taken to the service department at Dreyer & Reinbold MINI in Carmel, Indiana. They kept the car for 3 months and I was told the case went all the way to the manufacturer in Germany. When they were finished, they told us their tests could not "confirm" our report that the car came to a stop by itself, but their tests did show the brakes were applied and the car was hit from behind. They basically told us they did not believe my wife's account of the incident. I recently saw that this make and model of car was recalled about a year ago because the car could stall in the rain due to unsealed battery compartments, which is exactly what my wife experienced. I do not believe anyone looked inside the car at all, but merely relied on their computer analyses without interviewing my wife or any witnesses to confirm what happened.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I started the car in the morning and the screen message came up “high voltage system fault, contact your dealer to get service, you can continue to drive”. My distance available to drive on a 100% Barrett charge dropped from 100 to 20. I had the car towed to the dealer. They have not been able to determine the cause for over a month
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle's suspension system was improperly configured for its electric powertrain at the time of manufacture, resulting in an incorrect ride height that is incompatible with the vehicle's EV platform. This is not an isolated component failure but a fundamental design defect — the vehicle was delivered in a condition that was never properly suited to its own drivetrain. This defect has caused ongoing damage to the vehicle's undercarriage, compromised handling and dynamic stability, and produced accelerated and premature tire wear. BMW/MINI, as the manufacturer, knew or reasonably should have known at the time of sale that the suspension specification was incompatible with this vehicle's electric drivetrain configuration. The failure to disclose or remedy this condition prior to sale, and the failure to adequately repair it despite repeated attempts, reflects a willful disregard of its warranty obligations.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle's suspension system was improperly configured for its electric powertrain at the time of manufacture, resulting in an incorrect ride height that is incompatible with the vehicle's EV platform. This is not an isolated component failure but a fundamental design defect — the vehicle was delivered in a condition that was never properly suited to its own drivetrain. This defect has caused ongoing damage to the vehicle's undercarriage, compromised handling and dynamic stability, and produced accelerated and premature tire wear. BMW/MINI, as the manufacturer, knew or reasonably should have known at the time of sale that the suspension specification was incompatible with this vehicle's electric drivetrain configuration. The failure to disclose or remedy this condition prior to sale, and the failure to adequately repair it despite repeated attempts, reflects a willful disregard of its warranty obligations.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .