RoadVitals

2015 MINI Cooper

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.
55
Latest Jul 11, 2026
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.
6
Latest Nov 9, 2015
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.
2
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 55 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 MINI Cooper, most frequently naming the engine, fuel system and electrical categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 395 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

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

6 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

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION; SEATS

Nov 9, 2015
38 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 door vehicles manufactured February 25, 2014, to May 16, 2015, 2014-2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 door vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to May 9, 2015, 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 door vehicles manufactured October 17, 2014, to June 2, 2015, and 2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 door vehicles manufactured November 24, 2014, to June 11, 2015. During a service appointment, the affected vehicles received replacement front passenger seat cushions (which contain integral Capacitive Interior Sensing (CIS) functions). The CIS functions may have been incorrectly calibrated, and if so, would cause impaired occupant classification and thus inappropriate air bag activation/deactivation.
The risk: Inappropriate air bag activation/deactivation can increase the risk of occupant injury in the event of a vehicle crash.
The remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the front passenger seat cushion, free of charge. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525 .
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Oct 7, 2015
6,073 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper two-door vehicles, 2015-2016 MINI John Cooper Works and MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper four-door vehicles and 2014-2015 BMW i3 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy properly in a low speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, an air bag that does not deploy properly increases the risk of injury to the front seat passenger.
The remedy: MINI and BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525 and BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

STRUCTURE:BODY

Jul 17, 2015
30,456 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The affected vehicles do not meet the side impact performance requirements for the rear seat passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection."
The risk: If the side impact performance requirements are not met, rear seat passengers may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will install additional energy absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior vehicle body, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525. Note: this recall supersedes 14V-815.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

AQ15004ClosedAudit Query

BMW Safety Act Violations

Opened Sep 24, 2015
Closed Oct 2, 2017

In a Consent Order executed on December 17, 2015, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) admitted that it violated the Safety Act by: failing to conduct a timely recall for Recall No. 15V-450; failing to file certain quarterly recall reports in a timely manner; failing to timely notify vehicle owners of the existence of a defect or noncompliance; failing to promptly advise NHTSA of delays with the beginning or completion dates for mailing owner or dealer notifications; and failing to timely submit copies to NHTSA of communications relating to recalls.As part of the Consent Order, NHTSA imposed a total civil penalty of $40 million against BMW NA for its violations of the Safety Act.The civil penalty consists of a cash payment, monetary performance obligations, and stipulated penalties.BMW NA paid the $10 million cash penalty on February 12, 2016.Failure to comply with the terms of the Consent Order or the Safety Act will result in portions of the stipulated penalties coming due.The Consent Order required BMW NA to appoint an independent safety consultant to assist BMW NA in developing best practices for complying with the Safety Act and evaluating safety issues under consideration by BMW NA.BMW NA was also required to develop a program to train dealers on the importance of complying with the prohibition on selling unremedied vehicles under recall, improve dealers' access to information necessary to maximize completion of open recalls, and invest in a pilot program to determine whether BMW NA can use data analytics to detect emerging safety defect trends.The population listed in this closing resume is based on BMW NA's untimely recall and does not include other issues addressed by the Consent Order, which relate to BMW NA's safety processes.Based on the Consent Order, BMW NA's admissions that it violated the law, and its ongoing performance obligations, this audit query investigation, AQ15-004, is closed. Closure of this AQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order, including BMW NA's ongoing performance obligations or legal obligations, and does not represent a determination by NHTSA as to BMW NA's performance under the Consent Order to date.

STRUCTURE
AQ15003ClosedAudit Query

International Autos, Inc. / Mini Recall

Opened Aug 18, 2015
Closed Aug 23, 2016

The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and, in turn, that a dealer not sell and deliver a new vehicle subject to a recall unless the recall remedy has been performed (49 U.S.C. ?? 30112(a), 30120(i)).NHTSA opened AQ15-003 to determine whether International Autos, Inc. of West Allis, Wisconsin complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act). NHTSA received information that International Autos sold and delivered at least one new model year (MY) 2015 Mini Cooper 2-door hardtop vehicle to a customer without having had all required safety recall repairs performed on that vehicle. NHTSA opened this investigation and then issued an information request (IR) to International Autos on August 20, 2015.A copy is of this request is in this investigation's file, together with a public copy of International Autos' response.A careful review of the information supplied confirm that International Autos sold and delivered at least eleven new vehicles with outstanding safety recalls on them. Under a Settlement Agreement dated April 26, 2016, International Autos committed to take concrete actions to improve its processes for verifying that prior to sale and delivery of any new vehicle International Autos has confirmed that the vehicle is not subject to an un-remedied recall. International Autos confirmed that it had engaged in these processes since June 25, 2015.International Autos also committed that it now also checks for open recalls on every customer vehicle brought in for service, and that it checks for open recalls on every used trade-in vehicle, regardless of make or model, and takes steps to have all used trade-in vehicles repaired prior to retail sale. International Autos admitted to violating the prohibition on sales of new vehicles with open recalls, and agreed to pay civil penalties in the amount of $40,000.This Audit Query is closed.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Recent owner complaints

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

ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jul 11, 2026

On my 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door (VIN: [XXX]), the driver's side halogen headlight suddenly stopped working. When I attempted to replace the bulb, I discovered that the headlight connector/pig tail had melted on one side, one of the electrical wires had burned completely through, and there was a strong odor coming from the rear of the headlight assembly. This was not simply a burned-out bulb. The connector and wiring sustained heat damage that appears to have resulted from an electrical failure. Because of the melted connector, burned wiring, and strong burning small, I believe this created a potential fire hazard. It must be noted that there have not been any changes to the lighting or electrical system since purchasing my car and I am the first and only owner. I contacted my mini dealership and was informed that the connector is not available separately for my year, make, and model for my car and the only option is the purchase the entire headlight assembly. The cost for the assembly is $615 and while the exact charge for labor is not known at this time, from my experience, it will be between $200-$500. After researching his issue. I found reports from other MINI owners describing similar failures involved melted headlight connector and burned wiring on vehicles with halogen headlights. Based on these reports and my own experience, I am cornered this may represent a recurring safety-related defect rather than normal wear and tear. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can evaluate whether this issue warrants investigation. I have photographs documenting the melted connector, burned wiring, and resulting damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11749756
Incident
Jul 11, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 3, 2025

Selector lever wrongly not locked in park. Put up a code for transmission (egs). I believe it falls under the transmission control unit recall on mini coopers 2 door hardtop.

NHTSA ID
11691302
Incident
Oct 2, 2025
EngineFuel system
Filed Feb 23, 2025

Lower Engine Support and Passenger Engine Mount damaged as per routine inspection by dealer in Feb2025. Never diagnosed before. Repair done by independent service center in Feb2025 and I have receipt of approximately 1K. Also, since 22feb2025, I am not able to add fuel to the tank because the pump stops constantly and causes spill of fuel. This can cause fire. Never happened before. Tried at least 4 different gas station and same result. Dealer charges over $200 to perform inspection/diagnostics. Not done yet. Repairs to fuel tank are in the thousands. No warning in the car dashboard for none of the issues. Car with less than 80k miles.

NHTSA ID
11644422
Incident
Feb 22, 2025
Visibility
Filed Aug 6, 2024

While driving the rear view mirror suddenly tilted downward (drooped). What happened, was that the tension ring popped off. As it turns out, this is a known issue per internet Mini Cooper pages. On hot days the ring loosens and, since the design does not include anything to prevent the ring from sliding off, it does slide off, resulting in the rear view mirror drooping. I reinstalled the ring. This occurred again the next day. I ended up uninstalling the rear view mirror, reinstalling the ring and gluing it in place. Thus far this has held.

NHTSA ID
11606822
Incident
Jul 22, 2024
Visibility
Filed Jun 17, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear convertible glass suddenly separated from the convertible compartment and fell on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The contact stated that while searching online, he became aware that the failure had been a very well-known failure since 2017 with similar vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

NHTSA ID
11594817
Incident
Jun 16, 2024
Mileage
62,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 2, 2024

The sensors do not work. The car does not tell me when oil is needed, when my tires are low. No sensors work in the car. The dealer, Mini Of Edison, states FOUND INTERNAL HARDWARE FAULTS. But are stating its costs 2300.00 to fix. This is a huge safety issue.Ive been having to guess when my oil is low and when my tires are low. This has been going on since September 2023, the car was only bought in May 2023.

NHTSA ID
11569480
Incident
Sep 13, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Oct 31, 2023

The fuel filling nozzle turns off repeatedly while trying to fill the fuel tank and spills out causing a safety and environmental hazard, regardless of the pump being used. As a result, no fuel goes into the gas tank, instead it goes all over the car and the ground.

NHTSA ID
11552838
Incident
Oct 4, 2023
Suspension
Filed Oct 30, 2023

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? CONSTANT CREAKING AND CLUNKING OF FRONT SUSPENSION Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME YEAR AND GENERATION HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NOT YET Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO

NHTSA ID
11552701
Incident
Oct 16, 2023

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."

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.

M540123

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

?The panoramic roof sunblind does not close, or jams while closing.

M110323

COMMUNICATION:MANUFACTURER TELEMATICS

?BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop: REPLACE CHARGE AIR LINE.

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 Cooper by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026210
2025130
2024100
2023700
2022600
2021720
2020720
2019122045.5
2018800
2017283055.1
2016281047.9
2015Viewing556256.9
2014347262.9
2013471034.0
2012661048.0
2011831043.0
2010922053.6
20091511044.9
20081151044.5
20071151044.5
20062001042.1
20053724257.0
20042824258.2
20033204560.9
20021875559.3
2001600

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.