2019 MINI Cooper 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 2019 MINI Cooper, 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
- Steering430.8%
- Electrical215.4%
- Powertrain (other)215.4%
- Driver assistance215.4%
- Engine17.7%
- Body & structure17.7%
- Exterior lighting17.7%
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
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Car sent a message about vehicle stabilization initiation in the middle of the road. I could barely turn the steering wheel and change the lane. Authorized dealer service center tells me it’s a click and drive wiring malfunction issue. I was on the way to the airport via toll road and highway. Continue to drive with the stabilization in progress could caused me an accident for not being able to move the wheel smoothly.
I am writing regarding the failure of the steering column on my 2019 Mini Cooper Hardtop. The incident occurred on December 31, 2022. I drove my car to a residential location in Seattle, parked and locked the vehicle. When I returned to my car and started it up to move it, I realized I had no control of the car because the steering wheel was spinning uncontrollably. When the car was towed to Seattle Mini, the AAA tow truck driver and the dealership service department personnel receiving the car said they had seen nothing like this before. Seattle Mini takes the position that the steering column was forcibly broken due to an accident which is not the case. I’m very concerned about the safety of this vehicle and not comfortable with Seattle Mini’s theory as to the cause of the failure since no accident or “great force” event occurred as described in the service department video. If this had occurred while I was on-route to the location where the car was parked, the outcome could have been catastrophic. We would like to confer with you this coming week on the best course of action to address this situation. Thank You.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Center console phone charger Center console is and enclosed component and when a cell phone is placed in the console and used for Bluetooth navigation and or phone calls it shuts down the system. The phone heats to such a temp that all phone operations and interaction with the vehicle system freeze or shut down and the phone continues to heat. I have spoken to the dealership and have been told it's a problem. When I communicated to MINI USA they acted as if this had never been reported. As far as warnings all car play functions slow down then freezes, and all functions stop. The phone had become so hot I was afraid it may cause a fire or explode the battery. This process usually takes an hour or so to happen.
Entire Driver Side Tail Lamp assembly stopped working (includes running light, brake light, reverse light, and blinker). Dash board did display warning (while driving) of lights malfunction, but nevertheless stopped working while driving. Upon further Inspection, found a “short” / melted pig tail (electrical connector) connecting to the rear of the lamp assembly. (Both the connector and pig tail showed signs of melted plastic/fire hazard). After further investigation, I realized this is not an isolated incident as I found multiple threads/posts on the Mini Cooper (F56) Internet forums, in which multiple owners complained of the same issue (many posting pictures as I have), which dates back many years, link to forum attached. https://www.minif56.com/threads/rear-left-lights-not-working.80537/
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS SECOND INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITH BRAND NEW MINI COOPER 2019 WITH SAME EXACT ISSUE THAT AGAIN ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR PRECIPITOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAR LOCKED UP AND WOULD ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN SPEED- NOR ACCELERATE. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED OF THE CAR THEREFORE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED AND DECELERATE. THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME COULD NOT TELL THAT I WAS SUDDENLY LOSING SPEED AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLVING A NEAR FATAL COLLISION AGAIN. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 5 -10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THIS PRECIPITOUSLY OCCURRING. THIS WAS THE SAME SITUATION I EXPERIENCED WITH A BRAND NEW MINI COOPER 2019 MODEL A WEEK EARLIER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY NOTED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SPEED PULSE GENERATOR SENSOR WAS NO GOOD AND HAD MALFUNCTIONED. AS THIS IS A REPEAT ISSUE AND VERY SERIOUS AS IT ALMOST CAUSED 2 NEAR FATAL INCIDENTS, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MAKER OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT OTHER 2019 MODELS ARE SAFE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD OTHER MINI MODELS WERE HAS EXPERIENCED SAME MALFUNCTION. THIS INCIDENT AND THE OTHER BOTH OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHICH CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SET UP AFTER THE VEHICLES HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW MILES ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN WET CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A BRAND MODEL AND BRAND NEW CAR THAT I HAD JUST PURCHASED AND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM BUYING IT- I HAD NOT EVEN OWNED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. WHILE ON MY WAY HOME VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED AND HAD NEAR FATAL COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY - AT HIGHWAY SPEED I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR AND MAINTAIN SPEED. ENGINE SEEMINGLY LOCKED UP AND AS I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL COLLISION AS CAR BEHIND ME DID NOT REALIZE I WAS LOSING SPEED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY NOTED THE CRANKSHAFT SPEED PULSE GENERATOR SENSOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED.
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
THIS IS SECOND INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITH BRAND NEW MINI COOPER 2019 WITH SAME EXACT ISSUE THAT AGAIN ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR PRECIPITOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED AND CAR LOCKED UP AND WOULD ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN SPEED- NOR ACCELERATE. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED OF THE CAR THEREFORE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED AND DECELERATE. THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME COULD NOT TELL THAT I WAS SUDDENLY LOSING SPEED AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLVING A NEAR FATAL COLLISION AGAIN. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 5 -10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THIS PRECIPITOUSLY OCCURRING. THIS WAS THE SAME SITUATION I EXPERIENCED WITH A BRAND NEW MINI COOPER 2019 MODEL A WEEK EARLIER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY NOTED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SPEED PULSE GENERATOR SENSOR WAS NO GOOD AND HAD MALFUNCTIONED. AS THIS IS A REPEAT ISSUE AND VERY SERIOUS AS IT ALMOST CAUSED 2 NEAR FATAL INCIDENTS, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MAKER OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT OTHER 2019 MODELS ARE SAFE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD OTHER MINI MODELS WERE HAS EXPERIENCED SAME MALFUNCTION. THIS INCIDENT AND THE OTHER BOTH OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHICH CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SET UP AFTER THE VEHICLES HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW MILES ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN WET CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A BRAND MODEL AND BRAND NEW CAR THAT I HAD JUST PURCHASED AND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM BUYING IT- I HAD NOT EVEN OWNED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. WHILE ON MY WAY HOME VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED AND HAD NEAR FATAL COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY - AT HIGHWAY SPEED I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR AND MAINTAIN SPEED. ENGINE SEEMINGLY LOCKED UP AND AS I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR ALMOST CAUSED A NEAR FATAL COLLISION AS CAR BEHIND ME DID NOT REALIZE I WAS LOSING SPEED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY NOTED THE CRANKSHAFT SPEED PULSE GENERATOR SENSOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
my vehicle only has 23000 how is it that vehicle with low miles and 5 yrs old and there telling me that engine mounts are cracked what mini cooper said was that the reason why is because there made out of plastic . how can this be legal what holds the engine in place made from plastic ? i think this need to be investigated and looked into is not safe and is not fair to the consumer to have to pay for this bad choice in design .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Certain 2019 MINI and BMW models are equipped with older evaporators that are not lined correctly to prevent aluminum corrosion from the new R-1234yf refrigerant, causing premature leaks of the refrigerant into the cabin while driving. Exposure to the refrigerant can cause severe irritations including dizziness, sudden and uncontrollable pain in the eyes and bursts of tears while driving. This has happened to me multiple times, until I stopped using AC completely.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
Entire Driver Side Tail Lamp assembly stopped working (includes running light, brake light, reverse light, and blinker). Dash board did display warning (while driving) of lights malfunction, but nevertheless stopped working while driving. Upon further Inspection, found a “short” / melted pig tail (electrical connector) connecting to the rear of the lamp assembly. (Both the connector and pig tail showed signs of melted plastic/fire hazard). After further investigation, I realized this is not an isolated incident as I found multiple threads/posts on the Mini Cooper (F56) Internet forums, in which multiple owners complained of the same issue (many posting pictures as I have), which dates back many years, link to forum attached. https://www.minif56.com/threads/rear-left-lights-not-working.80537/
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 .