2020 Mini Cooper

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags3
302
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000
Steering1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain20V283000
Filed May 20, 202076 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X1 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i and X2 sDrive28i, 2020 MINI Clubman Cooper S All4, 2021 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and Cooper S E) and MINI Hardtop 4 Door (Cooper and Cooper S) vehicles. Due to a problem with the rollover sensor within the air bag control unit, in the event of a rollover crash, the head air bag, seat belt pretensioners and other safety systems, may not activate.

Risk. If the safety systems do not deploy as intended in a roll over crash, it may increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Structure19V634000
Filed Aug 28, 2019683 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and JCW vehicles. The rear side trim panels may have been assembled without a crash pad. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

Risk. Without a crash pad, rear seat passengers would have an increased risk of injury in the event of a side impact crash.

Remedy. MINI will notify owners, and MINI dealers will install crash pads, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 23, 2026CA

A driver drove head on into my drivers seat door hard enough that his front bumper completely detached from his car and my door could not open, close, or lock, and my car was not drivable. My car has side airbags. No airbag deployed. I had to go to the hospital immediately after the accident. There is no open recall on my 2020 Mini 2 door hardtop. Shouldn't an airbag have deployed?

Power Train
Filed Oct 25, 2024TX

Originally problem started with a about five warning messages, a brake system one, a chassis stabilization one, Collision warning one, pedestrian warning one, and a drive train message. They were would appear while drive at any speed but, would go away after the car was shut off and restarted. A couple of months later the car started to shut off and put itself in park while driving, this problem has occurred multiple times and at speeds around 30mph. I started trying to get this fixed by a dealership in December of 2023. It went in and out a couple of times before they were able to replicate the problem. First they replaced the EME module and that worked for about 2000 miles before it started acting up again. Took it back to the same dealership in April when it started acting up. They updated the EME software and replaced a high voltage connector that was corroded. This repair took them until July 2nd. I went to pick up the car and made it about 3 blocks from the dealership it shut itself off on me. Took it back right away. They have had the car since then. Lastly I informed them about the most recent recall back on august 29th and it still shows as incomplete.

Steering
Filed Sep 2, 2023CT

When I plugged my phone cord into the USB port on the Click and Drive while the car was on but stationary, the screen indicated that the stabilization system was resetting. I promptly unplugged the cord and notifications started popping up on the screen. There were 4: steering assist not working, drive with care; stability control not working, drive with care; front collision detector not working; I do not recall the fourth notice. I was parked at a Starbucks 2+ hours from home so decided to try driving around parking lot hoping to continue journey. The steering was inoperable and all I could do was pull straight out of parking space and go straight back in. Turned car off, waited about 5 minutes and turned car back on, no change, no steering. Waited 3 hours for AAA tow and finally impatient, tried turning car on again. All notices cleared and I drove car home without incident (150 miles). My local Mini dealer said it was a wiring issue and they fixed it. Salesman at same dealer, who sold me the car 9 days before the incident, admitted he had heard of similar incident with Click and Drive once before, about a year ago. If I had plugged the cord in while I was driving I would likely have been unable to control the car in motion.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Mar 25, 2023SC

Run out of lane over raised median hit 2 road signs head on they flew over the car into opposite side of traffic and into a ditch at 45mph. Airbags did not deploy despite broken frame, collapsed suspension, all 4 no flat tires were flat and front end damage.

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 7, 2023NY

At 15,000 miles, front brake pads and rotors were badly worn and rear brake pads. Replaced brake pads front and rear.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 23, 2022CA

I was stopped at a red light. A Buick SUV traveling at an admitted 65mph rear ended me and pushed my car into the car in front of me. My seatbelt was on. My head hit the steering wheel resulting in a massive brain bleed. I have ruptured and herniated disks and severe whiplash as well as a fractured skull. My airbag did not deploy although My car was announcing a loud message over the speakers “we have alerted emergency services”. I can’t find a lawyer to take the case because there hasn’t been a recall on this year yet. It was a 2020 Mini Cooper S.

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed Jun 9, 2020MD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED WITHOUT IMPACT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20262100Routine
20251300Routine
20241000Routine
20237010Routine
20226000Routine
20217210Routine
2020 — this page7200Routine
201912200Routine
20188000Routine
201728300Routine
201628100Routine
201556600Routine
201434720Routine
201347100Routine
201266170Routine
201183130Routine
201092270Routine
20091511110Routine
2008115140Routine
20071171100Routine
2006200180Above average
20053724100Above average
2004282491Fatalities reported
20033204270High concern
2002187580Routine
20016000Routine

Compare every Cooper year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 20, 2020. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.