Problems · NHTSA complaints
2020 MINI Cooper S problems
Owners filed 5 complaints about the 2020 MINI Cooper S with NHTSA between Dec 2019 and Jun 2025. The most-cited component is engine (2).
Complaints
5
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine2
- Vehicle speed control1
- Service brakes1
- Steering1
- Wheels1
- Electrical system1
- Visibility/wiper1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
1
1
0
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
2 reports1 crash
“I was pulling into a parking spot slowly and all of the sudden the car took off and took off and I couldn’t stop and when I tried to sped hard on the break it wouldn’t work and I lost control and my car wouldn’t stop until it crashed into another vehicle that was sitting in another parking spot.”
Vehicle speed control
1 report1 crash
Service brakes
1 report1 crash
Steering
1 report
“The contact owns a 2020 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering feature malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 25,500. The VIN was not available.”
Wheels
1 report
“THE TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE BLOWN OUT 3 TIMES IN THE 9 MONTHS WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. ANOTHER TIRE (A FOURTH INCIDENT) HAD A BUBBLE THAT WAS REPLACED BEFORE IT BLEW OUT. ALL INCIDENTS WERE SEPARATE TIMES. THE DEALER AND BMW WILL DO NOTHING. ALL BLOW OUTS WERE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH.”
Electrical system
1 report
“DURING A RAIN SHOWER, DROVE AT ABOUT 15MPH INTO ROUGHLY 4" OF WATER GATHERED ON THE SHOULDER OF AN ACCESS ROAD ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STALLED. WOULD NOT RESTART. PUDDLE OF WATER WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO BREACH THE CABIN - RUNNING BOARDS WERE STILL ABOVE WATER AND THE CURB ADJACENT TO THE STREET WAS NOT SUBMERGED. CAR WOULD NOT START AND TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CONTACTED AND ADVISED NOT TO START; TOW TRUCK HAD DIFFICULTY LOADING ONTO THE FLATBED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED IN THE ELECTRIC CONVERTIBLE TOP AND WAS OVERRIDING THE ABILITY TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.