Total Complaints
8 filings
MINI COOPER S · model year
2020 MINI COOPER S
8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020MINICOOPER S carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 COOPER S is engine with 2 filings, followed by visibility/wiper (1) and electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2020 COOPER S. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
8
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 2 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recalls (2)
19V63400028/08/2019
STRUCTURE
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) num
20V28300020/05/2020
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
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 proble
Recent Complaints
20250625CrashSERVICE BRAKES
I was pulling into a parking spot slowly and all of the sudden the car took off and took off and I couldnât stop and when I tried to sped hard on the break it wouldnât work and I lost control and my car wouldnât stop until it crashed into another vehicle that was sitting in another parking spot.
20250625CrashENGINE
I was pulling into a parking spot slowly and all of the sudden the car took off and took off and I couldnât stop and when I tried to sped hard on the break it wouldnât work and I lost control and my car wouldnât stop until it crashed into another vehicle that was sitting in another parking spot.
20250625CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was pulling into a parking spot slowly and all of the sudden the car took off and took off and I couldnât stop and when I tried to sped hard on the break it wouldnât work and I lost control and my car wouldnât stop until it crashed into another vehicle that was sitting in another parking spot.
20250313STEERING
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.
Mileage: 25,500
20210318WHEELS
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.
Mileage: 8,028
20200623ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
Mileage: 1,400
20200623ENGINE
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
Mileage: 1,400
20191219VISIBILITY/WIPER
WHEN SITTING IN DRIVERS SEAT ( I AM 5FT. 1 IN TALL) AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP IS OPEN, I CAN NOT SEE THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRA BECAUSE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP FOLDED IS BLOCKING MY VISION. MY SEAT IS AT HIGHEST POSITION. JUST AS POINT OF REFERENCE I HAD A 2012 MINI CONV. AND THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF THIS I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND GET ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH COST ME IN EXCESS OF $5000 AS MY 3 DAY OLD CAR WAS CONSIDERED USED WITH 91 MILES ON IT. MY HUSBAND WHO IS 5'9" TALL TRIED IT AND HAD SOME VISIBILITY BUT VERY LIMITED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY MINI. EITHER THE MECHANISM OR THE FABRIC USED HAS TO BE CHANGED TO ALLOW THE TOP TO RETRACT OUT OF SIGHT. THIS DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE MOVING OR STANDING STILL, AND COULD CAUSE THE DRIVE TO EASILY HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE WHAT IS BEHIND THEM.
Mileage: 10
Compare 2020MINICOOPER S to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2020 MINI COOPER S have?▼
The 2020 MINI COOPER S has 8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 MINI COOPER S?▼
Yes, the 2020 MINI COOPER S has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is STRUCTURE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 MINI COOPER S?▼
The most-complained component for the 2020 MINI COOPER S is ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY/WIPER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2020 MINI COOPER S safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.