2017 MINI Clubman Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2017 MINI Clubman has a complaint index of 89, ranking it 2nd-worst out of 10 model years, with a verdict of Avoid. Electrical System issues lead complaints (30%), followed by Transmission & Powertrain (26%), with 2 recalls tied to airbags.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 89/100
- #2 of 10 Clubman years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 23
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Electrical System
Top 2017 MINI Clubman problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System7 (30%)
- Transmission & Powertrain6 (26%)
- Brakes3 (13%)
- Other3 (13%)
- Engine2 (9%)
- Airbags1 (4%)
- Fuel System1 (4%)
- HVAC1 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Rear brake and tail lights are easily mistaken for fog lights, causing near-collisions when drivers behind don't realize the car is braking.
- Brake light wiring harnesses in the rear bumper melt, leading to intermittent or total loss of brake light function.
- Headlight sockets melt and burn, leaving the bulb non-functional and the lens cloudy.
- A dashboard warning of "secure car against rolling" appears alongside transmission-related faults, sometimes tied to motor mount and gear shifter problems.
- An engine fire occurred while driving at highway speed, with smoke rising from under the hood before the vehicle was declared a total loss.
- Airbags failed to deploy during a side-impact crash at highway speed.
2017 MINI Clubman recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V914000Dec 20, 2016Airbags3,506 vehicles
Air bags
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.
Risk: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- NHTSA 16V553000Jul 25, 2016Airbags7,810 vehicles
Air bags:side/window
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 MINI Clubman vehicles manufactured August 19, 2015, through July 14, 2016. The side curtain air bags for the front seat occupants may deploy in the intended positions in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: If a side curtain air bag does not inflate as intended in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front seat occupants.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the driver and passenger side curtain air bag covers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
2017 compared with other Clubman years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 MINI Clubman reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2017 Clubman ranks 2nd-worst of 10 model years for this model, with a complaint index of 89 and a verdict of Avoid.
- What are the most common problems with the 2017 MINI Clubman?
- Electrical System complaints make up 30% of reports, followed by Transmission & Powertrain at 26% and Brakes at 13%. Owners commonly describe brake light wiring that melts and headlight sockets that burn out.
- Does the 2017 MINI Clubman have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2017 Clubman, both related to airbags, including a side curtain airbag issue that could deploy improperly and a separate airbag module replacement covering multiple BMW and MINI models.
- At what mileage do 2017 Clubman problems usually appear?
- The median mileage at failure across all complaints is 55,500 miles, though brake-related complaints show a lower median of 9,000 miles.
- How does the 2017 Clubman compare to other Clubman years?
- The 2017 model has a complaint index of 89, worse than 2012 through 2014 models rated Good or Best, but slightly better than 2019, which has a complaint index of 100 and is also rated Avoid.