YearToAvoid

2017 MINI Cooper S Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

28/100

#14 most-complained of 19 Cooper S years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2017 MINI Cooper S has 6 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 28 out of 100 — #14 highest of 19 Cooper S model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is brakes (2 complaints, 33% of the total). Complaints report 1 crash and 1 injury.

Complaints
6
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
26
23 city / 32 hwy

Top 2017 MINI Cooper S problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes2 (33%)
  2. Engine2 (33%)
  3. Airbags1 (17%)
  4. Electrical System1 (17%)
  5. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (17%)
  6. Other1 (17%)
2017 MINI Cooper S complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2018May 2019Sep 2024Mar 2025Mar 2026Sep 2026
8 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2024 (3).

2017 MINI Cooper S recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 17V222000Mar 31, 2017Electrical System16,883 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2017 MINI Cooper Clubman, Cooper S Clubman and JCW Clubman vehicles. When the affected vehicles are braking and the turn signals are on, the inner, bumper-mounted, brake light will go out. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: If the brake light does not illuminate when a turn signal is activated, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the vehicle to correct the brake lighting, free of charge. The recall began May 22, 2017. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 16V747000Oct 17, 2016Seat Belts15,455 vehicles

    Seat belts:front:retractor

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, MINI Hardtop 4 Door Cooper, Mini Hardtop 4 Door Cooper S, MINI Cooper Clubman, and Cooper S Clubman, 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost, and 2016 528i vehicles. The vehicle-sensitive locking mechanism of the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for the driver's seat may not lock as designed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

    Risk: In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat, possibly increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

2017 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
32 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,050
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2017 compared with other Cooper S years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’19’20’21’22’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Caution5018428
2016Good399327.5
2017Good286326
2019Best175126
2020Good445229

All MINI Cooper S years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 MINI Cooper S a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2017 MINI Cooper S ranks #14 of 19 among Cooper S model years (Complaint Index 28/100, verdict: Good). It has 6 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 MINI Cooper S?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (2 complaints), engine (2 complaints), and airbags (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 17,200 miles.
Does the 2017 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 MINI Cooper S, most recently reported 2017, covering electrical system, airbags, and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 MINI Cooper S?
EPA rates the 2017 MINI Cooper S at 26 MPG combined (23 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.