2021 MINI Cooper Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2021 MINI Cooper has a complaint index of 30, ranking 15th worst out of 21 model years, and carries a Good verdict. It has 7 complaints, 2 recalls, and its top problem area is the Electrical System.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 30/100
- #15 of 21 Cooper years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 7
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 30.5
- 28 city / 37 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
Top 2021 MINI Cooper problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System3 (43%)
- Airbags1 (14%)
- Fuel System1 (14%)
- Steering1 (14%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (14%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe instrument or infotainment screens going black or cycling error codes while driving, followed by battery discharge warnings.
- One owner reported an under-hood fire starting near the passenger headlight shortly after starting the car in a parking lot, leading to a total loss.
- A tire pressure alert triggered rapid air loss from 32 to 16 psi in about fifteen minutes with no apparent cause like a pothole.
- One owner reported complete loss of steering in traffic, which a dealer linked to a known wiring issue with the click-and-play system.
- A digital instrument cluster reportedly shut off without warning multiple times and stayed off until the car was powered down.
- In one crash, a head-on collision with another vehicle caused no airbags to deploy in the Mini Cooper, which was declared a total loss.
2021 MINI Cooper recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V554000Jul 21, 2021Seat Belts21,537 vehicles
Seat belts
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).
- NHTSA 20V283000May 20, 2020Airbags76 vehicles
Air bags:side/window:curtain
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.
2021 MINI Cooper fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 28 MPG
- Highway
- 37 MPG
- Combined
- 30.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,600
- 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.
2021 compared with other Cooper years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2021 MINI Cooper reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 MINI Cooper has a complaint index of 30 and ranks 15th worst out of 21 model years, earning a Good verdict relative to other Cooper years.
- What problems does the 2021 MINI Cooper have?
- NHTSA complaints for the 2021 MINI Cooper are led by the Electrical System, which accounts for 43% of complaints, including reports of screen failures and one under-hood fire. Other reported areas include airbags, fuel system, steering, and suspension.
- Does the 2021 MINI Cooper have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists two recalls for the 2021 MINI Cooper: one for seat belt retractors and one for the airbag control unit.
- How does the 2021 MINI Cooper compare to other years?
- The 2021 model's complaint index of 30 is much lower than the worst years like 2009 (index 100) and 2005 (index 95), and it sits close to 2020's index of 40, making it one of the better years for this model.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2021 MINI Cooper?
- The EPA rates the 2021 MINI Cooper at 30.5 mpg combined (28 city / 37 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600.