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What 10 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Mini Hardtop 4dr

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (10)Crash / fire / injury (1)Engine (4)Electrical system (2)Transmission & drivetrain (2)Airbags (1)Backup camera & sensors (1)Brakes (1)Fuel system (1)Lights (1)Seats (1)Tires (1)

2 of 10 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

May 29, 2026Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

My vehicle has active VANOS failure codes (131401 and 130304). These codes are preventing my car from passing the New York State safety and emissions inspection, rendering it legally unable to be used on the road. BMW/MINI Corporate is refusing to honor their national extended component warranty bulletin because they are conditioning the repair on a valid registration - which is a legal impossibility while the defect remains unaddressed.

NHTSA ODI 11740812

Jul 9, 2025Electrical system

The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the vertical aim headlights malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that rodents had chewed through the insulation around and the electrical wires. The contact was informed that the insulation was made of soy, which attracted the rodents. The contact was informed that the electrical wires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. In addition, the contact stated the repair had occurred previously and the current issue was the second occurrence. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11672201

Working with the data? Download all 10 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Mini Hardtop 4dr verdict →