Visibility and electrical system issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
There’s no question that the 2020 Mini Cooper S stands out in a crowd. While it isn’t a popular model, the automaker claims owners can “drive to your heart’s content.” However, most customers are ready to park it in the garage, mainly because of the electrical system problems and visibility issues.
The electrical system is designed to provide a smooth drive, thanks to all of the advanced equipment. However, this Mini vehicle is full of faulty technology that causes problems.
Here is one example left on the NHTSA website. “During a rain shower, drove at about 15 mph 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 and 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.”
While this situation shouldn’t lead to an accident, unless there is a car directly behind it when the engine shut down, other electrical faults could cause trouble. If an accident occurs, it’s also important to note that the air bags might be defective. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V283000 states that there is an issue with the rollover sensor defect that could prevent the air bags from deploying. If owners want to drive until their heart’s content, it might be best to equip the Mini Cooper with inflatable pillows around the cabin, just in case.
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| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Latches/locks/linkages | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Wheels |
Along with maximum safety, it’s vital that customers can see where they are going. Yet, this Mini Copper suffers from visibility concerns as well.
Here is another NHTSA complaint. “When sitting in driver’s seat (I am 5ft. 1 in. tall) and the convertible top is open, I cannot see through the rear view mirror 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 Convertible 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 driver to easily have an accident because they can’t see what is behind them.”
It looks like Mini has a lot of manufacturing issues, even to the point of a recall. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V634000 states that the rear side trim panels in some vehicles were built without a crash pad. If there is no crash pad, the rear passengers might have a higher chance of injury during a side impact crash. It’s also a little ironic that a car brand named “Mini” would make it difficult for shorter people to see clearly.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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