Airbag and powertrain issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2022 Mini Cooper is meant to provide a different and unique experience to drivers. The automaker claims it “never looked so good,” but owners expect more than appearance. As a result, some are complaining about powertrain issues as well as airbag, seat belt, and tire malfunctions that affect their use of the car.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2020
The most common problems owners of the 2022 Mini Cooper are complaining to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about relate to the powertrain. There are also complaints about faulty tires as well as airbags and seat belts that malfunction.
Manufacturer communications, including technical Service bulletins (TSBs) indicate that there are other problems too.
A TSB circulated to dealerships in May 2022 states that some Mini Cooper Countryman models built between 2014 and 2020 may elicit complaints from owners. The automaker warns that drivers may notice humming or creaking noises from the rear of the car. They may also feel “slight vibrations,” and the vehicle “may also jerk slightly.” The TSB states that drivers are most likely to notice these issues “while slow maneuvering with a steering input of 80-100% (at or near full lock, e.g., parking lot maneuvers) or accelerating with a medium to large steering angle.” The cause is “water ingress in the hanh-on clutch (HOC) through a leaky O-ring of the HOC ventilation line to the rear axle differential housing.
Another problem is that the high-voltage battery may not provide power to some Mini Cooper SE models throughout their “service life.” Those affected were produced between November 11, 2019 and June 18, 2020. The TSB states that this is because the battery cells may not have been produced according to specifications. If this happens, dealerships must replace affected cell modules of high-voltage batteries.
When drivers get into accidents, they automatically expect that the airbags are going to protect them. But when the airbags don’t deploy, there’s a high risk that those in the vehicle will be injured. This is exactly what happened to an owner from Puerto Rico. And it wasn’t just the airbags that let him down. The seat belt didn’t restrain him fully in the crash either.
According to the NHTSA complaint, this owner was driving on Highway 30 from Caguas to Humacao in Puerto Rico. When he tried “to take the exit for my house, the car swept away and crashed.” The airbags didn’t open and the seat belt didn’t restrain him sufficiently to protect him. He states that he suffered “many injuries” to his head and body.”
There is no indication whether the automaker was contacted and, if so, whether the owner received a response. There is also no indication of how widespread the issue may be. And there are no TSBs on file suggesting how dealers can check for malfunctions before they happen.
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Having a potent powertrain ensures that the drive is smooth and reliable. Yet, this is another problem that Mini Cooper customers have brought to the attention of the NHTSA.
An owner from Maryland is concerned about a safety issue that relates to the powertrain. “The car easily shifts to neutral while driving.” Indicating that this is an automatic car, the complaint continues. “If the shifter is bumped ever so slightly it shifts into neutral. It happens while traveling slowly or very fast and it has happened to me on a highway as well as when traveling very slowly. It is dangerous and certainly a safety issue, especially if traveling on a highway. I will include one date on this form, but it has happened many times.”
An owner from Ohio faces a different powertrain problem. “While driving, the car shifted into park on its own coming to a sudden stop from about 30 mph.” At this point, the car displayed a “drivetrain error”. The owner turned the car off and then back on again and “the error code disappeared and the car drove normally.”
There are no manufacturer communications on file with the NHTSA about the powertrain. Bearing in mind that for more than a decade the law has mandated all communications must be lodged with the NHTSA, everything indicates there aren’t any.
The Mini Cooper is equipped with Pirelli tires, which, supposedly, are as good as you get. But an owner from Massachusetts doesn’t agree.
The 2022 model, with 8,025 on the clock, was equipped with Pirelli Tire Line P-Zero Run Flat, Tire Size: 205/40/R18, DOT Number: 19307460B. The owner discovered that “the front driver’s side tire had three sidewall bubbles, and the front passenger’s side tire had two sidewall bubbles.” Nobody could say what the problem was.
According to the complaint, both the manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered.
If you have a 2022 Mini Cooper that has recurring problems that affect its value and/or your safety, there’s a good chance it’s a lemon. If this is the case, you are welcome to contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems and advise you on the best possible course of action.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of owners like you. The law says that the manufacturer, in this case BMW, must pay lemon law legal fees. So we’re not going to charge you.
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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