Problem Lookup › Mini › Cooper SE › 2023
Car problem report
2023 Mini Cooper SE problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2023 Mini Cooper SE has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 2safety recalls
- 5owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
The most complained-about Mini Cooper SE year on file: 5 complaints, against an average of 1 for the other 1 model year.
Every Mini Cooper SE model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2023 Mini Cooper SE?
The components named most often in the 5 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2023 Mini Cooper SE been recalled?
2 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery Thermal: Management: Software BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE) vehicles. Faults may occur in the high voltage battery or high voltage system, resulting in a short circuit.
Risk: A short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised that if a warning message is displayed in the vehicle, to park the vehicle outside and away from structures until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will provide a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-ASK-MINI (1-866-275-6464).
Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE) vehicles. The high voltage battery housing may not have been sealed properly, allowing water to enter the battery.
Risk: A high voltage battery with water damage can cause a fire or a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and leak test the high voltage battery, and repair the battery as necessary, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Is the 2023 Mini Cooper SE recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAHV Battery Cell Module MINI J01 J05
Risk: On affected vehicles specific cells of the HV battery may not have been produced according to specification. This could result in a short circuit and could increase the risk of a thermal event even when the vehicle is parked.
Fix: On affected vehicles the affected cell module of the HV battery will be replaced.
UK DVSAHV Battery Cell Module MINI J01 J05
Risk: On affected vehicles specific cells of the High Voltage battery may not have been produced according to specification. This could lead to the risk of a thermal event even when the vehicle is not in operation.
Fix: Affected cells of the High Voltage battery will be replaced.
UK DVSAHigh-Voltage Battery Cell Module J01 J05
Risk: On affected vehicles a cell module may not have been manufactured to specification. In the worst case this may lead to a short circuit which may result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: On affected vehicles the defective cell module will be replaced. The affected vehicles must not have their batteries charged until rectified.
UK DVSAIntegrated Braking System
Risk: On certain vehicles the Integrated Brake (IB) system may be impaired due to contamination between electrical contacts.
Fix: Vehicles that may be affected by contamination are required to have the vehicle’s software updated which can detect signal interference before it occurs. If symptoms are detected you should refrain from use of the vehicle and the affected Integrated Brake (IB) system component will be replaced.
UK DVSAProgramming Control Units (SME)
Risk: For certain vehicles there is a software update available to improve the management of the high voltage battery in the event of an insulation fault.
Fix: The battery management control software will be updated.
UK DVSACheck High-Voltage Battery F56 BEV
Risk: On affected vehicles the seal on the high voltage battery housing may allow moisture to penetrate the battery and allow a fault to develop resulting in a check control message being displayed in some cases the High Voltage battery could switch off even when driving.
Fix: On the affected vehicles the seal will be checked and if required replace any faulty components.
EU Safety GateA manufacturing defect in the high-voltage battery may cause a short circuit in the vehicles concerned.This may result in the vehicle catching fire, even when it is parked.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe high-voltage battery can short-circuit, causing the battery to overheat and the vehicle to catch fire, even when it is parked.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe casing of the high-voltage (HV) battery may not be watertight, risking water entry.If water enters, a message alerts the driver about an insulation fault. Ignoring this warning can cause the HV battery to shut down mid-drive, leading the vehicle to decelerate to a stop, creating a risk of accidents and injuries. Additionally, there's a risk of fire, even when the vehicle is parked.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2023 Mini Cooper SE owners report?
5 of the 5 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The vehicle's suspension system was improperly configured for its electric powertrain at the time of manufacture, resulting in an incorrect ride height that is incompatible with the vehicle's EV platform. This is not an isolated component failure but a fundamental design defect — the vehicle was delivered in a condition that was never properly suited to its own drivetrain. This defect has caused ongoing damage to the vehicle's undercarriage, compromised handling and dynamic stability, and produced accelerated and premature tire wear. BMW/MINI, as the manufacturer, knew or reasonably should…
While driving in the rain, the car suddenly applied its brakes, all lights inside the car shut off, and the car came to a stop. The car behind hit it. The car was immediately taken to the service department at Dreyer & Reinbold MINI in Carmel, Indiana. They kept the car for 3 months and I was told the case went all the way to the manufacturer in Germany. When they were finished, they told us their tests could not "confirm" our report that the car came to a stop by itself, but their tests did show the brakes were applied and the car was hit from behind. They basically told us they did not…
The contact owns a 2023 Mini Cooper SE. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V302000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure; however, the vehicle was taken to be repaired for an initial unknown recall for reprogramming of the battery in September of 2024. The contact then received a second…
The safety recall campaign 24V-612 is a complete farce. It states that there is a safety defect with the high-voltage battery which could cause a fire, but the "solution" proposed by the manufacturer is a software change which discharges the battery, making the car essentially useless. This is not a "solution" and I can't believe you would accept it as such.
I started the car in the morning and the screen message came up “high voltage system fault, contact your dealer to get service, you can continue to drive”. My distance available to drive on a 100% Barrett charge dropped from 100 to 20. I had the car towed to the dealer. They have not been able to determine the cause for over a month
2023 Mini Cooper SE: questions owners ask
Is the 2023 Mini Cooper SE reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Mini Cooper SE; the most common categories were electrical system (4, 80%), forward collision avoidance (1, 20%), fuel/propulsion system (1, 20%). There are 2 safety recalls. 1 complaint mentions a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Mini Cooper SE?
Across 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (80% of complaints), forward collision avoidance (20% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (20% of complaints), service brakes (20% of complaints), suspension (20% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2023 Mini Cooper SE have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2023 Mini Cooper SE; the most recent (campaign 24V612000, 2024-08-15) concerns Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery Thermal: Management: Software. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Cooper SE
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2023 only.