United Kingdom · NHTSA recalls & complaints
Mini VIN decoder
MINI is a British brand owned by the BMW Group, which also owns BMW and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It builds small cars and crossovers, including the Cooper hatch and convertible, the Countryman and the Aceman. MINI's VINs start with codes held by BMW AG in Germany rather than by a separate MINI company.
Enter all 17 characters to see the build details NHTSA holds and the recalls for that model year.
- 17 model pages
- 45 recall campaigns
- 4,980 owner complaints
- model years 2001–2026
- 2 WMI codes in vPIC
- origin: United Kingdom
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| NHTSA recall and complaint data | Yes, model years 2001–2026 |
| WMI codes in NHTSA vPIC | 2 |
| Model pages | 17 |
| Other model names in NHTSA data | 6 |
| Vehicle recall campaigns | 45 |
| Owner complaints | 4,980 |
| Complaints reporting a crash | 130 (2.6%) |
| Complaints reporting a fire | 274 (5.5%) |
| Complaints reporting an injury | 119 (2.4%) |
| Complaints reporting a death | 3 (0.1%) |
| Data updated | September 25, 2026 |
MINIs come from several plants. Oxford in England builds the petrol Cooper hatch and convertible, BMW's Leipzig plant in Germany builds the Countryman, and Spotlight Automotive, a 50:50 joint venture between BMW and Great Wall Motor in Zhangjiagang, China, builds the electric models. The VDL Nedcar plant in Born, the Netherlands, stopped building MINIs in February 2024.
The modern MINI went on sale in the United States on 22 March 2002 with the Cooper and Cooper S hardtops, and has been sold there since. NHTSA therefore holds recall campaigns and owner complaints for U.S.-market MINIs, filed by BMW of North America, for example 24V340000 for the 2025 Countryman, and this page summarises them by model. The notes below explain MINI's two WMIs and how UK- and European-market MINI VINs differ.
NHTSA’s files hold 45 vehicle recall campaigns and 4,980 owner complaints for Mini vehicles from model years 2001 to 2026, summarised here on 17 model pages. The Cooper has the most complaints (2,235), followed by the Cooper S (1,781) and the Cooper Convertible (173). Of those complaints, 130 report a crash, 274 a fire, 119 at least one injury and 3 at least one death; the figures count complaints, not people.
The World Manufacturer Identifier is the first three characters of the VIN. NHTSA’s vPIC database decodes 2 WMIs to Mini; this is the complete list, with the manufacturer name, country and vehicle type vPIC records for each.
| WMI | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMW | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger Car |
| WMZ | BMW AG | Germany | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
See the WMI code guide for how the codes are assigned.
Each model page lists NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints for that model name, by model year and component. Models are sorted by complaints; the data covers model years 2001–2026.
| Model | Model years | Recall campaigns | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper | 2001–2026 | 27 | 2,235 |
| Cooper S | 2002–2025 | 23 | 1,781 |
| Cooper Convertible | 2005–2026 | 7 | 173 |
| Cooper S Convertible | 2005–2012 | 4 | 138 |
| Cooper S Clubman | 2008–2021 | 5 | 124 |
| Cooper Clubman | 2008–2014 | 2 | 116 |
| Cooper Countryman | 2011–2013 | – | 107 |
| Countryman | 2014–2025 | 7 | 103 |
| Clubman | 2012–2024 | 3 | 80 |
| Cooper S Countryman | 2011–2012 | 2 | 43 |
| John Cooper Works | 2007–2020 | 8 | 16 |
| Cooper SE | 2020–2024 | 3 | 6 |
| JCW Clubman | 2008–2012 | 3 | 5 |
| Countryman S ALL4 | 2025–2026 | 5 | 2 |
| JCW Countryman ALL4 | 2025–2026 | 1 | 1 |
| JCW Convertible | 2010–2021 | 3 | – |
| Countryman SE ALL4 | 2025 | 1 | – |
– means NHTSA has no records of that kind under the model name.
Other Mini models in NHTSA data
NHTSA also lists these Mini model names, but with no recall campaign and fewer than 25 complaints each, so they have no page of their own: Cooper Coupe, Cooper Roadster, Cooper S US, Cooper US, Cooper Works, Paceman.
Which WMI codes does MINI use?
MINI VINs start with a code held by BMW AG, not by a separate MINI company. NHTSA's vPIC database lists two WMIs with the make MINI: WMW for passenger cars and WMZ, added in March 2017, for multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs), the U.S. class that covers SUVs and crossovers. Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) also lists WMW under BMW AG with the note that it is used for MINI passenger cars.
| WMI | Manufacturer (NHTSA vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMW | BMW AG | Germany | Passenger car |
| WMZ | BMW AG | Germany | MPV (SUV class) |
The W prefix reflects BMW AG's registration in Germany. Under ISO 3779 the WMI follows the country where the manufacturer is headquartered, so a WMW or WMZ code does not by itself tell you whether the car was assembled in the UK, Germany or elsewhere. See the WMI code guide.
Do UK- and European-market MINI VINs follow U.S. rules?
MINIs built for the U.S. follow 49 CFR Part 565, which requires a check digit in position 9 and a model-year code in position 10. MINIs built for Europe before July 2022, including those sold in Britain, came under rules that mirrored ISO 3779, which leaves positions 4 to 9 to the manufacturer and requires neither a check digit nor a year code. The EU has required a check digit for new vehicle types since 6 July 2022, but not a year code. An older MINI first registered in Britain or the EU may therefore fail a U.S.-style check-digit test even though the VIN is genuine. The European VIN decoding guide explains the differences.
MINI within the BMW Group
MINI is one of three BMW Group brands, next to BMW and Rolls-Royce. BMW AG holds the WMIs of both BMW and MINI, which is why the make, not the manufacturer name, is what separates them in vPIC.
Why does a MINI VIN show BMW AG as the manufacturer?
Because BMW AG holds MINI's WMIs. NHTSA's vPIC database lists WMW and WMZ under BMW AG with the make MINI, so a decode that names BMW AG as the manufacturer is expected and correct.
Will a UK-market MINI decode fully here?
Often not. Our decoder uses NHTSA's vPIC data, which is most complete for vehicles built for North America. A UK-market MINI will be identified from its WMI, but model and engine details may be missing.
Does this page show MINI recalls?
It shows NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints for MINI models sold in the U.S., by model and model year. For one specific car, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or ask a MINI dealer.
Brands mentioned in the notes above, then other European brands, each with its own VIN notes and WMI list.
- BMW (333) Germany · 487 recall campaigns
- Rolls-Royce (20) United Kingdom · 31 recall campaigns
- Alfa Romeo (6) Italy · 34 recall campaigns
- Aston Martin (21) United Kingdom · 35 recall campaigns
- Audi (66) Germany · 214 recall campaigns
- Bentley (29) United Kingdom · 55 recall campaigns
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files and NHTSA vPIC, updated September 25, 2026.