Recall 15V450 covers 30,456 2014-2015 MINI John Cooper Works, Cooper S, and Cooper vehicles for rear-seat side-impact protection. Free repair at any franchised MINI dealer.
MINI is recalling 30,456 2014-2015 Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles because they do not meet rear-seat side-impact protection requirements. That compliance issue can raise the risk of injury for rear seat passengers in a crash, and MINI dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The recalled 2014-2015 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles have a body structure that is supposed to manage force in a side-impact crash. The doors, side body panels, rear seating area, and interior padding work together to limit how much crash energy reaches rear seat passengers.
In compliance testing for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, the rear-seat side-impact protection did not meet the required performance level for some included MINI Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The issue is not a broken service part like a hose or sensor. It is a crash-protection performance problem in the vehicle structure, where the tested force level on the dummy exceeded the allowed T12 acceleration limit by 0.94g.
An owner will not feel this problem while driving. There is no warning sign before failure, because the defect only shows up in a side-impact crash or compliance test.
Who's affected?
Covers Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works variants across the 2014 and 2015 model years, all tied to the body structure.
| 2015 MINI John Cooper Works | body structure |
|---|---|
| 2015 MINI Cooper S | body structure |
| 2014 MINI Cooper S | body structure |
| 2015 MINI Cooper | body structure |
| 2014 MINI Cooper | body structure |
| Units affected | 30,456 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific car.
What's the safety risk?
The safety concern is rear seat crash protection. If side impact performance requirements are not met, rear seat passengers face a higher risk of injury during a crash. Check the VIN and schedule the dealer repair if this recall applies. Repair is free at any franchised MINI dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2015 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, or John Cooper Works is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised MINI dealer to schedule the free repair that adds energy absorption material for rear-seat side-impact protection.
- Bring the recall notice if MINI mailed one. If not, reference recall number 15V450 when you call.
- Limit rear-seat use until the repair is complete; this recall concerns side-impact protection for rear-seat passengers.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a MINI technician installs additional energy absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior body. That added material is meant to improve rear seat side impact protection for the covered Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The recall repair is available now, and parts and labor are free under campaign 15V450. Ask the service desk to confirm your VIN is included before the work order is opened.
Timeline
| July 15, 2015 | Dealer notification began |
|---|---|
| July 17, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
| September 4, 2015 | Owner notification mailed |
| September 12, 2015 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V450?
Recall 15V450 covers 30,456 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The rear-seat side-impact protection does not meet FMVSS 214 requirements, and MINI dealers install added energy-absorption material for free.
What should I do if my 2014-2015 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, or John Cooper Works is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 15V450. If it is, contact a franchised MINI dealer to schedule installation of the added energy-absorption material. Reference recall number 15V450 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and MINI dealers will install the added energy-absorption material free of charge. The free repair applies at any franchised MINI dealer regardless of where the vehicle was purchased.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is higher injury exposure for rear-seat passengers in a side-impact crash. The affected MINI vehicles do not meet FMVSS 214 side-impact performance requirements for the rear seat, so the repair adds energy-absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior body.
What if I bought this MINI used?
The recall still follows the vehicle. If you bought a 2014-2015 MINI Cooper or Cooper S, or a 2015 MINI John Cooper Works, check your VIN to confirm whether recall 15V450 applies. If it does, a franchised MINI dealer completes the repair for free.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V450000 |
|---|---|
| MINI customer service | 1-866-825-1525 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V450 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V450000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →