2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the steering wheel was significantly loose and turned excessively. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel felt like it would detach from the column. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11741577

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WAS FAULTY. MINI OF LOVELAND (4055 BYRD DR, LOVELAND, CO 80538, (970) 292-5020) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS NOT SCHEDULED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM: SI M32 02 15 (STEERING AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT). AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

NHTSA ID

11193136

Incident

Feb 18, 2019

Mileage

133,000 mi

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP HAS LOUD WHINE OR MOANING SOUND WITH ONLY 42,000 MILES ON IT. FLUID LEVEL IS GOOD AND SO FAR THE POWER STEERING IS STILL WORKING. IT DOES GET LOUDER WHILE TURNING BUT ALSO ANNOYING WHEN JUST IDLING.

NHTSA ID

11001581

Incident

Jun 16, 2017

Mileage

42,000 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 2013. MECHANICS TELL ME THAT IT IS A WEIGHT-SENSING MAT ON THE SEAT. MINI RECALLED 2005 MINI'S BUT THIS ONE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR FOR THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

10985814

Incident

May 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRO HYDRO POWER STEERING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ID

10980464

Incident

Apr 25, 2016

Mileage

22,000 mi

TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS AND DOWNSHIFTS ERRATICALLY AND/OR SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10956757

Incident

Jan 9, 2017

Mileage

77,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED PREVIOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10947977

Incident

Dec 14, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY MINI COOPER S CONV, 2005, HAS BEEN HAVING STEEERING ISSUES FOR SOME TIME NOW. IT WILL RANDOMLY LOSE WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE POWER STEERING WHILE I AM DRIVING! I HAVE FOUND THAT BY TURNING THE CAR OFF (IF I AM STOPPED AND IN AREA WITH TIME TO TURN OFF MY CAR) THAT IT WORKS AGAIN FOR 10 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES. OTHER TIMES I CAN DRIVE FOR 45 MINUTES NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. HOWEVER, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE STEERING GOES OUT IS NOT WORKING AS SOON AS I TURN THE CAR ON. I K NOW THAT I HAVE TO SELECT A DATE OF WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND I AM PUTTING TODAY'S DATE SINCE IT HAPPENS DAILY. HOWEVER, I WANT IT NOTED IT IS NOT ONLY TODAY.

NHTSA ID

10818946

Incident

Jan 8, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

I WAS LEAVING WORK LATE AT NIGHT WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR OUT OF THE PARKING LOT THE STEERING DISAPPEARED. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR AT THE MINI DEARLSHIP EARLIER IN THE WEEK TO REPLACE LIGHT BULBS SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHERE WHAT THIS COULD BE, WHERE I COULD CHECK THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS. THEY WERE NOT THAT HELPFUL. THEN LATER I LOOKED ONLINE AT ALL THE STEERING COMPLAINTS AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND MY CAR (VIN#) WOULD BE COVERED FOR 13 YEARS/150,000. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE ALL MINI'S WITH THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED. DEALERSHIPS SHOULD CHECK VEHICLES FOR RECALLS WHEN CUSTOMERS CALL WITH PROBLEMS. I LIKE MY DEALERSHIP BUT I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAD TO RESEARCH THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10794973

Incident

Nov 18, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10783348

Incident

Jun 30, 2015

NOTIFIED THAT MINI WOULD RECALL DUE TO FAULTY SENSOR FOR AIRBAG ON MAY 1. NOW 4 MONTHS LATER, AND STILL NO RECALL. MINI SAYS THEY ARE GATHERING DATA ON THE AFFECTED CARS, NO INFO ON WHEN RECALL AND REPAIR WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

NHTSA ID

10762289

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

ON APRIL 20, 2015, I TOOK MY 2005 MINI S CONVERTIBLE TO MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN DARIEN, CT BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I RECEIVED A VERBAL QUOTE OF APPROXIMATELY $1200 TO REPAIR. LATER THAT DAY I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE SHOP FOREMAN STATING THAT MINI WAS AWARE OF AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR AND THAT MINI WAS LOOKING INTO A COURSE OF ACTION. A FEW DAYS LATER THE PRESS REPORTED THAT A RECALL WAS BEING DONE FOR THIS ISSUE AND I CALLED AGAIN, WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT A LETTER WOULD COME FROM MINI WITH DETAILS. SOMETIME BETWEEN THEN AND JUNE 15, I RECEIVED A LETTER (DATED "JUNE 2015") STATING THAT A RECALL WAS GOING TO BE ISSUED, AND I SHOULD NOT CARRY PASSENGERS IF THE LIGHT WAS ON (IT HAD BEEN ON SINCE APRIL), AND AGAIN CALLED MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, WHERE THEY REITERATED THE INFO IN THE LETTER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR YET ANOTHER LETTER. I CALLED MINI CUSTOMER CARE BOTH ON JUNE 15 AND AUGUST 25 TO REQUEST INFORMATION ON THE TIMING, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION BEYOND WHAT THE DEALER TOLD ME. IT IS NOW AUGUST 25, AND OVER FOUR MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN UNABLE TO SAFELY CARRY A PASSENGER IN THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT THIS MEETS THE STANDARD NOTED IN THE RECALL LETTER "IF YOUR MINI DEALER IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE DEFECT WITHOUT CHARGE OR WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME", ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS GIVEN A VERBAL QUOTE IN APRIL TO FIX THE ISSUE. MINI HAS ALSO DECLINED TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE WHILE MINE IS DISABLED. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE WHETHER MINI INTENDS TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT THIS RECALL (15V-205).

NHTSA ID

10759164

Incident

Apr 20, 2015

I HAVE HAD A NEW PROBLEM EVERY WEEK WITH THIS CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE CAR WASH JUST TO FIND OUT THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS ON BOTH SIDES, AT THE 1ST BEND. THE WATER WAS DRIPPING AT A FAST PACE. I HAD THE TOP CHECKED OUT FOR ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO PURCHASING AT WHICH I WAS TOLD NOTHING APPEARED TO BE NEEDED. THE WEATHER STRIPPING AND TOP HAD NO CRACKS ARE SIGN OF WEAR. JUST ANOTHER HEADACHE WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID

10726724

Incident

Feb 7, 2015

Mileage

77,268 mi

I WAS DRIVING WHEN I SUDDENLY LOSS MY POWER STEERING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10712877

Incident

Apr 24, 2015

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR TURNS OFF EVEN THOUGH A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE LATEST RECALL NOTICE BUT MINI USA HAS NOT INCLUDED MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10706703

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi

THE PASSENGER DETECTOR ON MY PASSENGER SEAT HAS FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN MINI COOPERS AND BMWS OF THIS AGE. THE FIX IS COMPLETE $1500 SEAT REPLACEMENT AT THE DEALER. BMW HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE PARTS FOR ALL THE BMWS WHERE THIS OCCURS, BUT NOT THE MINIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701510

Incident

Mar 11, 2015

Mileage

100,811 mi

ON THE FIRST DAY OF OCCURRENCE, THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING. VERY DIFFICULT AND HARD STEERING. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. MANAGED TO PARK SAFELY. STOPPED CAR AND TURNED OFF IGNITION. WAITED A FEW MINUTES. TURNED ON IGNITION AND NORMAL POWER STEERING RESUMED. OCCURRED ONE MORE TIME ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER. OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE COMING DAYS. IF IGNITION IS SHUT OFF THEN TURNED BACK ON, IT WILL RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULT STEERING AND MAINTAINING OF LANE ESPECIALLY ON CURVED ROADS AND TURNS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694585

Incident

Mar 11, 2015

Mileage

58,400 mi

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR/MAT FAILS WHICH RESULTS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG BEING DISABLED. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY FOR THE PASSENGER IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT COSTS OVER $1300 TO FIX BUT MINI WILL NOT ISSUE A WARRANTY CLAIM FOR IT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT MINI WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ISSUED BY BMW (NHTSA CAMPAIGN 13V564000). *TR

NHTSA ID

10676540

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE RESULTING IN HARD TO STEER SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654845

Incident

Sep 20, 2012

Mileage

61,000 mi

SAW ON THE WEB THAT MINI RECALLED AND THEN EXTENDED WARRANTY RECALL ON AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW DAYS AGO, BUT I CAN NOT FIND ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE TRUTH IN THAT STATEMENT. SUPPOSEDLY 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10633101

Incident

Sep 5, 2014

Mileage

70,685 mi

POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED RESULTING IN NEAR ACCIDENT. UPON REVIEW OF THIS SITE WARRANTY EXTENSION ON POWER-ASSIST STEERING PUMP AND COOLING FAN PUMP WAS ISSUED. DESPITE THE EXTENSION OF WARRANTY AND LACK OF DEALER OR AUTHORIZED SERVICE FACILITY IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, MINI REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY UNLESS CUSTOMER TOWED VEHICLE, AT CUSTOMER'S EXPENSE, TO NEAREST AUTHORIZED DEALER WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES AWAY. LEAVING WARRANTY EXTENSION ON KNOWN PROBABLE DEFECTIVE CONDITION WORTHLESS. BELIEVE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED RELATING TO POWER ASSIST STEERING PUMP FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627535

Incident

Aug 22, 2014

Mileage

40,732 mi

DRIVING APPROX. 15 MILES - MOSTLY INTERSTATE - TO ATTEND A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY DINNER. WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT, LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. I PROCEEDED TO A PARKING SPACE AND SAW SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I RELEASED THE HOOD I COULD SEE AN ORANGE GLOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE (NIGHT TIME). WITHIN 30 SECONDS IT BURST INTO FLAMES. A 911 CALL TO LOCAL FIRE FIGHTERS WAS PLACED WHO RESPONDED WITHIN 15 MINUTES. SINCE THERE WERE TWO RESTAURANTS IN THE COMPLEX, EMPLOYEES OF EACH ONE HAD COME OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY WORK PLACE, FROM MY WORK PLACE TO ANOTHER CITY FOR REPAIRS. ONLY THE ACTUAL REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NOT THE TOWING OR RENTALS. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND A WEEK AFTER PICKING MY CAR UP, I HAD OTHER THINGS TO GO OUT ON THE CAR CAUSED BY THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE. (DOMINO EFFECT). THE CAR HAD TO GO BACK INTO A SHOP WHERE IT TOOK MORE THAN 3 WEEKS TO GET ALL PARTS IN AND REPAIRS MADE, WHILE I INCURRED YET MORE EXPENSE OF A RENTAL CAR. I AM NOW IN DEBT ALMOST $3,000.00 AS A DIRECTLY RESULT OF THIS FAULTY SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10609876

Incident

Feb 26, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE BY MINI USA. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE AND UNSAFE AS THE TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME, STRANDING THE DRIVER OR CAUSING A FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574290

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

77,000 mi

AROUND JUNE 2008 MY MINI COOPER S 2005 BEGAN EXHIBITING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENT SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT RPM. I EXPERIENCED SLOW, OR SLUGGISH ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON SPORADICALLY. I TOOK MY MINI, WHICH WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY IN FOR SERVICE TO BMW/MINI OF SAN ANTONIO AND WAS REASSURED THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING NORMAL SHIFTING MECHANICS. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO DETECT WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON. I EXPERIENCED THESE IDIOSYNCRATIC ISSUES CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEGAN TO NOTICE THE CAR JUMPING HIGHER AND LOWER IN SPEED DURING ACCELERATION IN MORE REGULAR INTERVALS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010 THE ENGINE WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR, SECONDS AFTER FAILING TO CHANGE GEARS EFFECTIVELY. AT TIMES, THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DROP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I BEGAN TAKING MY CAR INTO A BMW/MINI CERTIFIED SHOP IN AUSTIN, TX. AFTER MUCH TIME, MONEY, AND TROUBLE, PLUS MANY VISITS TO THE MECHANIC, MY MINI COOPER'S CONDITION DETERIORATED COMPLETELY. WHILE IN BUSY TRAFFIC MY MINI LURCHED FORWARD AND STALLED COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING BEFORE I COULD GET IT OFF THE BUSY ROADWAY. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY VEHICLES BEHIND MINE, THESE DRIVERS HAD TO MAKE EXTREME EVASIVE MANEUVERS IN ORDER NOT TO HIT ME, THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM, OR BE REAR ENDED THEMSELVES. THIS UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS INCIDENT ENDANGERED MY LIFE, AND WAS THE LAST FOR MY MINI, RESULTING IN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN JULY 2011. I SOUGHT OPINIONS ON MY OPTIONS, SHOP QUOTES TO FIX MY VEHICLE, ALL AROUND $10,000. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED OR ALTERED, IT STANDS AS IT DID THE DAY OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE SHOP TO STORAGE. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE DOCUMENTED. WHY WAS THERE NO RECALL? CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW JERSEY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563887

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

48,022 mi

CAME HOME ON TUESDAY NIGHT FROM MY GIRLFRIENDS HOUSE THEN IN THE MORNING MY BATTERY WAS DEAD. AS CONFUSED AS I WAS SINCE I KNEW I DIDNT LEAAVE ANY LIGHTS OR ANYTHING ON WENT AHEAD AND DECIDED TO JUMP THE CAR AND AS SOON AS I CONNECTED THE CABLES I HEARD A NOISE ALMOST LIKE A FAN NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. I THEN PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND SEE OR TRY AND HEAR WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. DECIDED TO LIFT THE CAR UP AND GET UNDERNEATH TO SEE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM AND SURE ENOUGH IT WAS FROM INSIDE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. CHECKED FLUIDS AND WAS OK BUT FOR SOME ODD REASON THE PUMP JUST STAYS ON WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF SO TO PREVENT BATTERY DRAINAGE I HAVE TO DISCONNECT A BATTERY TERMINAL EVERY TIME I NEED TO USE THE CAR. IM REQUESTING THAT MINIUSA TAKE CARE OF THIS BEING THAT THERE IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559454

Incident

Jan 8, 2014