AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 36 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible, most frequently naming the airbags, interior & seats and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2011 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2011 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 2011 | 1 | 4 |
| Jan 2012 | 2 | 6 |
| Mar 2012 | 2 | 8 |
| May 2012 | 1 | 9 |
| Mar 2013 | 1 | 10 |
| Apr 2013 | 2 | 12 |
| Sep 2013 | 1 | 13 |
| Mar 2014 | 1 | 14 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 15 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 16 |
| Nov 2014 | 2 | 18 |
| Mar 2015 | 2 | 20 |
| Apr 2015 | 1 | 21 |
| May 2015 | 1 | 22 |
| Jun 2015 | 4 | 26 |
| Aug 2015 | 1 | 27 |
| Oct 2015 | 2 | 29 |
| Dec 2015 | 1 | 30 |
| Jan 2016 | 2 | 32 |
| Mar 2017 | 1 | 33 |
| Apr 2017 | 1 | 34 |
| Apr 2018 | 1 | 35 |
| Aug 2019 | 1 | 36 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Airbags1836.0%
- Interior & seats612.0%
- Engine612.0%
- Steering510.0%
- Powertrain (other)510.0%
- Seat belts36.0%
- Electrical36.0%
- Brakes24.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME. MINI OF ST. LOUIS (40 SUNNEN DR, MAPLEWOOD, MO 63143, (314) 644-6464) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11246687
- Incident
- Aug 16, 2019
- Mileage
- 52,000 mi
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR (RECALL 15V-205, OC3 SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT) IN MY 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE HAS FAILED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH AND OVERHEAD STAY LIT AT ALL TIMES. RECALL ISSUED BY MINI IN 2015 COVERING EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED FOR SAME MAKE AND MODEL FOR YEARS 2005 - 2008. DEALER SHIP AND MINI USA BOTH SAY THE VIN NUMBER FOR MY 2006 S CONVERTIBLE IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS RECALL. HOW CAN THIS BE, THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR THE EXACT VEHICLES IDENTIFIED FOR THIS RECALL. MINI STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE IS THE CORRECT TYPE, MODEL AND YEAR BUT NOT PART OF THE RECALL BECAUSE IT PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME PART THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS FAILING INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO FOR ME AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE COST FOR THE FIX WILL BE AT LEAST $1,200 OUT OF POCKET. THIS COST IS RIDICULOUS AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED UNDER THE STANDING RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS OBVIOUS AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE!
- NHTSA ID
- 11091069
- Incident
- Mar 5, 2018
- Mileage
- 80,000 mi
I BOUGHT MY 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE FOR $9,393 IN NOVEMBER 2016 . WHEN DRIVING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP I HEARD SOME NOISE, SO I STOPPED AT A FOREIGN AUTO SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY REFUSED TO HELP, SO I HAD THEM REPLACED AT A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP FOR $2,500 . THEN HAD A BRAKE JOB FOR $394 AND SPENT OVER $1,000 AT A MINI DEALERSHIP . AND THEN PUT THE CAR IN STORAGE FOR 5 MONTHS. I DROVE IT FOR TWO DAYS ( ABOUT AN HOUR EACH DAY ) WHEN I HEARD A NEW NOISE AND IT WOULD HARDLY RUN , SO I PULLED IT OFF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY JUST NOTIFIED ME THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED , COSTING ME BETWEEN $5,000 AND $8,000 !!! NOT SURE WHAT TO DO.....HELP !!!!
- NHTSA ID
- 10979899
- Incident
- Apr 17, 2017
- Mileage
- 68,000 mi
6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER 82,000 MILES. THIS IN SPITE OF PROPER DEALER RECOMMENDED MAINAINANCE. COST TO REPAIR WAS THE SAME AS THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10965808
- Incident
- Feb 22, 2017
- Mileage
- 82,000 mi
I PUT THE HEATED SEAT ON WHILE DRIVING, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. THIS WITH LESS THEN 50,000 MILES AND A COST OF ALMOST $1000. I HAD TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION AND PUT OUT THE SMOKING SEAT WITH WATER. I'VE COMPLAINED TO MINI COOPER USA, WITH NO RESULTS.
- NHTSA ID
- 10822584
- Incident
- Jan 6, 2016
- Mileage
- 49,000 mi
WHILE DRIVING WITH THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER ON A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CAR. ADDITIONALLY, BEGAN FEELING EXTREME HEAT ON MY BACK. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND FOUND A SMALL FIRE ON THE SEAT BACK WHICH I HAD TO PAT OUT. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE SEAT HEATER HAD BEEN IN OPERATION ROUGHLY 5 MINUTES. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN AS THE SEAT HEATER SWITCHES ARE IN A LOCATION WHERE THEY ARE EASILY TURNED ON BY ACCIDENT. HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY THE DAMAGES COULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE AND INJURY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.
- NHTSA ID
- 10817499
- Incident
- Jan 4, 2016
- Mileage
- 122,000 mi
THE POWER STEERING IN THE CAR HAS STOPPED WORKING, VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. I JUST REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DUE TO THE BATTERY NOT CHARGING CORRECTLY, NOW THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE HAS TURNED ON. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2002 - 2005 CARS OF THE SAME TYPE FOR THIS REASON. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM TO BE THE SAME AND WOULD LIKE THE RECALL EXTENDED TO AT LEAST THE 2006 YEAR MODEL. WE WENT INTO AN OFFICE AND WHEN WE CAME OUT THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING. WE DROVE IT HOME AND ARE NOW WAITING ON THE PARTS TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP.
- NHTSA ID
- 10810077
- Incident
- Dec 11, 2015
- Mileage
- 82,500 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF 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 NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- NHTSA ID
- 10783225
- Incident
- Apr 15, 2015
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The energy diagnosis test module helps to localize these causes. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle âÂÂdischarged batteryâ complaints. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of a discharged battery cannot be identified. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time, it is very important that the diagnostic test plan is performed to completion; with all results taken into consideration.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Programming a Replacement EGS Module with ISTA/P. Programming a replacement electronic transmission control module (EGS) with ISTA/P requires the manual entry of the correct target basic and programmed part numbers. Programming concept.
ENGINE; EQUIPMENT
MINI Water Pump Class Action Settlement
STEERING
This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 32 02 14 dated August 2014. SUBJECT Installation of Right-Hand Drive Steering Spindle in Left-Hand Drive Vehicle is No Longer Required. Left-hand drive steering spindles are currently available.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
MINI: SOME VEHICLES HAVE TURBOCHARGER NOISE AND A LACK OR LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, DUE TO RESTRICTION OF TURBOCHARGER OIL SUPPLY, RESULTING IN OIL STARVATION AND SEIZING OF TURBOCHARGER ASSEMBLY. MODEL ALL. *PE
EQUIPMENT; STEERING
Electro-Hydraulic Power-Assist Steering Pump (EHPS) and Cooling Fan: Limited Warranty Extension to 13 Years/150,000 Miles. On affected vehicles, the electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) pump can fail.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.