NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Mini Cooper Convertible Recalls & Complaints

The 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 27 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mini dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2006 Mini Cooper Convertible owner complaints

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible, describing incidents dated May 9, 2009 to August 24, 2024.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 14 complaints
Steering 10 complaints
Electrical System 5 complaints
Seats 5 complaints
Power Train 3 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11613786 · Filed September 10, 2024
Power steering pump grinding. This was a recall on the 2002-2005 model but not the 2006. The same issue is happening with this car that happened with the recall vehicles and I would expect bmw to fix this problem. Thanks
ODI #11480699 · Filed August 23, 2022
Power steering pump went out while driving the car. Car was extremely hard to steer. Almost hit a guard rail. Had the car towed home and then to a garage. This is a known problem with Mini Coopers from year 2002 to 2006. Websites and Mini Cooper Forums are loaded with Power Steering Pumps failing…
ODI #11457645 · Filed March 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat occupant detection mat was replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V205000 (Air Bags) three years ago; however, the front passenger's side air bag warning light had been illuminating intermittently…

Read all 27 complaints

Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection Mat

NHTSA #15V205000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported April 6, 2015 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 91,800 vehicles

Repair completion: 36.91% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified October 12, 2015 · Vehicles built January 5, 2005 – July 31, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not function properly and, as a result, the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash.

Safety consequence

An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

27 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible.

Steering

ODI #11613786

Incident: August 24, 2024 · Filed: September 10, 2024

Power steering pump grinding. This was a recall on the 2002-2005 model but not the 2006. The same issue is happening with this car that happened with the recall vehicles and I would expect bmw to fix this problem. Thanks

Steering

ODI #11480699

Incident: July 9, 2022 · Filed: August 23, 2022

Power steering pump went out while driving the car. Car was extremely hard to steer. Almost hit a guard rail. Had the car towed home and then to a garage. This is a known problem with Mini Coopers from year 2002 to 2006. Websites and Mini Cooper Forums are loaded with Power Steering Pumps failing. No warning. Pump was confirmed to be the problem by an independent garage that only services high end german cars. Power Steering Pump was diagnosed to be bad on 8/04/2022. Car has a little over 60,000 miles on it.

Air Bags

ODI #11457645

Incident: March 7, 2022 · Filed: March 21, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat occupant detection mat was replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V205000 (Air Bags) three years ago; however, the front passenger's side air bag warning light had been illuminating intermittently. The contact stated that the front passenger's side air bag warning light would illuminate whenever a lightweight passenger or a heavier passenger would sit in the front passenger’s seat. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Air Bags

ODI #11417687

Incident: April 8, 2020 · Filed: May 18, 2021

Passenger air bag light went on and i took it to Mini dealer who diagnosed that ht passenger seat matt sensor failed and recommendedreplacement of seatmatt sensor I called Mini about safetyrecall NHTSA15V20500 of 4/6/2015, and they informed me my VIN/vehicle was not part of thatrecall

Steering

ODI #11375864

Incident: November 21, 2020 · Filed: November 23, 2020

I DROVE THE CAR EARLIER AND IT WAS FINE. I RETURNED HOME AND THEN HOURS LATER TRIED TO PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO FIND I COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN IT WENT OR I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. APPARENTLY AFTER READING ONLINE QUITE A BIT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR EVEN A CAMPAIGN OR BULLETIN. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE ALONE I'M FRANKLY SHOCKED. APPARENTLY BMW DEALERS ARE CLEANING UP DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR. I'M LOOKING AT A MINIMUM OF $1500. APPORX 60% OF VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE.

Steering

ODI #10959726

Incident: March 8, 2017 · Filed: March 9, 2017

POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VERY STIFF. HARD TO CONTROL. CAN'T TURN. SCARY!!!

Steering

ODI #10864428

Incident: May 7, 2016 · Filed: May 11, 2016

POWER STEERING RANDOMLY WHEN OUT WHILE IN MOTION. THANKFULLY, I WAS ON A LOCAL ROAD GOING SLOWLY WHEN IT HAPPENED. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON. POWER STEERING CAME BACK.

Air Bags; Seats

ODI #10721770

Incident: May 1, 2014 · Filed: May 27, 2015

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. SEAT CANNOT DETECT PASSENGER AND DISABLE AIRBAG. THERE IS A RECALL GOING ON, BUT IT DID NOT INCLUDE MY VIN NUMBER. MINI USA REPRESENTATIVE GAVE NO ANSWER, NO TIMELINE, NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. JUST TOLD ME TO WAIT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT'S BMW/MINI.

Steering

ODI #10644301

Incident: February 20, 2014 · Filed: October 13, 2014

FEBRUARY OF 2014 DRIVING MY 2006 CONVERTIBLE ON CURVY HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH. LOUD SHRIEKING NOISE AND THEN STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. TOWED TO MECHANIC. HAD STEERING PUMP & FAN REPLACED. TOTAL COST $1,038.54. 2005 MINI'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT DEFAULT. CALLED MINI AND THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE MINE IS A 2006. HOWEVER, MY MINI WAS MADE IN 2005. *TR

Electrical System; Air Bags; Seats

ODI #10595532

Incident: June 1, 2012 · Filed: June 2, 2014

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR SHOWS AIR BAG DISABLED INTERMITTENTLY, EVEN WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY FULL SIZED ADULT (OVER 140 POUNDS). THIS MEANS MY PASSENGER IS AT RISK OF SEVERE INJURY IN CASE OF CRASH, AS THE AIR BAG IS DISABLED. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THE LIGHT IS OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS NOT OCCUPIED. DITTO IF A 5 POUND LUNCH BOX IS ON THE SEAT. BMW/MINI REFUSES TO CORRECT THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECT IN MINIS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE MAKING FREE REPAIRS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN MANY BMWS OF SIMILAR YEARS, AND HAVE EVEN MADE AN WARRANTY EXTENSION OF MANY YEARS AND UNLIMITED MILES FOR AFFECTED BMWS. *TR

Other Mini Cooper Convertible model years

Check your 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mini Cooper Convertible at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Mini VIN