NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible Recalls & Complaints

The 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 61 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 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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

2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible owner complaints

Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible, describing incidents dated March 17, 2008 to April 1, 2026.

Most-cited components

Steering 37 complaints
Air Bags 15 complaints
Power Train 6 complaints
Engine 4 complaints
Structure 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint

Of the 61 complaints on file, 4 report a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11741577 · Filed June 2, 2026
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…
ODI #11193136 · Filed April 1, 2019
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…
ODI #11001581 · Filed June 27, 2017
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.

Read all 61 complaints

Owner-reported

2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible mileage at failure

55 of the 61 complaints on file for the 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Steering	Median 65,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–85,000 miles	Based on 34 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA11-005: Loss of power steering assist
Closed January 5, 2016
- Recall 15V-660

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

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 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

61 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible.

Steering

ODI #11741577

Incident: April 1, 2026 · Filed: June 2, 2026

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.

Steering

ODI #11193136

Incident: February 18, 2019 · Filed: April 1, 2019

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.

Steering

ODI #11001581

Incident: June 16, 2017 · Filed: June 27, 2017

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.

Air Bags

ODI #10985814

Incident: May 1, 2013 · Filed: May 15, 2017

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.

Steering

ODI #10980464

Incident: April 25, 2016 · Filed: April 25, 2017

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.

Power Train

ODI #10956757

Incident: January 9, 2017 · Filed: February 24, 2017

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

Steering

ODI #10947977

Incident: December 14, 2016 · Filed: January 27, 2017

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.

Steering

ODI #10818946

Incident: January 8, 2016 · Filed: January 8, 2016

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.

Steering

ODI #10794973

Incident: November 18, 2015 · Filed: November 19, 2015

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.

Air Bags

ODI #10783348

Incident: June 30, 2015 · Filed: October 19, 2015

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.

Other Mini Cooper S Convertible model years

Check your 2005 Mini Cooper S Convertible VIN

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

Check a Mini VIN