repaired · 2017 Q1
Air bags: frontal
Risk. 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…
2005 MINI Cooper ConvertibleProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 96 owner complaints about the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible, most often about the steering. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-205 the manufacturer reports only 37% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 8, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible has problems
96 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
75Steering6 crash/fire/injury
7Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
7Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
6Power train
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Engine
2Seats
1Engine and engine cooling
1Service brakes, electric
44 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 75 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 2 |
| Air bags | 7 | 1 |
| Power train | 6 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 1 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 1 |
| Service brakes, electric | 1 | 0 |
| 4 other systems | 4 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2005 MINI Cooper Convertible recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with MINI.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
73kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 70 steering complaints. 74% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles52under 100k miles18100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $800 – $1,300
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Cooper Convertible year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cooper Convertible median. How we score
'05'06'07'08'09'16'22'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible, and the recalls they led to.
- Loss of power steering assistLed to recall 15V-660
- Loss of Power Steering AssistNo recall
In owners' words
What Cooper Convertible owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that she noticed a leak coming from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a power of steering hose leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to…
My son drives this car and the power steering went out twice on him while driving. I need to get the pump replaced via the recall, but the nearest location is 200 miles from me. It is not safe to drive this car that far and I would have to drop it off and make another trip to pick it up. Towing…
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist failed. The dealer was made aware of the recall but informed the…
Own a 2005 Cooper Convertible?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.