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2005 MINI Cooper S ConvertibleProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 61 owner complaints about the 2005 MINI Cooper S 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.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 37%Owner complaints614 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 2, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible has problems

61 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering374
Air bags150
Power train60
Engine and engine cooling30
Structure20
Seats10
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Electrical system10
Engine10
2 other systems20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2005 MINI Cooper S 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.

37%repaired · 2017 Q1

Air bags: frontal

Recall 15V-205 · Apr 6, 2015 · 91,800 vehicles · 33,603 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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?

65kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 34 steering complaints. 79% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles27under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2005 vs. every other Cooper S 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 S Convertible median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Loss of power steering assistEA11005 · closed Jan 5, 2016
    Led to recall 15V-660
In owners' words

What Cooper S Convertible owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11741577 · Jun 2, 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, [PHONE]) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS NOT SCHEDULED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS…
Complaint 11193136 · Apr 1, 2019 · 133,000 miles
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.
Complaint 11001581 · Jun 27, 2017 · 42,000 miles

Own a 2005 Cooper S Convertible?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.