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…
2006 MINI Cooper SProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 186 owner complaints about the 2006 MINI Cooper S, most often about the air bags. 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 April 12, 2022. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 MINI Cooper S has problems
186 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
67Air bags
48Steering5 crash/fire/injury
23Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
22Power train2 crash/fire/injury
15Seats
15Engine and engine cooling3 crash/fire/injury
11Visibility
7Engine
4Fuel/propulsion system
1810 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 67 | 0 |
| Steering | 48 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 23 | 10 |
| Power train | 22 | 2 |
| Seats | 15 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 3 |
| Visibility | 11 | 1 |
| Engine | 7 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 2 |
| 10 other systems | 18 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2006 MINI Cooper S 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 air bags problems start?
55kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 60 air bags complaints. 88% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles53under 100k miles7100k 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.
Air bags
17 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $1,200 – $1,600
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
2006 vs. every other Cooper S 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 median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'19'20'21'22'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What Cooper S owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2006 Mini Coop S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the passenger’s side seat occupancy mat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND…
UPON STARTING MY CAR, AFTER BEING IN A STORE, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE A PASSENGER WAS IN THE SEAT. THE INDICATOR STAYED ON AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. I RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR A FAULTY PASSENGER AIRBAG COVERING MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, AND FOUND…
Own a 2006 Cooper S?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.