repaired · 2017 Q2
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, potentially increasing the risk of a…
2005 MINI CooperProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 372 owner complaints about the 2005 MINI Cooper, most often about the steering. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-660 the manufacturer reports only 31% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 14, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 MINI Cooper has problems
372 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
276Steering10 crash/fire/injury
41Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
30Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury
25Power train
8Engine and engine cooling
7Seats
6Engine
5Structure
5Vehicle speed control
2110 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 276 | 10 |
| Air bags | 41 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 30 | 5 |
| Power train | 25 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 2 |
| Seats | 7 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 2 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 |
| 10 other systems | 21 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2005 MINI Cooper 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.
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…
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?
72kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 263 steering complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.
12under 30k miles210under 100k miles53100k 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
29 owners mentioned a cost$1,200median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,400
Air bags
13 owners mentioned a cost$1,200median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,236
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 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 median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 MINI Cooper safety ratings
2005 MINI Cooper w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 MINI Cooper, 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 owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to an…
The vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed me that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure is NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not…
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer informed the contact that there was…
Own a 2005 Cooper?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.