Mini COOPER S transmission problems
58 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
1,780 owner complaints analyzed
23 distinct recall campaigns
61,296 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 1,572 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
58 of 1,780 complaints match this topic (3.3%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10205083 · 2007-10-05 (October 5, 2007)
SIGNIFICANT AND REPEATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES CAUSED THE CAR TO RANDOMLY SWITCH INTO EML MODE, REDUCING ENGINE OUTPUT CRITICALLY. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THE ROAD SAFELY. AFTER SEVERAL INEFFECTUAL REPAIRS, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CAR WAS PARKED, EMERGENCY BRAKE SET, MANUAL TRANSMISSION SET IN FIRST GEAR. UNATTENDED, TURNED OFF WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR MOVED ITSELF SEVERAL FEET, HITTING ANOTHER CAR, BURNING OUT THE STARTER AND DRAINING …
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205083 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153123 · 2006-03-19 (March 19, 2006)
ONE MORNING DRIVING ABOUT 100 MPH GOING UP TO CT I PAY A TOLL TAKE OFF THE CAR HESITATES IN FIRST GEAR THEN GOES OK ABOUT A 2 MILES FROM THE TOLL I AM DOING ABOUT 100 MPH AND SWITCH TO THE RIGHT LANE AND THE CAR JUST STOP GIVING ME POWER SO I GO TO CHANGE TO 5TH GEAR NO LUCK SO I LET THE CAR ROLL TO THE SHOULDER CALL MINI ROADSIDE AND THEY TOW TO NEAREST DEALER TO MY HOUSE. THE DEALER HAS MY CAR FOR A TOTAL OF 8 DAYS AND TELL ME THE L/FRONT AXLE WILL NOT STAY IN THE TRANSMISSION. THEN THE DEALER SAY THAT ITS NOT COVERED@ FIRST THEN TELLS ME T…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153123 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293916 · 2009-11-29 (November 29, 2009)
FAILURE OF 2003 MINI COOPER MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY CAR HAS BEEN UNDER REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I FIRST NOTICED THE CAR LOSING POWER GOING UPHILL, THEN IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. NEXT MORNING I WAS UNABLE TO GET INTO REVERSE, WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AND SOME GEARS COULD NOT BE ENGAGED. AT A STOP LIGHT I BEGAN HEARING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE, LIKE METAL IN A BLENDER, THE CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR, I HAD TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. THE DEALER OFFERED NOTHING. MY PRIVATE MECHANIC FOUND METAL SHREDS THROUGHOUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233675 · 2008-07-09 (July 9, 2008)
(1) ON THURSDAY, JULY 3RD, I ATTEMPTED TO MANIPULATE A 90 DEGREE RIGHTHAND TURN IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S DURING MY VERY SHORT COMMUTE TO WORK AND DID SO ONLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTLY. FROM THAT POINT FORWARD MY CAR TURNS NEITHER LEFT NOR RIGHT PROPERLY AND ONLY WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR NOISES OF ANY KIND TO ALERT ME TO THE PROBLEM. MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER, WHO IS A TRAINED MECHANIC, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND IDENTIFIED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS THE PROBLEM. I ALSO SPOKE WITH SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HERB CHAMBERS BMW MINI OF BO…
Owner-reported narrative. 57,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10249834 · 2008-11-25 (November 25, 2008)
MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS 48,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I CANNOT CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE AND A HOST OF SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE COOPER. I THINK THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED FOR SAFETY ISSUES. THANKS, KAREN *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10249834 at NHTSA ↗