2005 Mini COOPER CONVERTIBLE: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND MY STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY HARD AND ALMOST REFUSED TO COMPLETELY WORK AS I WAS ROUNDING A BEND! I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND SLOWLY INCH TO A SAFE PARKING SPOT. AFTER BEING SCARED OUT OF MY WITS, I CALMED DOWN AND PARKED MY CAR. I LET THE CAR SIT OVERNIGHT AND CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS FULL. I THEN LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MINI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MINI SAYS THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10273458 at NHTSA ↗

REGULAR DRIVING AT AROUND 6PM AT ABOUT 40MPH AROUND A BEND, COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE, THE CAR BECAME VERY HEAVY TO STEER, WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, AND NO WARNING LIGHTS. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS THE CAR FAILED TO STEER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, THE WARRANTY HAS BEEN OVER FOR 3 MONTHS AND MINI ARE SAYING A GOODWILL REPAIR MIGHT BE AVAILABLE, BUT WILL NOT DO A FREE DIAGNOSTIC, HELP US GET TO A DEALERSHIP OR PROMISE ANYTHING BEFOREHAND. A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP IS LIKELY NEEDED, AS PER THE EVIDENCE OF THE EUROPEAN RECALL, AND OTHER MIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10273665 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WHENEVER SHE PRESSED THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE SUNROOF OR CONVERTIBLE, THE DRIVERS SIDE OPENED BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS A LAPSE IN THE CABLE AND SHE'D THE ENTIRE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER HER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE IS A DEFECT THAT SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281950 at NHTSA ↗

NOTICED ON BRAND NEW TIRES THE TREAD ON LEFT TIRE WAS WORN TO THE CORE AND THE WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE ON INSIDE, THE RIGHT TIRE HAD EVERY LITTLE TREAD LEFT. THERE HAS BEEN 216 COMPLAINTS . NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE OR REPAIR OR REPLACE THE PARTS. THE TIRES HAD ONLY 4000 MILES ON THEM WHEN IT WAS NOTICED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283838 at NHTSA ↗

2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. JUST OVER 50,000 MILES. TODAY, WHILST DRIVING TO LUNCH, MY POWER STEERING FAILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING, IT JUST QUIT, MID-DRIVE. THE CAR IS NOW VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. LOOKING ONLINE, I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, YET THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS. HTTP://WWW.MINI2.COM/FORUM/FIRST-GENERATION-FAULTS-FIXES/49527-IMPORTANT-HAVE-YOU-HAD-POWER-STEERING-PUMP-FAILURE-PLEASE-VOTE-YES-NO.HTML. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287216 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ANOTHER DRIVER CRASHED INTO HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY. AS A CONSEQUENCE SPARKS FROM THE AIR BAG SHORT, CAUSED HER COAT TO CATCH ON FIRE. SHE SUFFERED 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON THE RIGHT ARM AND THE HEEL OF THE HAND. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND HER CASE WAS ESCALATED TO THE MANUFACTURER. SHE HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,000. UPDATED 3/8/10 *CN UPDATED 07/27/10*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289811 at NHTSA ↗

2005 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, WHILE MAKING A TURN, WITHOUT NOTICE MY POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED MY VEHICLE HAS APROX. 80K MILES ON IT. MINI IS REMANUFACTUING THE PUMP WITH DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS THIS TELLS ME THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL PUMP, THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO REPAIR THE ORIGINAL PUMPS FEE OF CHARGE NOT THE $800.00 THEY WANT JUST FOR THE PUMP. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10310122 at NHTSA ↗

HI, I'M WRITING TO REPORT THAT MY 2005 MINI COOPER, WITH LESS THAN 43K MILES IS IN NEED OF A THIRD TRANSMISSION. I NEARLY DID NOT MAKE IT HOME ONE EVENING BECAUSE THE JERKING MOTION THE CAR WAS MAKING AND BECAUSE THE ENGINE JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF. I NEARLY STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY, WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY WAS REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2007 AT 28K MILES. ON 12/16/08, I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION PAN AMONG OTHER THINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS THE ONLY KNOWN DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE TR…

Owner-reported narrative. 43 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320761 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-04-06 (April 6, 2015)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not function properly and, as a result, the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash.

Consequence: 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 not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.

Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.