2004 Mini COOPER S: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
247 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
74,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 231 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 202 of 247 complaints (81.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 212 | 85.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 10.9% |
| Engine operation | 15 | 6.1% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 2.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 202 |
| Electrical System | 18 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 8 |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Pump | 6 |
| Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System | 3 |
Steering: 202; Electrical System: 18; Air Bags: 8; Visibility:Windshield: 8; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Pump: 6; Steering:Electric Power Assist System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 34 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 72 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 56 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 46 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 72; 75,000 to 99,999: 56; 100,000 to 149,999: 46; 150,000 and above: 11
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (72). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 54 |
| 2011 | 78 |
| 2012 | 51 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
2004: 3; 2005: 3; 2006: 4; 2007: 6; 2008: 10; 2009: 3; 2010: 54; 2011: 78; 2012: 51; 2013: 14; 2014: 10; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2020: 3
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 212 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 27 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10062573 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)
04 MINI COOPER S HAD A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN (PROBABLY STRESS). HAD FIXED 2 WEEKS AGO UNDER WARRANTLY. NEW CRACK HAS DEVELOPED ALREADY. IN THE PROCESS OF RESOLVING CURRENT DEFECT. *AK THESE VEHICLES HAVE A DESIGN FLAW. YOU GUYS NEED TO ADD MINI TO THE LIST OF YOUR CARS. I AM GOING TO SELECT BMW BECAUSE BWM OWNS MINI.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062573 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086157 · 2004-08-04 (August 4, 2004)
OUR MINICOOPERS, 2004, RECEIVED A VERY SMALL CHIP. THE NEXT MORNING HALF OF OUR WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THIS CHIP. MY HUSBAND SPOKE WITH STEVE, A MINI REP IN HOUSTON, AND WAS TOLD THE WINDSHIELD HAD BE RECALLED DUE TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF STRESS ON THE WINDSHIELD. HE TOLD STEVE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE CHIP IS SO SMALL LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE WERE TOLD WITH THE CHIP THAT THE WARRENTY WAS VOIDED. WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. STEVE WENT ON TO TELL OF 5 DIFFERRENT STORIES OF MINI OWNERS HAVING …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10086157 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086536 · 2004-08-10 (August 10, 2004)
FIRST OCCASION - WINDSHEILD CRACKED ADJACENT TO VIN # LOCATION. SEPERATED FROM VEHICLE BODY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BUT TOOK 5 TO 6 WEEKS. EXCUSE WAS SUPPLIER CHANGED. SECOND OCCASION - ROCK CHIP ON INTERSATE. RESULT. SURFACE CHIP AND LAMINANT CRACK (1/4" TO 1/2" LONG). HAVE NOT REPLACED WINDSHIELD. WATCHING FOR ANY PROGRESSION IN SIZE. I'VE OWNED OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAD ROCKS AND SUCH COLLIDE WITH THE WINDSHIELD, BUT NONE THAT CRACKED SO EASILY.
Owner-reported narrative. 11,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10112628 · 2005-03-07 (March 7, 2005)
ON MARCH 5, 2005, A 2 INCH X 2 INCH L SHAPED CRACK WAS FIRST DEVELOPED AT THE MID BOTTOM SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE SHORT ARM OF THE L ORIGINATED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. ON THE NEXT DAY, AFTER PARKING INSIDE MY GARAGE OVERNIGHT, THE LONG ARM OF THE L PROPAGATED ANOTHER 2 INCHES. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING, THE CRACK FURTHER EXTENDED ANOTHER 1/4 INCH. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CRACK STARTED WITH NO OBVIOUS REASONS. THE ONLY SENSIBLE EXPLANATION IS DUE TO DESIGN OF THE BODY STRUTURE OR DEFECT FROM MINI COOPERS, AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112628 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10117974 · 2005-04-16 (April 16, 2005)
CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON A MINI. CRACK EXTENDS FROM RIGHT EDGE AND GOES TOWARDS CENTER AND THEN TURNS UP TOWARDS ROOF - CRACK ABOUT 12" LONG. NO STONE CHIP ANYWHERE ALONG CRACK.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10117974 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121327 · 2005-05-18 (May 18, 2005)
MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAD BEEN PARKED, UNTOUCHED, IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 2 DAYS. I GOT IN IT LAST NIGHT AND FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS A VERTICLA CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD EXTENDING FROM THE TOP CHROME MOLDING 14" DOWN, PARALLEL TO AND 5" FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE LOCAL DEALER SAID THAT MINI HAD A PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE IN THE PAST "BUT NOT NOW". AT HIS SUGGESTION, I RAN THE TIP OF A BALL-POINT PEN ALONG THE CRACK AND FOUND A "CHIP" AT THE TOP OF THE CRACK. THIS "CHIP" IS SMALLER THAN THE TIP OF THE BALL-POINT PE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10121327 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157152 · 2006-05-10 (May 10, 2006)
MY 2004 MINI COOPER S, DELIVERED IN JUNE OF '04, HAVING @ 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IS NOW ON ITS THIRD WINDSHIELD ALL DUE TO STRESS CRACKS. THE CRACKS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THERMAL INSTABILITY. I.E. COLD OUTSIDE/HOT INSIDE ETC. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF ONE 2003 MINI OWNER IN MA WHO HAS NOW HAD 6 WINDSHIELDS REPLACED SINCE PURCHASE. THE MINI COMMUNITY HAS DETERMINED THAT AFTERMARKET US MADE GLASS BY PPG DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPENSITY FOR SUCH FAILURES. I AM RELUCTANT TO CONTINUE GOING TO MY DEALER AS THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO T…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,105 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158252 · 2006-05-25 (May 25, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN 1 YEAR OF PURCHASE . ON MAY 24, 2006, WHILE DRIVING A SMALL OBJECT STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING A CRACK WHICH CAUSED THE FOURTH WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE TO MAKE THE WINDSHIELD CRACK SO EASILY. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE CRACKS WERE DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE OBJECT.
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158252 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V348000 · Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Reported: 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLAT TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE, AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL WILL NOT SOUND TO ALERT THE DRIVER TO A FLAT TIRE.
Consequence: DUE TO THE LACK OF AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF A FLAT TIRE, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO ACTUATE THE FLAT TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM'S AUDIBLE SIGNAL. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 13, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MINI CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT 1-866-275-6464.
NHTSA campaign record ↗15V660000 · Steering:Electric Power Assist System
Reported: 2015-10-15 (October 15, 2015)
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and 2005 Cooper and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance.
Consequence: 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 vehicle crash.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, replacing the components and wiring, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 10, 2015. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
NHTSA campaign record ↗