2004 Mini COOPER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
282 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
73,725 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 254 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 229 of 282 complaints (81.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 238 | 84.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 28 | 9.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 7.4% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 5.7% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 1.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.4% |
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 | 229 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 10 |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Pump | 6 |
| Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 5 |
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System | 5 |
| Engine | 4 |
Steering: 229; Electrical System: 15; Power Train: 12; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 10; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Pump: 6; Steering:Electric Power Assist System: 5; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System: 5; Engine: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 33 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 87 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 63 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 49 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 33; 50,000 to 74,999: 87; 75,000 to 99,999: 63; 100,000 to 149,999: 49; 150,000 and above: 9
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (87). 28 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 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 15 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 57 |
| 2011 | 66 |
| 2012 | 65 |
| 2013 | 31 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2004: 1; 2005: 3; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 15; 2009: 9; 2010: 57; 2011: 66; 2012: 65; 2013: 31; 2014: 6; 2015: 5; 2016: 9; 2017: 1; 2018: 4; 2019: 3; 2022: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 238 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 28 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 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 10090897 · 2004-09-13 (September 13, 2004)
I WAS DRIVING NORMAL. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) THE CAR MOVE A LITTLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLED. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS HONKING AND I QUICKLY SHIFT TO N AND TRIED STARTING AND THE CAR STARTED. MY CAR HAS ONLY 1650 MILES. I CALLED MINI THE NEXT DAY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALLS OR ISSUES KNOWN TO MINI AT THIS TIME. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114092 · 2005-03-14 (March 14, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY A VERY VERY SMALL PEBBLE SIZE STONE HITS UNDERNEATH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE WINDSHIELD IMMIDEIATLY SPIDERS ALL OVER THE WINDOW. I'VE BEEN TOLD ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BMW WINDSHIELDS WERE CORRECTED, BUT I'VE HEARD FROM OVER 20 FELLOW MINI OWNERS OF RANDOM CRACKING AND FAILURES WITHIN THE FIRST 2000 MILES!!! THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT ISNT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECUASE IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPACT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114092 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10115637 · 2005-03-15 (March 15, 2005)
THE WINDSHIELD IN THE CONSUMER'S 2004 MINI COOPER CRACKED ABOUT 4 INCHES TO THE LEFT OF THE VIN NUMBER. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE EDGE AND MOVED UP TO THE RIGHT. *NM THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A STRESS CRACK. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115637 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10120402 · 2005-04-29 (April 29, 2005)
COMPLAINT REGARDING THE POSITION OF THE HORN BUTTONS ON THE 2004 MINI COOPER S. *MR THE CONSUMER WOULD TRY TO HONK THE HORN BY PRESSING THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. *SC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10120402 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166011 · 2006-08-19 (August 19, 2006)
BRAKE FAILURE - WHILE COASTING IN "BRAKE AND RELEASE TRAFFIC", THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT CATCH. LOOKING DOWN AT MY FOOT, I WATCHED MY FOOT FLOOR THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FELT NO BRAKE PEDAL CATCH. LOOKING UP, MY CAR CONTINUED ROLLING FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR SUSTAINED OVER $2000 DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT AND THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT DAMAGED. A MONTH PRIOR, THE MINI DEALERSHIP HAD DONE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BRAKE WORK ON MY MINI. BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, I ASKED MINI IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN AIR BUBBLE OR SOMETHING E…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166011 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168569 · 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
MY 2004 MINI COOPER S HAS INCURRED TWO CRACKED WINDSHIELDS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, REQUIRING THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED. EACH CRACK OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AFTER A SMALL PEBBLE NICKED THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER DRIVING FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS I FIND THIS RATE OF OCCURRENCE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE. ALTHOUGH THE ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD MAY BE AT A STEEPER GRADE THAN MOST VEHICLES, MINI HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS A STRONGER THICKER WINDSHIELD. A RESOLUTION IS NEEDED TO PREVENT FELLOW MINI OWNERS FROM PURCHASING REPLACEMENT WINDS…
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10202353 · 2007-09-10 (September 10, 2007)
DRIVING TO WORK AND POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS FAILURE CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR, BUT IT TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING, IT IS LIKELY THAT SHE WOULD LOST CONTROL. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,515 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10207629 · 2007-11-01 (November 1, 2007)
PASSENGER SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW CEASED OPERATION IN THE 'UP' POSITION. DUE TO THE VEHICLE DESIGN, THE TOP OF THE WINDOW GLASS CAN NOW POTENTIALLY CONTACT THE DOOR FRAME WHEN CLOSING, PRESENTING A BREAKAGE HAZARD. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, THE WINDOW BEGAN TO OPERATE, THEN FAILED AGAIN SEVERAL WEEKS LATER - CURRENTLY INOPERATIVE. WIDESPREAD EVIDENCE ON THE INTERNET OF SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE - MINI COOPER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207629 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 ↗