2005 MINI Cooper Convertible Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper Convertible years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible. That is the most of any Cooper Convertible model year in the database (9 years). The most reported problem area is steering (75 complaints, 78%), typically at around 74,500 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 5 fires, 3 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 96owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 75 | 78% | 74,500 | “steering pump” (36%) | $1,500 |
| Air Bags | 7 | 7% | 44,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 7% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 6% | 70,595 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 30,030 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 128,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 58,900 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 4,400 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 66,890 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 4,400 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 MINI Cooper Convertible recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: 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.
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 not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of power steering assist (EA11005) — opened May 4, 2011, closed Jan 5, 2016, led to recall 15V660000.
- Loss of Power Steering Assist (PE10038) — opened Sep 24, 2010, closed May 10, 2011.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that she noticed a leak coming from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a power of steering hose leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to…
The transmission will cycle first through third and when it tries to go into 4th it slips and will not operate higher gears it caused me to lose my forward drive momentum as I was switching lanes and the car I was getting in front of almost ran into me.
My son drives this car and the power steering went out twice on him while driving. I need to get the pump replaced via the recall, but the nearest location is 200 miles from me. It is not safe to drive this car that far and I would have to drop it off and make another trip to pick it up. Towing…
The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist failed. The dealer was made aware of the recall but informed the…
Power steering pump stop working while driving turning in a city street
Other MINI Cooper Convertible years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cooper Convertible | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 Cooper Convertible | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 Cooper Convertible | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 Cooper Convertible | 13 | 3 |
| 2009 Cooper Convertible | 18 | 1 |
| 2008 Cooper Convertible | 9 | 1 |
| 2007 Cooper Convertible | 7 | 2 |
| 2006 Cooper Convertible | 27 | 1 |
| 2005 | 96 | 1 |
See all MINI Cooper Convertible problems by year, every MINI model, or the MINI VIN decoder.
Similar MINI models
Embed this 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible?
Owners most often report steering, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 75 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper Convertible model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.