2005 MINI Cooper Convertible Steering Problems
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible, 78% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 74,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering pump” (36% of reports).
- 75steering complaints
- 74,500median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 23%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering pump: mentioned in 27 of 75 complaints (36%)
- Hand turn: mentioned in 5 of 75 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible at $1,500, and half of them between $1,200 and $1,850.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2010–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 70 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 75 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
MINI Cooper Convertible steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Cooper Convertible | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2008 Cooper Convertible | 2 | 22% | 67,500 |
| 2006 Cooper Convertible | 10 | 37% | 81,800 |
| 2005 Cooper Convertible | 75 | 78% | 74,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 MINI Cooper Convertibles have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 75 owner complaints about steering for the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible (78% of the 96 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 74,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,200 and $1,850), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible?
The most frequent phrase is “steering pump”, in 27 of 75 complaints, followed by “hand turn” (5).