2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S Convertible years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible. That is the most of any Cooper S Convertible model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is steering (37 complaints, 61%), typically at around 65,188 miles. Complaints mention 4 fires. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 61owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 MINI Cooper S 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 | 37 | 61% | 65,188 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 25% | 55,806 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 10% | 76,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 5% | 48,022 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | 76,884 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | 42,611 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 2% | 70,685 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 42,611 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 28,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | 77,268 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 MINI Cooper S 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.
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 S. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the steering wheel was significantly loose and turned excessively. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel felt like it would detach from the column. There was no warning light illuminated. The…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WAS FAULTY. MINI OF LOVELAND (4055 BYRD DR, LOVELAND, CO 80538, [redacted]) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS NOT SCHEDULED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE…
Electric power steering pump has loud whine or moaning sound with only 42,000 miles on it. Fluid level is good and so far the power steering is still working. It does get louder while turning but also annoying when just idling.
Passenger airbag light has been on since 2013. Mechanics tell me that it is a weight-sensing mat on the seat. Mini recalled 2005 mini's but this one is not included in the recall. This is a very common problem with this year for this car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mini cooper s convertible. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, it was difficult to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that the power steering assist function failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed…
Other MINI Cooper S Convertible years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Cooper S Convertible | 3 | 1 |
| 2011 Cooper S Convertible | 4 | 2 |
| 2010 Cooper S Convertible | 10 | 1 |
| 2009 Cooper S Convertible | 9 | 1 |
| 2008 Cooper S Convertible | 7 | 1 |
| 2007 Cooper S Convertible | 8 | 2 |
| 2006 Cooper S Convertible | 36 | 1 |
| 2005 | 61 | 1 |
See all MINI Cooper S Convertible problems by year, every MINI model, or the MINI VIN decoder.
Similar MINI models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible?
Owners most often report steering, air bags, power train problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 MINI Cooper S 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 S Convertible a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper S 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.