2002 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S years
- Far more complaints than other years 8th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 8th out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (57 complaints, 69%), typically at around 82,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 83owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 MINI Cooper S 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 | 57 | 69% | 82,000 | “steering pump” (35%) | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 16% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 11% | 67,537 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 6% | 43,072 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 4% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 1% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 86,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 MINI Cooper S recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
- Engine compartment fire (EA07011) — opened Aug 14, 2007, closed Aug 13, 2008.
- Engine compartment fire (PE07022) — opened Apr 19, 2007, closed Aug 15, 2007.
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 2002 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving normally. The vehicle was…
The vin # of my 2002 mini cooper s was not included in the recall for the electrohydraulic steering failure of 2002 - 2005 mini cooper s but i am experiencing the exact issue outlined in this recall. The steering is incredibly hard to turn when parked, as well as while driving. I noticed that the…
Purchased this car used with low miles. Shortly after purchase i noticed the steering on my vehicle got a little harder to steer, didn't think to much about it. Then the radiator fan would not turn off when the vehicle was off. Took the car in to two different mechanics to find the problem. Found…
Power steering suddenly stopped working. Making a whining noise when turning the wheel and the steering wheel itself is hard to turn. Not leaking any fluids and the power steering fluid in the reservoir is full.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS…
Other MINI Cooper S years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Cooper S | 4 | 3 |
| 2024 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 Cooper S | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 Cooper S | 5 | 2 |
| 2019 Cooper S | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 Cooper S | 6 | 3 |
| 2016 Cooper S | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 Cooper S | 18 | 4 |
| 2014 Cooper S | 13 | 4 |
| 2013 Cooper S | 24 | 1 |
| 2012 Cooper S | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Cooper S | 31 | 3 |
| 2010 Cooper S | 59 | 4 |
| 2009 Cooper S | 119 | 3 |
| 2008 Cooper S | 168 | 4 |
| 2007 Cooper S | 249 | 4 |
| 2006 Cooper S | 186 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 314 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 247 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 217 | 2 |
| 2002 | 83 | 1 |
See all MINI Cooper S 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 2002 MINI Cooper S?
Owners most often report steering, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 MINI Cooper S?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 MINI Cooper S a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper S model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.