2003 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 4th out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (129 complaints, 59%), typically at around 80,023 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 21 fires, 11 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 217owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 | 129 | 59% | 80,023 | “steering pump” (47%) | $1,650 |
| Visibility | 33 | 15% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 6% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 5% | 28,639 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 4% | 41,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 4% | 28,639 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 4% | 37,282 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 3% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 3% | 42,900 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 2% | 2,004 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 70,111 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 1,971 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 30,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 MINI Cooper S recalls (2)
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.
Suspension:rear:shock absorber
Problem: On certain vehicles, the lower screw connection of the rear struts to the chassis may fail. The head (top) of the screw securing this connection may break. The remaining portion of the screw will still hold the strut in place.
Risk: If left unattended over a period of time, and depending on driving conditions, the remaining portion of the screw may break. If it broke, the chassis would lean directly on the tire diminishing the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lower screw connection of the rear struts. Owner notification began april 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
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.
- Air bag warning lamp illumination (PE05053) — opened Sep 27, 2005, closed Mar 1, 2006.
- Air bag warning lamp illumination (DP05006) — opened Sep 19, 2005, closed Oct 6, 2005.
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 2003 Mini Cooper S equipped with Falken Tires, Tire Line: Sincera SN250 A/S, Tire Size: 235/45R17, DOT Number: FMHR3120. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, he noticed that a bubble had developed on the front driverâs side tire. The contact was concerned for his…
I was starting my vehicle and it made a bad knocking noise then it was like crunching noise so i stopped turn it off and waited for a while went back to the car still making a strange noise but once i put it in the drive it stopped making noise drove down the road a bit and talking about apparently…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE MAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE WARNING LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MINI OF BIRMINGHAM LOCATED AT 2001 TOM WILLIAMS WAY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35210…
We know of twice that our car's power steering pump failed while in motion. After bmw was finally forced into a recall for the power steering pump failure and we received a notification, we took our car to century bmw in greenville, sc. The service department checked our work regarding replacement…
Power steering pump failed while driving
Other MINI Cooper S years
← 2002 Cooper S · 2004 Cooper S →
| 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 | 217 | 2 |
| 2002 Cooper S | 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 2003 MINI Cooper S?
Owners most often report steering, visibility, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 129 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 MINI Cooper S?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.