2006 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 186 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 5th out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (67 complaints, 36%), typically at around 56,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 9 fires, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 186owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 67 | 36% | 56,000 | “passenger seat” (60%) | $2,100 |
| Steering | 48 | 26% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 23 | 12% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 22 | 12% | 63,741 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 8% | 33,063 | — | — |
| Seats | 15 | 8% | 59,473 | — | — |
| Visibility | 11 | 6% | 9,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 5% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 4% | 68,750 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 2% | 94,233 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2% | 23,805 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 2% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% | 300 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 58,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 4,793 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 19,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 78,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 MINI Cooper S 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.
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 2006 Mini Coop S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the passengerâs side seat occupancy mat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 mini cooper s. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag sensor light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger side air bag system was defective and…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY. THE SEAT BELT AND CHECK-ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BROWN MOTOR WORKS [redacted], LOCATED AT 4041 BROAD RIVER…
Power steering is malfunctioning. It come and goes for a couple of days while in a winding road. Took it to the dealer and they replace some lines. A few moths later it started having issues with at the beginning of the driving after the car has been idle for more than 2 hours. Now the power…
There is a constant fuel / gasoline smell in my car and outside the vehicle. No visible leaks. The smell is constant.
Other MINI Cooper S years
← 2005 Cooper S · 2007 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 | 186 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 314 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 247 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 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 2006 MINI Cooper S?
Owners most often report air bags, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 67 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.