MINI Cooper S Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 172 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the MINI Cooper S across 18 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (23). The words owners use most often: “power steering pump” (11% of reports).
- 172electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 56%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.
- Power steering pump: mentioned in 19 of 172 complaints (11%)
- Smoke hood: mentioned in 12 of 172 complaints (7%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 11 of 172 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 135 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 172 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 39 a fire, 5 an injury.
MINI Cooper S electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Cooper S | 1 | 100% | — |
| 2020 Cooper S | 1 | 20% | 1,400 |
| 2019 Cooper S | 2 | 40% | — |
| 2017 Cooper S | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2016 Cooper S | 1 | 11% | 67,000 |
| 2015 Cooper S | 2 | 11% | 20,000 |
| 2013 Cooper S | 9 | 38% | 62,137 |
| 2012 Cooper S | 13 | 57% | 116,000 |
| 2011 Cooper S | 16 | 52% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Cooper S | 4 | 7% | 65,284 |
| 2009 Cooper S | 13 | 11% | 55,000 |
| 2008 Cooper S | 8 | 5% | 39,950 |
| 2007 Cooper S | 13 | 5% | 71,270 |
| 2006 Cooper S | 23 | 12% | 69,000 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 23 | 7% | 64,150 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 19 | 8% | 79,330 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 14 | 6% | 71,500 |
| 2002 Cooper S | 9 | 11% | 67,537 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system
Model years: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Starter started smoking at start up! And clutch failure at traffic light!!!! No accident occurred because of experienced driver!
Failure of the Footwell Module failed due to corrosion by water intrusion as diagnosed by Mini Dealership. Windows, Turn signals and lights were inoperable as a result of failure. This matched the situation outlined in your recall notice Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-337. Car matched the…
Water apparantly was going thru the sunroof and clogging the drains-- No water seeped into the car or from the roof-- It went through the interior of the car nor did it ever get into the vehicle floor so no way to even be aware of car accumlating water- This interior water damage nd destroyed the…
The contact owns a 2007 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that water was entering the vehicle through the sunroof. The contact stated that the water was collecting inside the headliner and would overflow and leak down the driverâs and passengerâs side sun visors and into the electronics of the…
The contact called on behalf of the owner of the 2013 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passengerâs side window was inoperative. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed and determined that the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all MINI Cooper Ss have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 172 owner complaints about electrical system for the MINI Cooper S. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the MINI Cooper S electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the MINI Cooper S?
The most frequent phrase is “power steering pump”, in 19 of 172 complaints, followed by “smoke hood” (12).
Other MINI Cooper S problems
- Steering problems (669)
- Engine problems (339)
- Air Bags problems (260)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (186)
- Power Train problems (114)
See all MINI Cooper S problems.