2002 MINI Cooper Steering Problems
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2002 MINI Cooper, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 74,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering pump” (41% of reports).
- 61steering complaints
- 74,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 15%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.
- Steering pump: mentioned in 25 of 61 complaints (41%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2002 MINI Cooper at $1,600, and half of them between $1,500 and $1,750.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 58 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 61 complaints, 4 a fire.
MINI Cooper steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Cooper | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2020 Cooper | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2019 Cooper | 4 | 33% | 38 |
| 2017 Cooper | 1 | 4% | 1,700 |
| 2016 Cooper | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2015 Cooper | 2 | 4% | 150,000 |
| 2014 Cooper | 2 | 6% | 5,300 |
| 2013 Cooper | 1 | 2% | 37,000 |
| 2012 Cooper | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2011 Cooper | 3 | 4% | 35,500 |
| 2010 Cooper | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2009 Cooper | 4 | 3% | 68,794 |
| 2008 Cooper | 4 | 3% | 89,072 |
| 2007 Cooper | 4 | 3% | 59,000 |
| 2006 Cooper | 53 | 27% | 76,602 |
| 2005 Cooper | 276 | 74% | 72,000 |
| 2004 Cooper | 238 | 84% | 74,550 |
| 2003 Cooper | 159 | 50% | 81,000 |
| 2002 Cooper | 61 | 33% | 74,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
So i bought a 2002 mini cooper less than a year ago and it currently has 74k miles and attempting to pull into a parking spot at the grocery my steering goes completely out while i was trying to turn into my spot and ripped off a black molding that goes over the front passenger wheel and a…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper. While driving approximately 50 mph, the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road. The contact powered off and restarted the vehicle, and was able to drive normally. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering would suddenly malfunction causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering pump had over heated…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 MINI Coopers have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about steering for the 2002 MINI Cooper (33% of the 187 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 MINI Cooper steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 74,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2002 MINI Cooper?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,600 (half paid between $1,500 and $1,750), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2002 MINI Cooper?
The most frequent phrase is “steering pump”, in 25 of 61 complaints.
See all 2002 MINI Cooper problems or steering problems across all Cooper years.