2003 MINI Cooper Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2003 MINI Cooper, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cvt transmission” (27% of reports).
- 89power train complaints
- 70,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $12,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%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.
- CVT transmission: mentioned in 24 of 89 complaints (27%)
- Steering pump: mentioned in 6 of 89 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2003 MINI Cooper at $12,350, and half of them between $11,650 and $12,900.
Based on 31 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2013), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 83 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 89 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
MINI Cooper power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Cooper | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2020 Cooper | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2019 Cooper | 2 | 17% | 38 |
| 2017 Cooper | 6 | 21% | 10,000 |
| 2016 Cooper | 6 | 21% | — |
| 2015 Cooper | 10 | 18% | 25,000 |
| 2014 Cooper | 8 | 24% | 6,500 |
| 2013 Cooper | 3 | 6% | 49,000 |
| 2012 Cooper | 3 | 5% | 22,615 |
| 2011 Cooper | 9 | 11% | 11,022 |
| 2010 Cooper | 3 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2009 Cooper | 5 | 3% | 77,500 |
| 2008 Cooper | 12 | 10% | 50,500 |
| 2007 Cooper | 5 | 4% | 50,000 |
| 2006 Cooper | 20 | 10% | 72,500 |
| 2005 Cooper | 25 | 7% | 58,969 |
| 2004 Cooper | 26 | 9% | 62,000 |
| 2003 Cooper | 89 | 28% | 70,000 |
| 2002 Cooper | 43 | 23% | 60,000 |
| 2001 Cooper | 3 | 50% | 73,062 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2003 MINI Cooper. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While in motion, car began to become jerky while excelerating, than the transmission disingaged. No gear would work thereafter.
Windshield cracked from the bottom where it meets the hood of the car. Driver's side window does not go down. I only hear a clicking sound. Water pump, oil pan and valve cover gaskets failed prematurely. I can't shift the car into first gear without multiple attempts.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mini cooper. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle started losing power. The accelerator pedal was being depressed with no response. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and was able to be drivin home at a low rate of speed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 MINI Coopers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about power train for the 2003 MINI Cooper (28% of the 320 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 2003 MINI Cooper power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2003 MINI Cooper?
Owners report a typical cost of $12,350 (half paid between $11,650 and $12,900), from 31 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2003 MINI Cooper?
The most frequent phrase is “cvt transmission”, in 24 of 89 complaints, followed by “steering pump” (6).
Other 2003 MINI Cooper problems
- Steering problems (159)
See all 2003 MINI Cooper problems or power train problems across all Cooper years.