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2006 Mini Cooper S

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Cooper S years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Mini Cooper S are substantially higher than the model-year median of 23.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

161 reports with mileage · 25 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports9 fire reports6 injury reports

Steering complaints

48 reports
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106,000 miles · Mar 31, 2016
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING LINE AND PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING LINE AND PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000.(STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

NHTSA ODI #10852717

40,700 miles · Nov 20, 2015
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,700. UPDATE 01/15/16 MA;UPDATE 04/25/18*JB THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS REPAIR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,700. UPDATE 01/15/16 MA;UPDATE 04/25/18*JB THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON NOV. 26, 2015 BY THE OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10795041

82,400 miles · Oct 23, 2015
Steering

SIGNS OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. WHINING NOISE RANDOMLY GOT LOUDER. FLUIDS TOPPED UP, NO LEAKS. THERE IS A RECALL FROM BMW THAT COVERS 2002-2005 MODELS. THIS PUMP ONLY HAS 82,400 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #10785542

140,000 miles · Sep 17, 2015
Steering

MY MINI COOPER HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I NOTICED THAT 2002 THROUGH 2005 HAS BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE BUT NOT 2006? AND NOW I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY POWER STEERING?

NHTSA ODI #10764615

183,000 miles · Apr 19, 2015
Steering

SIMPLY DRIVING TO THE STORE ON MY DAY OFF THE POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY STOPPED, MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK HOME SLOWLY. I PARKED IT AND RESEARCHED THE ISSUE. FIRST I FOUND OUT HOW EXPENSIVE A NEW PUMP WAS. THEN I HAD TO WAIT TILL I COULD AFFORD TO BUY ONE. BUT EVEN THE NEW O…

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SIMPLY DRIVING TO THE STORE ON MY DAY OFF THE POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY STOPPED, MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK HOME SLOWLY. I PARKED IT AND RESEARCHED THE ISSUE. FIRST I FOUND OUT HOW EXPENSIVE A NEW PUMP WAS. THEN I HAD TO WAIT TILL I COULD AFFORD TO BUY ONE. BUT EVEN THE NEW ONE DOES NOT WORK. I INSTALLED IT YESTERDAY 18 APR 2015. I FOLLOWED STRICT INSTRUCTIONS AND MADE SURE EVERYTHING WAS CLEAN AND SECURED. BUT WHEN I LOWERED THE CAR AND STARTED IT THE NEW PUMP DID NOT OPERATE AT ALL, HENCE THE CAR IS STILL UNUSABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10706497

84,000 miles · Aug 5, 2014
Electrical SystemSteeringFire

I BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER A 2006 MINI COOPER S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. TODAY I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT TO WORK HERE AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AFTER I GOT TO WORK I DECIDED TO GO GET BREAKFAST SO WHEN I WALKED OUT OF MY OFFICE I HEARD A CAR ALARM GOING OFF AND WHEN I ROUNDED THE CORNER I SAW MY DAUGHTER'S CAR BILLOWING …

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I BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER A 2006 MINI COOPER S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. TODAY I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT TO WORK HERE AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS. A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AFTER I GOT TO WORK I DECIDED TO GO GET BREAKFAST SO WHEN I WALKED OUT OF MY OFFICE I HEARD A CAR ALARM GOING OFF AND WHEN I ROUNDED THE CORNER I SAW MY DAUGHTER'S CAR BILLOWING SMOKE! I RAN INSIDE TO GET HELP AND WAS ABLE TO FIND TOOLS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I RAISED THE HOOD AND WAS MEET WITH A LOT OF HEAT, SMOKE AND A STRONG ODOR OF BURNT PLASTIC. THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING AND LIKE I STATED, HAD BEEN SITTING FOR OVER AN HOUR. AFTER CONDUCTING RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND OUT MINI USA HAD RECALLED SEVERAL MINI COOPERS FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP THAT HAD THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS. AFTER CALLING THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, AN HOUR AWAY, AND MINI USA I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL AND I AM LEFT TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR MYSELF. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME A COST OF $1000 TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. DURING MY ONLINE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER MINI OWNERS WITH THE SAME YEAR MODEL THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT MINI USA ISN'T WANTING TO FULLY COVER THE REPAIRS. I AM GLAD I WASN'T DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10619109

105,000 miles · May 1, 2014
Steering

MY POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAILING. VERY LOUD AND WHINY. READY TO FAIL AT ANY SECOND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585995

65,000 miles · Mar 20, 2014
Steering

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. PERSISTED UNTIL CAR WAS TURNED OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. HAPPENED SPORADICALLY AFTERWARD, THEN DISAPPEARED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS. ISSUE RETURNED AND NOW AFFECTS THE CAR MOST OF THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. WILL HAPPEN UPON STARTING THE CAR, OR WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573757

52,000 miles · Mar 18, 2014
Steering

I HEARD A LOUD HUMMING/SQUEALING TYPE SOUND--UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR'S STEERING WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. I HAD WONDERED WHERE THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM AND HAVING TO MAKE IT HOME I STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE CAR IN MY LANE AND MAKE LEFT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS--MAKING IT HOM…

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I HEARD A LOUD HUMMING/SQUEALING TYPE SOUND--UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR'S STEERING WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. I HAD WONDERED WHERE THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM AND HAVING TO MAKE IT HOME I STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE CAR IN MY LANE AND MAKE LEFT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS--MAKING IT HOME I NOTICED A DARK STAIN WHERE MY CAR WAS PARKED AND CHECKED THE STEERING FLUID WHICH WAS BONE-DRY. I HAVE CHILDREN--AFTER READING THESE POSTS I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THEM AND AM AFRAID TO BE ON THE ROAD EVEN AFTER PUTTING MORE FLUID IN THE RECEPTACLE AM FINDING IT ON MY DRIVEWAY. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR IN NOVEMBER WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573023

62,000 miles · Nov 21, 2013
Steering

I HAD ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL PUMP A YEAR AGO, AND I REPLACED IT. BUT LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AND I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS SLOW AND I WAS CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD FOR ME TO MAKE ANY TURN. I HAD TO CALL A TOWING COMP…

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I HAD ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL PUMP A YEAR AGO, AND I REPLACED IT. BUT LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AND I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS SLOW AND I WAS CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD FOR ME TO MAKE ANY TURN. I HAD TO CALL A TOWING COMPANY AND MY CAR IS NOW AT THE MINI DEALER IN CHICAGO. I ALREADY SPENT OVER 2 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR AGO AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS HAVING THESE ISSUES AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10553201

Official recalls

1

15V205000 · Air Bags:frontal

Apr 6, 2015

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.