IllustrationPOWER STEERING COMPLETELY QUIT WORKING. CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. STOPPED AND TURNED OFF CAR FOR A WHILE. STARTED CAR AGAIN AND POWER STEERING WAS OK. NOW POWER STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT UNTIL CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES. *JS
2006 Mini Cooper
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Cooper years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Mini Cooper are substantially higher than the model-year median of 40.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cooper years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
90–25K
3225–50K
5350–75K
4475–100K
22100–150K
6150K+
166 reports with mileage · 34 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 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports8 fire reports8 injury reports
Steering complaints
53 reportsTHE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A HIGH PITCHED WHINE WHICH INCREASED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE AND I NOTICED WHEN I WOULD MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH THE NOISE BECAME MUCH MUCH WORSE, LEADING TO THE FAILURE OF MY POWER STEERING PUMP. MINI ISSUED A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMPS FOR THEIR 2001…
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THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A HIGH PITCHED WHINE WHICH INCREASED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE AND I NOTICED WHEN I WOULD MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH THE NOISE BECAME MUCH MUCH WORSE, LEADING TO THE FAILURE OF MY POWER STEERING PUMP. MINI ISSUED A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMPS FOR THEIR 2001-2005 MODELS (13 YEAR, 150,000 MILES.) MINE IS A 2006, I STILL DON'T THINK THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED FOR THIS YEAR OF MODEL AS I AM FINDING MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS ONLINE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH 2006 MINI POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. *TR
POWER STEERING PUMP STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING A 35MPH. STOPPED AND RESTARTED VEHICLE NO CHANGE, AN HOUR LATER PUMP WORKED AGAIN. *TR
EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2006 MINI COOPER STOPPED WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE PAVEMENT. THE CAR LEFT THE ROADWAY, NARROWLY MISSING A HIGHWAY SIGN (WOODEN POST), AND STOPPED IN A GRASSY AREA OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHAKEN BUT UNHURT. THE VEHICLE BODY DOES NOT APPEAR T…
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EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2006 MINI COOPER STOPPED WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE PAVEMENT. THE CAR LEFT THE ROADWAY, NARROWLY MISSING A HIGHWAY SIGN (WOODEN POST), AND STOPPED IN A GRASSY AREA OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHAKEN BUT UNHURT. THE VEHICLE BODY DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOW A LOUD RATTLE COMING FROM THE REAR OR UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING IS ALSO COMPLETELY GONE. THE CAR CAN BE DRIVEN BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO. *TR
THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR TOWNHOME. THAT AFTERNOON, MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON THE DOOR TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THAT SHE HAD HEARD A LOUD POP UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FIREFIGHTERS CAUTIOUSLY RAISED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT SOMETHING HAD CAU…
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THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR TOWNHOME. THAT AFTERNOON, MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON THE DOOR TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THAT SHE HAD HEARD A LOUD POP UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FIREFIGHTERS CAUTIOUSLY RAISED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT SOMETHING HAD CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THEY TOLD ME TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO WORKS ON OUR AUTOMOBILES, AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY SENT A CLAIMS AGENT TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND NUMEROUS OTHER PARTS WERE DAMAGED. *LN *TR
POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. DEALERSHIP MECHANICS STATED FAN AND PUMP HAD SEIZED. *JS
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED LATE AT NIGHT ON A LONG ROAD TRIP HOME. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL AND WELL KNOWN BY MINI/BMW. *JS
POWER STEERING LOSE THE POWER SUDDENLY, HARD TO TURN OR CHANGE LANE WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. CHECKED THIS CAR HISTORY, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS CHANGED AT BMW DEALER IN 3 YEAR AGO. THIS TIME THE STEERING LOST ITS POWER AGAIN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN IN AN INTERSECTION. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Official recalls
115V205000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.