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
What owners actually said
200 reports
43,400 miles · Jan 20, 2012
Air Bags
RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN GETTING BOTH THE YELLOW OVERHEAD AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR) AND THE RED WARNING LIGHT ON THE CENTER DASH. THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL GO OFF OCCASIONALLY, BUT ALWAYS SEEM TO RETURN. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER I AM CARRYING A PASSENGER OR NOT. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSOR…
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RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN GETTING BOTH THE YELLOW OVERHEAD AIRBAG OFF LIGHT (ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR) AND THE RED WARNING LIGHT ON THE CENTER DASH. THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL GO OFF OCCASIONALLY, BUT ALWAYS SEEM TO RETURN. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER I AM CARRYING A PASSENGER OR NOT. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE SEAT SENSOR OR A DEFECT IN AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I DO NOT WANT TO WORK ON THE SYSTEM MYSELF. MINI WEBSITES DISCUSS SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHTS ON EARLIER MODEL MINIS. I AM CERTAIN A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR '02-'03 MODELS. CURRENT RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE LATER BUILD YEARS SUCH AS MY '06, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TT
NHTSA ODI #10444698
Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2012
Air Bags
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MINI SERVICE WANTS APPROXIMATELY $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10444112
45,000 miles · Jan 5, 2012
Air Bags
PASSANGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED-. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10442504
58,000 miles · Nov 2, 2011
Air Bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE AIR BAG SENSOR THAT WAS FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE AIR BAG SENSOR THAT WAS FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
NHTSA ODI #10434019
46,996 miles · Oct 21, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
I WASDRIVING IN CT. WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. MY CAR WAS HAULED AWAY AND BMW (MINI COOPER) AND MINI OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN STAMFORD CT TRY TO CLAIM THAT THIS ENGINE WAS HYDROLOCKED. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN IT WAS NOT RAINING TO MAKE THIS CLAIM. ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10432326
52,246 miles · Sep 12, 2011
Steering
I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO A PARKWAY.HALFWAY THROUGH THE CURVE,MY STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. I HIT MY BRAKES AS THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB. I JUST MISSED HITTING A TREE. I CALLED A FRIEND TO SEE IF I LOST A BELT OR SOMETHING. WHEN HE STARTED THE CAR,THE STEERING WORKED. HE DECIDED…
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I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO A PARKWAY.HALFWAY THROUGH THE CURVE,MY STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. I HIT MY BRAKES AS THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB. I JUST MISSED HITTING A TREE. I CALLED A FRIEND TO SEE IF I LOST A BELT OR SOMETHING. WHEN HE STARTED THE CAR,THE STEERING WORKED. HE DECIDED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A SHOP FOR ME AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP TOLD ME I WOULD NEED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. HE SAID THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY MINI COOPERS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS GOTTEN KILLED BY THIS YET,BUT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE IT HAPPENS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10425122
79,000 miles · Aug 25, 2011
Air Bags
MY MINI COOPER HAS AIR BAG LIGHT ON. NO CAR ACCIDENT BEFORE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10421454
31,039 miles · Aug 22, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY FAN BELT THAT CONTROLLED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER WAS LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY FAN BELT THAT CONTROLLED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER WAS LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,039.
NHTSA ODI #10421044
8,000 miles · Aug 22, 2011
Steering
STEERING HAS BECOME DIFFICULT. MORE DIFFICULT THAN AN UNASSISTED STEERING SYSTEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10420975
71,000 miles · Jul 22, 2011
Air Bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,800.
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.
2006 Mini Cooper Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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