Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2005 Mini Cooper S. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering Loss
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection Mat
- Summary
- 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
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (375)
375 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The steering is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 375 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 249 | 66.4% |
| Air bags | 86 | 22.9% |
| Electrical system | 24 | 6.4% |
| Power train | 19 | 5.1% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | 2.9% |
| Engine | 9 | 2.4% |
| Seats | 9 | 2.4% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 1.9% |
| Structure | 6 | 1.6% |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0.8% |
How 2005 compares with other Cooper S years
Best and worst Cooper S years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 83 | 1 |
| 2003 | 217 | 2 |
| 2004 | 247 | 2 |
| 2005 | 375 | 2 |
| 2006 | 222 | 1 |
| 2007 | 257 | 6 |
| 2008 | 175 | 5 |
| 2009 | 128 | 3 |
| 2010 | 69 | 4 |
| 2011 | 35 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 2005 Cooper S for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2005 Mini Cooper S FAQ
How many recalls does the 2005 Mini Cooper S have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 15V660000 (steering), 15V205000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2005 Mini Cooper S problems?
Owners filed 375 complaints with NHTSA. Steering (249), Air bags (86), Electrical system (24) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 2005 Cooper S compare with other years?
Among the 2002–2011 Mini Cooper S model years at least five years old, the 2011 drew the fewest complaints (35) and the 2005 the most (375). The 2005 drew 375. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.