Mini Cooper S Reliability
2,177 NHTSA complaints (2002–2025). Complaint rate: 35112.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2003–2009 Mini Cooper S. The 2019–2020 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: STEERING.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Mini Cooper S Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| STEERING | 639 | 3.4% |
| ENGINE | 338 | 0.6% |
| AIR BAGS | 243 | 4.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 163 | 3.1% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 133 | 2.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 90 | 1.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 52 | 0.0% |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 49 | 0.0% |
| SEATS | 39 | 0.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 36 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | — | 105 | 4 | 10 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | — | 258 | 16 | 28 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004AVOID | — | 279 | 7 | 8 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | — | 383 | 8 | 31 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006AVOID | — | 243 | 8 | 16 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007AVOID | — | 300 | 2 | 20 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | — | 197 | 1 | 12 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | — | 151 | 3 | 5 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010 | — | 78 | 1 | 7 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | — | 46 | 0 | 9 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012GOOD | — | 30 | 0 | 2 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013GOOD | — | 32 | 1 | — | View 2013View→ |
| 2014GOOD | — | 17 | 1 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015GOOD | — | 20 | 0 | 2 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016GOOD | — | 10 | 1 | 2 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | — | 8 | 1 | — | View 2017View→ |
| 2019GOOD | — | 5 | 0 | — | View 2019View→ |
| 2020GOOD | — | 8 | 3 | — | View 2020View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | — | 6 | 0 | — | View 2025View→ |
See also: Mini Cooper Saccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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