What years of the MINI Cooper S Convertible should I avoid?

NHTSA complaint data points to 2005 and 2006 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 86, the two highest of the eight model years covered.

Is there a best year for the MINI Cooper S Convertible?

No year earns a Good or Best verdict across the board; 2007 and 2009 are rated Good with complaint indexes of 29 and 43, the lowest among rated years.

What is the main problem with the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible?

Steering problems dominate, making up 61% of its 61 complaints, including power steering pump failures reported at a median mileage around 65,188 miles.

Does the MINI Cooper S Convertible have airbag recalls?

Yes. Recall 15V205000 covers 2005-2006 (and other) model years for replacement of the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, tied to airbag complaints that make up 33% of all complaints across years.

Are 2008 and 2010 safe choices?

They are rated Caution, with complaint indexes of 57 and 71, higher than the Good-rated 2007 and 2009 but lower than the Avoid years 2005 and 2006.

MINI Cooper S Convertible Best and Worst Years (2005–2012)

Avoid the 2005 and 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible: 2005 has a complaint index of 100 (the worst of all years) driven by steering failures, while 2006 sits at 86 with heavy airbag complaints. No year is rated Best; 2007 and 2009 are the strongest choices with complaint indexes of 29 and 43.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2005 Avoid 2006

Model years: 8; 2005–2012
NHTSA complaints: 138
Recall campaigns: 4
Crashes reported: 0
Fires reported: 10
Top problem area: Airbags

Cooper S Convertible Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

MINI Cooper S Convertible problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Avoid	100	61	4	1	Steering	24	—
2006	Avoid	86	36	2	1	Airbags	24	—
2007	Good	29	8	1	2	Airbags	23.5	—
2008	Caution	57	7	1	1	Structure & Body	23.5	—
2009	Good	43	9	0	1	Engine	28	—
2010	Caution	71	10	1	1	Engine	28	—
2011	No verdict	14	4	1	2	Electrical System	29	—
2012	No verdict	0	3	0	1	Electrical System	29	—

Cooper S Convertible years to avoid: what went wrong

2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible Index 100 · 61 complaints · 1 recalls

The 2005 model has the highest complaint index (100) of all years covered, with 61 total complaints. Steering problems dominate, making up 61% of its complaints, including reports of power steering pump failures that owners say caused burning smells and, in some cases, fires, at a median mileage of about 65,188 miles. Airbags account for another 25% of complaints, with occupant-detection issues triggering false warning lights. One recall (15V205000) covers airbag occupant-detection mats. Engine coolant leaks and brake wear were also reported, with engine issues showing a median failure mileage near 64,011 miles.

2005 steering problems →2005 airbags problems →

2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible Index 86 · 36 complaints · 1 recalls

The 2006 model ranks second-worst with a complaint index of 86 across 36 complaints. Airbags are the top concern, at 50% of complaints, tied to the same 15V205000 recall covering the passenger occupant-detection mat, with a median failure mileage of 59,500 miles. Structure & Body issues, 19% of complaints, include reports of heated seats smoking or catching fire while in use. Steering problems, seen in the 2005 model too, appeared here as intermittent power steering loss, and engine complaints included stalling linked to reprogramming errors.

2006 airbags problems →

Most common MINI Cooper S Convertible problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Airbags45 (33%)
Steering44 (32%)
Engine24 (17%)
Structure & Body16 (12%)
Transmission & Powertrain14 (10%)
Electrical System10 (7%)
Brakes8 (6%)
Other8 (6%)
Seat Belts4 (3%)
Fuel System2 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What years of the MINI Cooper S Convertible should I avoid?: NHTSA complaint data points to 2005 and 2006 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 86, the two highest of the eight model years covered.
Is there a best year for the MINI Cooper S Convertible?: No year earns a Good or Best verdict across the board; 2007 and 2009 are rated Good with complaint indexes of 29 and 43, the lowest among rated years.
What is the main problem with the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible?: Steering problems dominate, making up 61% of its 61 complaints, including power steering pump failures reported at a median mileage around 65,188 miles.
Does the MINI Cooper S Convertible have airbag recalls?: Yes. Recall 15V205000 covers 2005-2006 (and other) model years for replacement of the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, tied to airbag complaints that make up 33% of all complaints across years.
Are 2008 and 2010 safe choices?: They are rated Caution, with complaint indexes of 57 and 71, higher than the Good-rated 2007 and 2009 but lower than the Avoid years 2005 and 2006.