YearToAvoid

2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 15 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible, 25% of all 61 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest airbag complaint count among 8 Cooper S Convertible model years. Median mileage at failure: 55,806 miles.

Airbags complaints
15
25% of 61
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
55,806 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 13, 2011, latest May 15, 2017.

2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible airbags complaints: complaints filed per month1Jul 2011Oct 2011Jan 2013Aug 2013Jan 2015Apr 2015Sep 2015May 2017
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2011 to May 2017; peak Jul 2011 (1).

Airbags recalls for the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible

  1. NHTSA 15V205000Apr 6, 2015Airbags91,800 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    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.

    Risk: 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.

Airbags complaints by Cooper S Convertible model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200515 (25%)
  2. 200618 (50%)
  3. 20075 (63%)
  4. 20083 (43%)
  5. 20091 (11%)
  6. 20102 (20%)
  7. 20111 (25%)
  8. 20120 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 15 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 55,806 miles.
Which MINI Cooper S Convertible year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2006 MINI Cooper S Convertible has the most airbag complaints (18), compared with 15 for the 2005.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 MINI Cooper S Convertible concerns the airbag: 15V205000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.