YearToAvoid

2005 MINI Cooper S Steering Problems

NHTSA has 212 owner complaints about steering problems in the 2005 MINI Cooper S, 68% of all 314 complaints for this model year. That is the highest steering complaint count among 19 Cooper S model years. These complaints report 4 crashes and 11 fires. Median mileage at failure: 70,000 miles.

Steering complaints
212
68% of 314
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
11
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
70,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 MINI Cooper S steering complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 3, 2008, latest Apr 16, 2025.

2005 MINI Cooper S steering complaints: complaints filed per quarter262008 Q42010 Q32012 Q12013 Q32015 Q12016 Q42018 Q42025 Q2
212 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q4 to 2025 Q2; peak 2010 Q4 (26).

Steering recalls for the 2005 MINI Cooper S

  1. NHTSA 15V660000Oct 15, 2015Steering86,018 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    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.

    Risk: 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.

Steering complaints by Cooper S model year

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

  1. 2005212 (68%)
  2. 200648 (26%)
  3. 20077 (3%)
  4. 20081 (1%)
  5. 20091 (1%)
  6. 20101 (2%)
  7. 20110 (0%)
  8. 20120 (0%)
  9. 20130 (0%)
  10. 20140 (0%)
  11. 20150 (0%)
  12. 20161 (11%)
  13. 20170 (0%)
  14. 20191 (20%)
  15. 20201 (20%)
  16. 20210 (0%)
  17. 20220 (0%)
  18. 20240 (0%)
  19. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 MINI Cooper S have steering problems?
NHTSA has 212 owner complaints about the steering in the 2005 MINI Cooper S, 68% of all complaints for this model year, including 4 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 70,000 miles.
Which MINI Cooper S year has the most steering complaints?
The 2005 MINI Cooper S has the most steering complaints (212), compared with 212 for the 2005.
Is there a steering recall for the 2005 MINI Cooper S?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 MINI Cooper S concerns the steering: 15V660000.

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.