2006 MINI Cooper S Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2006 MINI Cooper S ranks 5th worst out of 19 model years, with a complaint index of 78 and 186 NHTSA complaints. Airbags (36% of complaints) and steering (26%) dominate, with a power steering recall tied to fires. It's rated Avoid relative to other Cooper S years.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 78/100
- #5 of 19 Cooper S years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 186
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 1
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 4
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 9
- Injuries
- 7
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 29 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 7 / 0
Top 2006 MINI Cooper S problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags67 (36%)
- Steering48 (26%)
- Engine24 (13%)
- Electrical System23 (12%)
- Transmission & Powertrain22 (12%)
- Structure & Body16 (9%)
- Visibility & Wipers11 (6%)
- Other10 (5%)
- Fuel System7 (4%)
- Brakes4 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Power steering pump overheats and catches fire, sometimes filling the engine bay with black smoke.
- Power steering assist cuts out suddenly during turns, making the car hard to control and leading to curb strikes.
- Electrical system smokes or catches fire near the engine compartment, in some cases spreading into the cabin and melting the dashboard.
- Vehicle stalls or loses power shortly after purchase, sometimes requiring a dealer software reprogram.
- Windshield develops stress cracks unrelated to rock chips, appearing within months of purchase.
2006 MINI Cooper S recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- 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.
2006 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,300
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other Cooper S years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 MINI Cooper S a bad year?
- NHTSA data ranks it 5th worst of 19 Cooper S model years, with a complaint index of 78 and 186 complaints, mostly about airbags and steering. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 MINI Cooper S?
- Owners most often reported airbag issues (36% of complaints, median mileage 56,000) and steering problems (26% of complaints, median mileage 62,000), including power steering pump fires.
- Does the 2006 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists one recall, campaign 15V205000, covering the front passenger seat occupant detection mat used for airbag deployment.
- How does the 2006 Cooper S compare to other years?
- Its complaint index of 78 is lower than 2005 (94) and 2007 (100), but still high enough to rank 5th worst of 19 years, while years like 2017 and 2019 score much lower with Good or Best verdicts.