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.
Safety 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.
Manufacturer 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.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLAT TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE, AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL WILL NOT SOUND TO ALERT THE DRIVER TO A FLAT TIRE.
Safety risk
DUE TO THE LACK OF AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF A FLAT TIRE, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO ACTUATE THE FLAT TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM'S AUDIBLE SIGNAL. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 13, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MINI CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT 1-866-275-6464.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Steering
202
79,000 mi
Electrical system
18
70,800 mi
Air bags
8
80,000 mi
Visibility: windshield
8
11,750 mi
Steering: hydraulic power assist: pump
6
57,000 mi
Steering: electric power assist system
4
68,439 mi
Engine and engine cooling
3
60,950 mi
Steering: hydraulic power assist system
3
58,000 mi
Visibility: power window devices and controls
3
51,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
116,543 mi
Engine
2
116,543 mi
Latches/locks/linkages
2
60,000 mi
Seat belts
2
58,000 mi
Seats
2
70,000 mi
Tires
2
33,568 mi
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
2
33,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
1
—
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
1
108,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
1
145,000 mi
Power train
1
60,950 mi
Power train: manual transmission
1
48,000 mi
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
1
124,500 mi
Seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler
1
4,053 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: ABS warning light
1
—
Unknown or other
1
67,700 mi
Visibility: glass, side/rear
1
124,500 mi
The 2003 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2005 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.