2005 MINI Cooper S Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 13about this part
- Share
- 4%of 314 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 76,525miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2005 MINI Cooper S, 4% of the 314 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 76,525 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Transmission previously replaced at 48k miles by manufacturer due to noise. My transmission is broken. My tires chirp every time I push on the gas because the transmission does not know what gear to be in due to the bad body control valve. The transmission needs to be replaced because I cannot verify how much mechanical damage has taken place during the time that the valve body has been broken. Once the valve body breaks down, the mechanical unit also begins to break down. …”
NHTSA complaint #10826000, filed 2016-02, 48,000 miles“The transmission has failed at 66k miles - as I am researching this problem, I can see that many people have had premature transmission failures with their Mini cooper and bmw has not been willing to address the problem. The cost to us will be approximately $10,000 to repair.”
NHTSA complaint #10470566, filed 2012-08, 66,312 miles“I am the current owner of a 2005 Mini Cooper S. I purchased the vehicle in 2006 from Mini of irvine with 3,000 miles. I have recently been experiencing issues with the CVT transmission. The car jerks when changing gears at any speed, as well as when switching from drive to reverse. I have taken the car to Mini of san diego to be diagnosed and have been notified that the transmission needs to be replaced at a cost of $8,000. The vehicle currently has 73,000 miles and find it completely unacceptable that the transmission is failing so early on.”
NHTSA complaint #10504190, filed 2013-03, 72,878 miles“In the early fall, september 2011, I encountered issues with my car not shifting properly. It's an automatic transmission so I know there was nothing I could be doing to cause this problem. The car has been serviced regularly and driven with care while in my possession(I'm the second owner. No similar issues on carfax report). While the engine is cool and not yet at its optimal temperature the drive is fine and you may not even notice a problem; however, every ride, once warmed up the car begins to shift incredibly violently as it is obviously struggling to switch gears. …”
NHTSA complaint #10436695, filed 2011-11, 106,000 miles“2005 Mini Cooper S-began having issues with the car jerking when shifting gears (not a manual transmission) in early 2009. I took it to my mechanics. They had it for quite awhile, trying to determine the root cause. They advised that they even consulted with the dealership, but said they felt like the dealership wasn't very forthcoming in their information. My mechanic ultimately decided that he thought it was a sensor that needed to be replaced. $500 to replace this sensor. The rough shifting continued and on june 2, 2009, while I was out at lunch, I lost first gear altogether. …”
NHTSA complaint #10273989, filed 2009-06, 98,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10162443Jul 12, 2019Programming a Replacement EGS Module with ISTA/P. Programming a replacement electronic transmission control module (EGS) with ISTA/P requires the manual entry of the correct…
- 10134994Feb 1, 2018Aisin automatic transmisison: right side output shaft seal replacement
- 10025903Jun 1, 2008Mini- r5 & r56 (cooper; cooper s) with getrag 6 speed manual transmission: complaint of an intermittent no-crank, no start situation. The clutch switch module has not been…
- 10025846Jun 1, 2008Mini: r55, r56 (cooper, cooper s) with f21 asin 6-speed automatic transmission - incorrect gear display.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 20% |
| 2016 | 2 | 20% |
| 2015 | 1 | 6% |
| 2014 | 6 | 46% |
| 2013 | 2 | 8% |
| 2012 | 1 | 4% |
| 2010 | 5 | 8% |
| 2009 | 16 | 13% |
| 2008 | 9 | 5% |
| 2007 | 26 | 10% |
| 2006 | 22 | 12% |
| 2005 | 13 | 4% |
| 2004 | 2 | 1% |
| 2003 | 8 | 4% |
| 2002 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2005 MINI Cooper S
212 complaintsAir bags
71 complaintsElectrical system
23 complaintsEngine
8 complaintsEngine cooling
8 complaintsSeats
8 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsBody and structure
4 complaintsSuspension
3 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 MINI Cooper S
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology