2006 MINI Cooper S Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2006 MINI Cooper S most often report a passenger seat occupancy sensor fault that keeps the air bag warning light on, and sudden loss of power steering assist that can happen while driving. Automatic-transmission complaints about harsh or slipping shifts, and various electrical faults, also appear in the sampled complaints, usually at moderate mileage.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger seat sensor sets off air bag warning light

   • 61 complaints (33%)
   • median 56,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,437 (median of 16 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2022

   Owners describe the air bag warning light or the passenger air bag indicator staying lit whether or not someone is in the front passenger seat, sometimes coming and going when the seat is moved or the car hits a bump. Many were told by a dealer or independent mechanic that the passenger seat occupant detection mat had failed and needed replacement, often quoted at several hundred to well over a thousand dollars. Some owners report repeat replacements, and a few say they were told their vehicle was not covered by the air bag recall. Reported from roughly 23,000 to 131,000 miles, with many complaints between about 40,000 and 80,000 miles.

   Recall 15V2050002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Before buying, turn the key to the on position and confirm the air bag and passenger air bag lights go out as expected, then sit in the passenger seat and watch the indicator. Ask whether the occupant detection mat has been replaced and whether the vehicle's VIN is covered by the front passenger air bag recall.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a Mini s 2006. Approximately 2 weeks ago the dash airbag light came on. Then went off. Now the light stays on constantly. I was told this is a 1300.00 job. My car is in excellent shape. The car has a defect somewhere, 75000 miles? The air bag sensor should not be faulty.”

   NHTSA complaint #10452850, filed 2012-03, 75,000 miles

   “Upon starting my car, after being in a store, the passenger airbag light came on while a passenger was in the seat. The indicator stayed on after turning the car off and back on. I researched to see if there were any recalls for a faulty passenger airbag covering my year, make and model, and found NHTSA campaign number: 15v205000. I contacted my local Mini dealer and was told that there was no information pertaining to my car and that I needed to contact Mini USA directly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11124323, filed 2018-09, 53,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Power steering assist cuts out

   • 44 complaints (24%)
   • median 64,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (43 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2020

   Complaints describe sudden loss of power steering assist, sometimes preceded by a constant electric humming or whine from the engine bay, and steering that becomes very hard to turn at low speed or in a turn. Several owners say a dealer or mechanic diagnosed a failed power steering pump or its cooling fan, and some describe smoke or burnt wiring at the pump. Others mention the problem returning after a previous pump replacement. Most often reported between about 30,000 and 80,000 miles, though some complaints come in above 100,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car at parking-lot speed and listen for a constant humming or whine from the front while the engine runs, and check steering effort across a full turn. Ask whether the power steering pump or its cooling fan has been replaced, and whether the pump warranty extension applies to the VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Executing a left turn and all of a sudden the power steering went out. Was unable to control the car due to the fact that I was not expecting this issue. Damage front right side of car against curb. I have learned that this is a serious problem. This issue needs to be addressed on a recall!”

   NHTSA complaint #10458712, filed 2012-05, 78,000 miles

   “The power steering when out on the car. This makes it difficult to steer. Also, because of the failure, the steering/car will not straighten itself out after making a turn. One has to make an extra effort to straighten the wheel out. I almost hit a parked car because of that problem. I see canada made Mini do a recall on this issue. Is it going to take an injury or worse before the USA makes Mini recall the cars ?”

   NHTSA complaint #10509336, filed 2013-04, 80,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission harsh or slipping shifts

   • 19 complaints (10%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $9,000 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2019

   Owners describe the automatic transmission jerking or banging into gear, slipping between second and third, and engine speed racing before the car lurches forward, sometimes with loss of power while driving. Complaints say dealers diagnosed internal transmission failure and quoted rebuild or replacement costs in the thousands of dollars, and several note the fluid is described as lifetime fill. Typically reported between about 49,000 and 95,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from a stop through several upshifts and downshifts in both drive and manual modes, feeling for jerks or delayed engagement. Ask for service records on transmission fluid and any prior transmission repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving on the freeway when I felt the car jerk forward and then it felt as if the automatic transmission was slipping in and out of gears. Managed to pull off the freeway and drive to the local Mini dealership, which was luckily about a mile down the road. Was told by dealership the problem was transmission failure and was quoted $9,000 repair cost. When I asked the mechanic why the transmission had failed this early, told me they had no idea. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10484831, filed 2012-11, 93,000 miles

   “I am current owner of a 2006 Mini Cooper S. I purchased the car new around april 2006. Over last 2 months, I have started to see a problem with power train. The car jerks horribly while trying to accelerate when it tries to change to higher gears. This happens either in the drive mode where the car automatically changes the gears or while driving in m/s mode where the driver gets the option to change the gear. Over last 1-2 weeks, the vehicle jerks when I switch from park to reverse. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10594259, filed 2014-05, 94,500 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Electrical and gauge faults

   • 24 complaints (13%)
   • median 59,946 mi at 6.5 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2016

   Complaints describe dashboard warning lights coming on together, erratic gauge behavior, and sudden drops in speed or power, with mechanics variously diagnosing a throttle body, wiring harness, or instrument cluster problem. Owners also mention heated seats that switch on by themselves and get very hot, and an oxygen sensor failure. Mostly reported between about 44,000 and 80,000 miles.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the car and watch that all warning lights cycle off, and confirm the gauges read sensibly. Ask about any history of throttle body, wiring harness, or battery work, and test the heated seats briefly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The o2 sensor failed on my car. Mini issued an extended warranty on 2006 models but my VIN was not included. This is ridiculous that I have the exact same issue but my VIN is not included.”

   NHTSA complaint #10500699, filed 2013-02, 70,000 miles

   “Plethora of electrical problems. Heated seats are a major concern. They go on and off by themselves, seem haunted. Sometimes, they get so hot they leave burn marks in my legs. I am afraid of an electrical fire. The heated seats get so hot, they left burn marks in my seat. Aisin 6 speed automatic transmission, equipped with lifetime fluid, begins slipping gears at 70k the supercharger had to be replaced due to the design of the supercharger it could not be repaired, I was forced by bmwusa to purchase a remanufactured supercharger. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10440113, filed 2011-12, 60,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Engine overheating and cooling fan behavior

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the cooling fan running on after the engine is shut off and the temperature gauge climbing to maximum with a red warning light, sometimes in mild weather. Others describe the engine shutting off while driving with the engine light on, and some mention white smoke from under the hood. Reported from very low mileage up to about 70,000 miles, including within the first several thousand miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: After a test drive, let the car idle and watch whether the cooling fan cycles normally and whether the temperature gauge stays mid-range. Ask whether the water pump or thermostat has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In april 2013 I was merging onto highway i20 with my children in the back of my Mini Cooper S 2006. As I was speeding up to merge onto the highway the car completely cut off. I veered over into a median in the middle of six lanes of high-speed traffic. The car had completely shut off, even the hazard lights. I was very lucky that the median was there and that I had not yet entered the main stream of traffic. The police came, then a friend. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10550969, filed 2013-11, 70,000 miles

   “For about 2 weeks now I have noticed that my cooling fan comes on each time I turn off the engine and then it shuts off after a minute or so. So I thought that the fan was just acting up or something. However, yesterday I also noticed that the engine temperature gauge was at the maximum (250 degree f) and the indicator red light had come on. I had been driving for about 20 minutes at about 50-60 miles per hour on side roads (so I had been stopping at lights at intervals). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10249602, filed 2008-11, 23,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that covers the air bag warning light and occupant sensor, the power steering pump and its cooling fan, and transmission shift quality is worthwhile on this model year. Ask for records of prior repairs and check the VIN against open air bag recalls before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.