FaultScore

Worst years for a Mini Cooper S

Owners have filed 2,181 complaints about the Mini Cooper S with NHTSA across model years 2002 to 2025. More of them are about the steering than anything else.

Avoid

2003 Mini Cooper S

258 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly steering.

Cleanest on record

2012 Mini Cooper S

30 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Mini Cooper S year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2025 6 0 0 Brakes
2024 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2022 1 0 0 Electrical System
2020 8 3 0 1,400 Engine & Cooling
2019 7 0 0 Electrical System
2017 8 1 0 Engine & Cooling
2016 C 10 1 2 43,000 Engine & Cooling
2015 B 20 0 2 42,621 Engine & Cooling
2014 B 17 1 0 35,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2013 B 32 1 0 55,290 Electrical System
2012 A 30 0 2 78,000 Electrical System
2011 C 46 0 9 60,000 Engine & Cooling
2010 B 78 1 7 65,000 Engine & Cooling
2009 C 151 3 5 53,164 Engine & Cooling
2008 C 197 1 12 53,600 Engine & Cooling
2007 D 300 2 20 52,000 Engine & Cooling
2006 D 243 8 16 56,000 Airbags
2005 D 383 8 31 66,000 Steering
2004 D 279 7 8 74,271 Steering
2003 F 258 16 28 70,000 Steering
2002 C 105 4 10 78,000 Steering

What breaks on a Mini Cooper S

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Steering 682 31.3%

Worst in 2004

Engine & Cooling 528 24.2%

Worst in 2007

Airbags 281 12.9%

Worst in 2005

Worst in 2005

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2007

Seats 40 1.8%

Worst in 2006

Worst in 2003

Brakes 27 1.2%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2003

Seat Belts 24 1.1%

Worst in 2007

Suspension 18 0.8%

Worst in 2003

Exactly what failed on a Mini Cooper S

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Windshield 49 26.9%
Engine 29 15.9%
Pump 21 11.5%
Frontal 16 8.8%
Manual Transmission 15 8.2%
Body 12 6.6%
Electric Power Assist System 11 6.0%
Exhaust System 11 6.0%
Occupant Classification 9 4.9%
Hydraulic Power Assist System 9 4.9%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Mini Cooper S, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Nov 2000 peak 45 May 2026

Mini Cooper S problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Mini Cooper S

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.