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2006 Mini Cooper S Convertible

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Compare all Cooper S Convertible years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

34 reports with mileage · 2 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seats. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

5 reports
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82,000 miles · Mar 14, 2017
Power Train

6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER 82,000 MILES. THIS IN SPITE OF PROPER DEALER RECOMMENDED MAINAINANCE. COST TO REPAIR WAS THE SAME AS THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10965808

76,952 miles · Jun 23, 2015
Power Train

2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A USED MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE 2006, THE CAR BEGAN TO SELF SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV AT HIGH RPM'S. I CONTACTED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND HE TEST DROVE THE CAR TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND THE SAME WAY. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AND I WAS …

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2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A USED MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE 2006, THE CAR BEGAN TO SELF SHIFT AT IMPROPER TIMES, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV AT HIGH RPM'S. I CONTACTED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND HE TEST DROVE THE CAR TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND THE SAME WAY. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AND I WAS SENT ON MY WAY. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PERSIST WHEN I WAS AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10726721

89,000 miles · Apr 23, 2015
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICALLY DISENGAGES (RANDOM OCCURRENCES) WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY. SINCE THIS HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING, IT CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN TRAFFIC AS THERE IS NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES, IT CAN HAPPEN AT A VERY H…

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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICALLY DISENGAGES (RANDOM OCCURRENCES) WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY. SINCE THIS HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING, IT CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN TRAFFIC AS THERE IS NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES, IT CAN HAPPEN AT A VERY HIGH REV (3000-5000, OR MORE RPM) WHICH CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT. IF ROADS ARE WET, THE RE-ENGAGEMENT CAN EASILY PRODUCE WHEEL SPIN AND SKIDDING WHEN IT HAPPENS DURING A TURNING MANEUVER. THE SUDDEN RE-ENGAGEMENT AT HIGH REVS CAN ALSO BREAK A CV JOINT OR OTHER DRIVE COMPONENT, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712486

50,000 miles · Aug 7, 2014
EnginePower Train

ON 2/16/2013 MY HARMONIC BALANCER WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THEIR ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS . WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOUD POP THEN A BUNCH OF CRUNCHING NOISES FROM THAT SHOCK YOUR CAR WILL GO FROM 55 MPH TO 20 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ...EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN YOU SEE A SEMI BEHIND YOU . MINI PAID FOR THIS MALFUNCTION BECA…

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ON 2/16/2013 MY HARMONIC BALANCER WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THEIR ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS . WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOUD POP THEN A BUNCH OF CRUNCHING NOISES FROM THAT SHOCK YOUR CAR WILL GO FROM 55 MPH TO 20 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ...EXTREMELY SCARY WHEN YOU SEE A SEMI BEHIND YOU . MINI PAID FOR THIS MALFUNCTION BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR FLAW AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR POSSIBLY SOMEONE'S DEATH . ON 8/29/2013 MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55,123 ...NO WARNINGS JUST SLOW LUNCHING AND GRINDING ALSO DURING THIS EVENT I FOUND OUT MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS WERE CRACKED. SEAT BELTS ARE CONSTANTLY CURLING BACKWARDS AND DON'T LAY FLAT . CONVERTIBLE ROOF DRIP SEAL RUBBER HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN TWICE MAKING ME BELIEVE THAT MINI HAS USED A SUB STANDARD RUBBER THEREFORE USING IT IN THEIR ENGINE PARTS ...PLEASE NOTE THAT I'VE HAD NUMEROUS HOSES REPLACED DUE TO BEING BRITTLE AND SUB STANDARD ... POWER STEERING ,RADIATOR,AND OTHER HOSES . MINI COPPER IS CURRENTLY BATTLING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT WHY DO I KNOW ABOUT EVERY OTHER CAR COMPANY BENIGN SUED ? DOES IT REALLY TAKE A DEATH,ACCIDENT ,OR OTHER ISSUE TO MAKE CAR COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE ? PLEASE NOTE CURRENT MILEAGE IS AT 68,000 MEANING I DON'T TRUST THIS CAR NOR DO I FEEL SAFE IN SELLING IT TO SOME HIGH SCHOOLER OR OTHER PERSON BECAUSE THIS MANUFACTURE ISN'T HONEST AND RUSHED OUT A PRODUCT ALL IN THE NAME OF PROFIT . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10620740

72,000 miles · May 8, 2012
Power Train

WHILE PULLING UP TO A SIGNAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN, WE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR. THE REST OF THE DRIVE, THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT (6 SPEED MANUAL) INTO ANY GEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE LINKAGE WAS FINE. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR T…

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WHILE PULLING UP TO A SIGNAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN, WE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR. THE REST OF THE DRIVE, THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT (6 SPEED MANUAL) INTO ANY GEAR. TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE LINKAGE WAS FINE. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE THROW OUT BEARING HAD FAILED, REQUIRING A $2300 CLUTCH REPAIR. THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY EXPENSIVE AND PREMATURE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10457802

Official recalls

1

15V205000 · Air Bags:frontal

Apr 6, 2015

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.