2002 Mini Cooper S: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 83 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (60% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2015
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2002 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving normally. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (STEERING). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 43,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jan 2025
“The VIN # of my 2002 mini cooper s was not included in the recall for the electrohydraulic steering failure of 2002 - 2005 mini cooper s but I am experiencing the exact issue outlined in this recall. The steering is incredibly hard to turn when parked, as well as while driving. I noticed that the recall had about 339 complaints and roughly 85,000 vehicles were recalled, so maybe at the time no one with a similar VIN as me complained.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2018
“Power steering suddenly stopped working. Making a whining noise when turning the wheel and the steering wheel itself is hard to turn. Not leaking any fluids and the power steering fluid in the reservoir is full.”Owner report · Steering · Nov 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. After placing the vehicle in reverse, the contact switched gears into drive. When attempting to accelerate forward, the power steering failed. The contact added power steering fluid and made another attempt to steer the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the power steering was no longer covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jul 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v660000 (steering) and the dealer scheduled a repair appointment. The dealer later canceled the appointment, stating that the part was not available. The contact had not been able to receive the recall repair remedy for months. The manufacturer was unable to provide a date that the part would be supplied to the dealer. The contact was not experiencing a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. ...updated 04/12/16 *bf”Owner report · Steering · Dec 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. While driving at 60 mph and attempting to avoid hitting an animal, the steering wheel seized without warning and the vehicle struck the animal. The air bags did not deploy; however, the air bag warning light illuminated. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The VIN was unavailable.”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v660000 (steering); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted at 865-693-4553 and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph and making a turn, the steering wheel seized without warning. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the power steering pump would need to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15v66000 (steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2015
“The passenger side heated seat malfunctioned and burned a hole into the leatherette upholstery and my wifes sweater. She was sitting on the passenger side when it occurred. This could have caused a major fire a definite safety hazard. *tr”Owner report · Seats · Oct 2013
“I was driving about 60 mph and all of a sudden the power steering stopped working. Steering became very tight and heavy. Almost lost control of the vehicle. *tr”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2013
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
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.
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.
How other years compare
Check your exact Cooper S by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Mini Cooper S reliable?
NHTSA has 83 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2002 Mini Cooper S. The most complained-about area is steering (60% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2002 Mini Cooper S problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 75,415 miles or less.
Does the 2002 Mini Cooper S have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning steering:electric power assist system. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.