NHTSA — Structure: Body Problems

CarComplaints.com Seal Of Avoid Like The Plague

CarComplaints.com Notes: Power steering problems are a major issue with the 2005 Mini Cooper, with hundreds of owners reporting complaints to the NHTSA about their power steering suddenly failing while driving.

Some power steering failures have caused crashes & injuries. Average mileage at failure is well under 100,000 miles & the repair cost is over $1,000. Not good.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
52,800 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Mini Cooper body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2005 Mini Cooper Owner Comments

problem #5

Sep 012021

Cooper

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving at approximately 10-15 miles an hour entering a parking lot when I noticed flames coming out of the hood scoop of my 2005 Mini Cooper S. After brief inspection from my mechanic, it is believed to have been caused by the wiring harness for ABS or possibly the power steering unit since the fire originated from the rear/right hand side of the engine and those two components. I have a claim opened with USAA but during simple research, I have found tens, if not close to a hundred issues with similar characteristics. I know I am not the first R53 Mini Cooper (2002-2006 run) with this problem and this should be considered a hazard and public safety issue. I have included the link to many of the cases captured by the North American Motoring Association (a primarily North American Mini car association) which details 24 pages of these issues. https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/73527-spontaneous-engine-bay-fires.html?ispreloading=1

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

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problem #4

Feb 162013

Cooper 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
While turning into a shopping plaza parking lot the steering wheel locked up and I was not able to control or complete the turn. Thank god I was driving at a slow speed and pedistrians were not near by. I experienced the same thing when I was leaving to return home and two more times after that. Something needs to be done, innocent lives are at risk.

- Buzzards Bay, MA, USA

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problem #3

Jul 152012

Cooper

  • 27,000 miles
Right inside door release failed so that passenger could not open door from inside. Passenger would be trapped inside vehicle in an emergency. MINIdealer repaired by replacing rotary latch lock at cost of $447.

- Richardson, TX, USA

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problem #2

Jul 042012

Cooper 4-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
Hinge on rear hatch began bending until door would not close at all. Finally, the hinge fractured and the whole door nearly fell off of the vehicle, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe and undrivable condition because the hatch was now hanging over the rear bumper by only one hinge. These events occurred over the course of two days and with very little warning.

- River Falls, WI, USA

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problem #1

Mar 132012

Cooper

  • 54,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 MINICooper. The contact stated that the hinge on the rear hatch fractured and the entire rear hatch was detaching from the vehicle. The rear hatch would not close due to the broken hinge. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer. The failure mileage was 54,000.

- Bensalem, PA, USA

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