Problems · by component
2003 MINI Cooper power train problems
97 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 MINI Cooper cite power train, 18% of all 537 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
97
18% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM WHERE IT MEETS THE HOOD OF THE CAR. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT GO DOWN. I ONLY HEAR A CLICKING SOUND. WATER PUMP, OIL PAN AND VALVE COVER GASKETS FAILED PREMATURELY. I CAN'T SHIFT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVIN HOME AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,353. ...UPDATED 04/26/16 *BF UPDATED 12/11/2017*JS”
“THE CAR WOULD NOT EASILY SHIFT GEARS. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IS "SEALED", SO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CANNOT BE CHECKED OR CHANGED. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH. THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE A SEALED TRANSMISSION IF IT CAN DEVELOP A LEAK SO EASILY.”
“THE VEHICLE FOR MONTHS WOULD MAKE A SMALL JUMP FORWARD WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE. THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN DRIVE. THE CAR WOULD FEEL SPONGY IN DRIVE WHEN FIRST STARTING OFF IN THE MORNING AND AT FULL STOPS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO MOVE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.”
Showing 6 of 97 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.