Problems · by component
2006 MINI Cooper power train problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 MINI Cooper cite power train, 11% of all 413 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
11% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE AIR CONDITIONING HAD STOPPED BLOWING COOL AIR. THEN WHEN I WAS PARKED, AND IDLED, MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT. AFTER WRESTLING WITH THE WHEEL FOR A MINUTE TO GET OUT OF A PARKING LOT AREA, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. THE MECHANIC SAID ONE OF MY COOLANT FANS DOES NOT WORK. THIS MAY BE PART OF A RECALL THAT AFFECT 2005 MINIS WITH COOLANT FAN/POWER STEERING, HOWEVER MY CAR WAS MADE JUST A FEW MONTHS PAST THE RECALL.”
“2006 MINI COOPER S WITH 66000 MILES HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION DUE TO LOSS OF FORWARD PROPULSION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.”
“I AM ORIGINAL OWNER. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SLIPPING AND HARD SHIFTING. AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL. 70,000 MILES. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING. BMW TOLD ME TO SELL IT RIGHT AWAY. $9,000 TO REPAIR. SHOULD BE RECALLED. VERY UNHAPPY. PLEASE HELP. *TR”
“ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LURCHES WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE ENGINE STILL ACCELERATES, HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION SIMPLY WHINES AND NO POWER IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE WHEELS. VERY UNSAFE WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. MINI ADVERTISED THESE VEHICLES AS NEVER REQUIRING TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGES. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. NO RECALL EXISTS, HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON WEB FORUMS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 40 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 DRIVEN HOME AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
“TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. THE 2006 MINI COOPER CVT TRANSMISSION HAS HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES. A CALIFORNIA JUDGE RECENTLY RULED IN FAVOR OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST BMW(MINI COOPER). WE JUST BECAME AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT IN OUR CAR. IT STILL RUNS AND SHIFTS BUT OUR CONCERN IS THAT IT COULD QUIT AT AN INOPPORTUNE TIME AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MINI HAS SHOWN NO MORAL OR ETHICAL INTEREST IN REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST OR REDUCED COST TO THE CONSUMER.”
Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.