2004 Mini Cooper S Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

202Steering complaints

81.8%Of all 247 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING202 · 81.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM18 · 7.3%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD8 · 3.2%

AIR BAGS8 · 3.2%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP6 · 2.4%

Share of the 247 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Mini Cooper S overview page.

What owners report

“THE STEERING PUMP COOLING FAN STARTED TO FAIL AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO STATED THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING FLUID AND WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10417218 — filed 07/29/2011

“LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AT FIRST INTERMITTENT, NOW COMPLETE.”NHTSA complaint 10413788 — filed 07/20/2011

“LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR. AT TIMES, THERE WOULD BE NO POWER STEERING ASSIST; RESTARTING THE…”NHTSA complaint 10412424 — filed 07/15/2011

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Mini Cooper S have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2004 Mini Cooper S: 202 of 247 complaints on file (81.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Mini Cooper S have in total?

247 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 7 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 3 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.