2002 Mini Cooper Steering Problems

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

56Steering complaints

29.9%Of all 187 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

STEERING56 · 29.9%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD25 · 13.4%

AIR BAGS22 · 11.8%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION16 · 8.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 5.9%

Share of the 187 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Mini Cooper overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN WHILE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE…”NHTSA complaint 10439044 — filed 12/08/2011

“THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN DRIVING. IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. IT WAS AS THOUGH THE CAR STEERING BECAME LOCKED. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO…”NHTSA complaint 10435084 — filed 11/09/2011

“POWER STEERING FAILURE. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. MOST RECENTLY, LAST WEEK, IT WAS OUT FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN.”NHTSA complaint 10435009 — filed 11/09/2011

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Mini Cooper have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Mini Cooper: 56 of 187 complaints on file (29.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Mini Cooper have in total?

187 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 8 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.