2004 Mini Cooper Steering Problems

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

229Steering complaints

81.2%Of all 282 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

STEERING229 · 81.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 5.3%

POWER TRAIN12 · 4.3%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION10 · 3.5%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP6 · 2.1%

Share of the 282 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Mini Cooper overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY…”NHTSA complaint 10414681 — filed 07/22/2011

“I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER, THE POWER STEERING PUMP COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO EUREKA SPRINGS ARKANSAS…”NHTSA complaint 10413410 — filed 07/18/2011

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO…”NHTSA complaint 10413323 — filed 07/18/2011

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 have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2004 Mini Cooper: 229 of 282 complaints on file (81.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

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

282 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 9 involved a fire, 1 reported injuries, and 1 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.