Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Mini Cooper S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2005 Mini Cooper s was traveling 50mph when it hit icy bridge spun around and rolled 3 times driver was wearing a seatbelt and passenger was not and got ejected and died.no airbags deployed. Hwy 299.
The passenger seat occupancy mat was replaced by recall on 10/28/2016. On 10/2018 I noticed that when there is a passenger in the seat with their seat belt on the air bag was off, in 1 weeks time the passenger side seat belt light was on all the time and the air bag is off all the time with or without someone occuping the seat. Reguardless if the car is idiling or going down the rode. At least before the recalled mat sensor was replaced the seat mat sensor worked most of the time. Now it does not work at all. I took it to the dealership and they tested the oc3 mat (passenger side mat sensor) and said there are multiple codes for the oc3 mat and they found internal faults and it requires replacement again. They said this recall is no longer under warrenty and I need to pay over 1500.00 to have it replaced. …
In an offset frontal accident, both front airbags deployed even with the front passenger seat unoccupied. Based upon information provided about this vehicle, the passenger side air bag should not have deployed. This appears to be a defect related to the operation of the air bag deployment system. The driver of this vehicle suffered a serious second degree burn approximately 2 inches in diameter to the inside of the right wrist. The long sleeve sweater driver was wearing had a large hole burned thru it in the location of the burn to the wrist. This burn was caused by the air bag hot gas discharge. Hands were between the 9 & 10 and 2 & 3 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Driver was sitting correctly positioned relative to steering wheel and was properly wearing the seat belt.
I have a safety recall (no. 25v-205), an air bag problem, issued last June and have now received another recall ((15v-660). The first recall has yet to be repaired.the air bag "off" light is on all the time. I have contacted Mini and the dealer twice and they tell me there is not a fix yet. I think 6 months is long enough for an air bag problem. I have not had a problem with the second recall, a steering problem, but I assume it could happen. I am concerned that the combination of these two creates an extra dangerous condition. I asked Mini if they would pay for a rental when I needed to have a passenger. They refused. This is my only vehicle and I have no other choice.
Passenger seat occupancy sensor/mat fails which results in the passenger seat airbag being disabled. This is dangerous because the airbag will not deploy for the passenger if there is an accident. This is a common problem that costs over $1300 to fix but Mini will not issue a warranty claim for it. There are thousands of other vehicles that have had this same problem but Mini will not stand behind their product. This is the exact same problem as the recall issued by BMW (NHTSA campaign 13V564000).
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper s. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V205000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Updated 11/18/15 the consumer stated she paid for an air bag sensor two years. Updated 12/15/15.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper s. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V205000 (air bags); however, the part needed to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. In addition, the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
Passenger safety indicator light remains on. Called local Mini service center after reading multiple complaints on this issue and they stated they (Mini USA) have/will not service/repair the faulty seat module. This must be considered as a safety issue for the passenger and should be dealt with under an extended warranty or recall.
When adjusting the driver and passenger seats, the airbag light illuminated. After researching online, I conducted troubleshooting. I verified that the wiring harnesses and connectors for the airbag sensors under both seats had come loose, and certain wires de-pinned. The car was running, and parked when this occurred.
The passenger detector on my passenger seat has failed. This is a known issue in Mini coopers and bmws of this age. The fix is complete $1500 seat replacement at the dealer. BMW has already recalled the parts for all the bmws where this occurs, but not the minis.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Airbag complaints in other Cooper S years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Mini Cooper S?
NHTSA has 86 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Mini Cooper S, 23% of the model year's 375 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mini Cooper S airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-205 (frontal, Apr 6, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Mini Cooper S airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries and 1 death to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.