Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Mini Cooper S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving on the road my I turned the ac on and about 20min of me riding in the vehicle me and my infant son my my vehicle started smoking under the hood heavy white smoke under the hood of the 2006 Mini Cooper s. My car began to loose power while engine bay still heavily smoking I managed to get car in a nearby dealership get my son and I out of the car I put water on the side of the engine that was burning to keep the rest of the car from burning up.the rest of the car I had to call my insurance company the car wont do anything at all the electric system or the wires burnt under the hood.
Dt*: the contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper model s. Three days after purchase at 130 miles the vehicle stalled and operated at a reduced speed while attempting to accelerate. Although the vehicle did not stall out completely, the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer reprogrammed the computer software. Afterwards, the contact was pulling into a parking space with brake pressure applied, the engine roared and the vehicle lurched forward and struck a tree. The police were on the scene and a report was taken. The vehicle sustained minor damage, but no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The dealer performed a diagnostic test and was unable to duplicate the problem. The service department suggested replacing the engine. Updated 3/3/2006 -
I bought my 2006 Mini Cooper s convertible for $9,393 in November 2016 . When driving it home from the dealership I heard some noise, so I stopped at a foreign auto service and was told the clutch and transmission was going out. I called the dealership, but they refused to help, so I had them replaced at a transmission repair shop for $2,500 . Then had a brake job for $394 and spent over $1,000 at a Mini dealership . And then put the car in storage for 5 months. I drove it for two days ( about an hour each day ) when I heard a new noise and it would hardly run , so I pulled it off the road and had it towed to a dealership where they just notified me that the engine would need to be replaced , costing me between $5,000 and $8,000 !!! Not sure what to do.....help !!!!
As I turn on the engine, battery light came on, 5 seconds later, engine started to smoke. I turned off the engine. Engine won't turn back on and lost all power, steering wheel won't turn. Before this incident, gear would shift up and down on it's own while I'm driving. Very dangerous!
For about 2 weeks now I have noticed that my cooling fan comes on each time I turn off the engine and then it shuts off after a minute or so. So I thought that the fan was just acting up or something. However, yesterday I also noticed that the engine temperature gauge was at the maximum (250 degree f) and the indicator red light had come on. I had been driving for about 20 minutes at about 50-60 miles per hour on side roads (so I had been stopping at lights at intervals). The weather is actually unseasonably cool (60-70 degree f), and I had been changing gears (I have the automatic with sports drive). So naturally, when I turned off the engine the cooling fan came on again and didn't turn off for another 3-5 minutes. So on the way back, I drove at about 30 miles with my hazard light on as I was driving on the free-way and put it on cruise control. …
2006 Mini Cooper s. Consumer states vehicle sometimes stalls and stops while driving the dealer informed the consumer that mistakes were made in reprogramming the vehicle. The dealer stated the engine would misfire, but they assured the consumer the problem would be corrected by changing the spark plugs. Also, the electronics system was defective, which caused the navigation system to give false directions. The ABS, engine and stability control lights illuminated. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for the necessary repairs. The vehicle was released to the consumer and the dealer stated there were no defects. However, after driving for 10 minutes, the ABS light illuminated again. Each time the ABS light illuminated, the consumer would turn the engine off, restart it and the light would not come back on. …
Brand new vehicle was towed in for repair at 7,308 miles 1/27/10 vehicle was brought in for service due to misfires 1/27/810. Mini service cleaned fuel system and provided "courtesy" first time injector service. Vehicle was returned to me and brought back the next day for the same misfire faults 2/2/10, high pressure fuel pump was replaced and fuel rail was removed. 7,318 miles, 10 miles later... The vehicle was towed in again for combustion misfires 24,491 miles 8/12/11 brought vehicle in for strange noise, Mini said it was nothing to worry about. 24,783 miles 8/18/11 vehicle was towed in due to engine seizing...turbo carbon build up, turbo feed line issues 33,124 miles 01/31/12 vehicle was making noises, brought in to service, Mini said they would need to inspect the car closer to see what was going on. …
On 2/16/2013 my harmonic balancer went out while driving on the freeway their are no warning lights . What happens is a loud pop then a bunch of crunching noises from that shock your car will go from 55 MPH to 20 MPH in a matter of seconds ...extremely scary when you see a semi behind you . Mini paid for this malfunction because they know this issue is a major flaw and will cause an accident or possibly someone's death . On 8/29/2013 my transmission failed at 55,123 ...no warnings just slow lunching and grinding also during this event I found out my engine and transmission mounts were cracked. Seat belts are constantly curling backwards and don't lay flat . …
Back again! I just can't catch a break with this car! I was taking a road trip and had all my fluids checked and filled prior to leaving.while driving hwy99 my thermostat gauge went fine to danger zone! I immediately called the shop and was told to pull into a gas station and check the water and coolant. He stayed on the phone with me while I reported what the temp gaugue was doing. Every time I turned the the guage would drop to fine until the next turn which it went to danger. When I pulled into the gas station I heard a loud clunk.I turned the car off and check the fluids and found that everything was full but the water pump was low. I checked under the car and found a leak. I had the vehicle towed to the shop which the following was found.1. Malfunction of the water pump 2. Warp headgasket 3. …
I own a 2006 Mini Cooper and recently, at 62,000 miles had an issue with the cylinders losing compression. I was told it was due to carbon build-up which "pitted" the valves as a result of ethanol in gasoline. I was also told that this is becoming a frequent problem with Mini coopers because the car can not handle the gasoline with ethanol, as they are intended to be run on pure gas. So due to the ethanol mixture, this is going to be an issue. Shouldn't these cars sold here in the united states be able to run on the gasoline that is available here? I have used high-octane premium gas only in my car. I was told that I had done nothing wrong, yet was still financially responsible for the entire repair. I have an extended warranty on the vehicle purchased through the dealer and have followed the Mini manual in terms of fuel to use. …
Engine complaints in other Cooper S years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2006 Mini Cooper S?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2006 Mini Cooper S, 13% of the model year's 222 complaints. The component named most often is engine (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Mini Cooper S engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2006 Mini Cooper S, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Mini Cooper S engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.