Most common 2002 Mini Cooper problems
Share of the 187 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mini Cooper complaints by model year
Best Cooper years: 2018, 2020, 2024. Years to avoid: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2006, 2002. Compare all years →
2002 Mini Cooper recalls (3)
Steering › Electric power assist system
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and 2005 Cooper and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, replacing the components and wiring, as necessary, free of charge.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, 'tire selection and rims.' the standard requires that the relationship between the tire size and maximum tire pressure be indicated on the vehicle's tire information label. This relationship is not present.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with new tire information placards and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can perform the installation for them. The recall began on November 30, 2005.
Power train › Manual transmission › Floor shift assembly
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, the transmission shift cable connects the gearshift lever in the vehicle interior to the shift linkage on the transmission. It is possible for the shift cable to detach from the transmission shift linkage while the driver is attempting to change gears.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the shift cable and, if necessary, install a retaining clip over the end of the shift cable to prevent it from detaching from the transmission. Owner notification began August 6, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2002 Mini Cooper:
Engine compartment fire
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), BMW stated that the cause of the alleged defect is an insufficient seal of the ground cable of the power steering pump at its attachment to the chassis.water ingress can occur and the water can travel along the power steering pump power cable and come in contact with the power steering pump power cable connector.the…
Air bag warning lamp illumination
In March 2006, BMW reissued a service bulletin first issued in September 2003, to Mini dealers regarding the repair procedure for improper wire crimps in approximately 31,500 model year 2002 and 2003 Mini cooper vehicles produced up to January 2003.the new service bulletin states that the warranty coverage for the issue (I.e., air bag warning lamp illumination with fault code for high resistance in side air bag/seat…
Loss of power steering assist
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002,…
Engine compartment fire
The office of defects investigation (odi) analyzed consumer complaints to BMW of north America, llc (BMW)and to odi that alleged failures of the electrohydraulic power steering (ehps) used in model year 2002 through 2003 Mini cooper vehicles.the analysis determined that 43 of the 52 (83%) reports were related to allegations of power steering loss and 9 (17%) were related to allegations of engine compartment fires.
Air bag warning lamp illumination
Odi has granted the petition and has opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-053) on illumination of air bag warning lamp on model year 2002 and 2003 Mini cooper vehicles.
What 2002 Mini Cooper owners say
Steering all 61 →
After a short trip, I had just parked the Mini. Fortunately, it was outdoors and within 50ft of my tool chest. On turning off the ignition and removing the key, I noticed an unusual noise; the [electric] power steering pump continued to run. A few seconds later, smoke appeared. I raced to my tool drawer, grabbing the first suitable tool, channel lock pliers, and proceeded to hastily disconnect one of the battery terminals. Smoke was heavy at that point. Disconnecting power prevented further damage, and was fortunately done in time, before the wiring harness was incinerated, or the situation became a self-sustaining conflagration. Apparently, although there is a 100a fuse present, the fault protection on the power steering pump circuit is inadequate. I removed the power wire to the pump, to allow the vehicle to be driven, with heavy [non-assisted] steering, pending service. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering would suddenly malfunction causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering pump had over heated causing the power steering fluid to evaporate. The contact indicated that since 2012 the power steering pump had been replaced five separate times and recently with the new redesign pump but the vehicle continued to have the same failure occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 43 →
I just found this web site and after reading through the various issues other people are having with their Mini, I decided I should also go ahead and share my issues as well. Back in April of 2004, I was hit on the front passenger side by a Honda accord traveling about 50 miles an hour and my airbags failed to deploy. I never had a check engine light or an airbag light for that matter but it's a scary thought not having your airbags deploy, especially at such a high speed of impact. I used to be in love with Mini's but I have been so "soured" by them as of late with all of the issues I have been having. My automatic transmission is shot and because of that, I can't even start my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that the transmission failed on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for service and stated that the transmission was failing. The vehicle was not repaired. While driving home, the transmission seized. The vehicle was then towed back to the dealer, who determined that the drive shift cable failed. The contact was informed of NHTSA campaign number: 02V201000 (power train). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 136,000.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 29 →
Windshield wipers failed while driving in rain. The dealer diagnosed problem as wiper motor failure. I noticed that the wiper motor was exposed directly to the weather and moisture because it is located directly underneath the cowl intake and I felt that was the cause of the failure. It's exposed to rain, snow, and winter road salt spray - even when the vehicle is not being driven. I obtained the replacement part and noticed that it had a plastic shield installed to protect the motor indicating the manufacturer does know about the problem and has implemented corrective action. When I contacted BMW, they claimed to be unaware of the problem. BMW insists on charging for the repair ($465.00) and has not yet recognized the fact that there is a safety defect with the vehicle. …
The windshield of my 2002 Mini Cooper s cracked while sitting in a parking lot. It was fine in the morning but there was an 8" crack when I hopped in for the drive home. I'm guessing the heat (90 degrees f, windows up, sun reflector on dash) caused a contaminant within the window to cause stress, which in turn became a crack. Judging from the Mini Cooper message boards on the internet, there are hundreds of windshields cracking for no apparent reason, and Mini USA has issued a bulletin to it's dealers to warn them of defective factory windshield installations. [tis message number: si m51 02 03 subject: windshield stress crack survey situation: the production process for installation of the windshield was improved in April 2002, and these improvements resulted in a significant reduction in the number of stress cracked windshields.]
2002 Mini Cooper engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Mini Cooper a good car?
Based on 187 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Cooper rates avoid: 2.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cooper at the same age. It is one of the Cooper years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mini Cooper?
The steering — 61 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about hydraulic power assist › pump. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (43) and windows, wipers & sunroof (29).
How many recalls does the 2002 Mini Cooper have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2002 Mini Cooper, the most recent from October 15, 2015 (electric power assist system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mini Cooper?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2020 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2006 and 2002. See the full Mini Cooper years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Mini Cooper problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 58,000 miles; 43% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.