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#BS-2002-MINCOO-2833

2002 Mini Cooper S

Based on reports from 105 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints

105

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 105 complaints, 4 crashes, 10 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SteeringHIGH

51 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 78K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (34 reports) • Median: 78K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering (51 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering51 (49%)

Airbags12 (11%)

Electrical7 (7%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump4 (4%)

Seats3 (3%)

Air Bags:side/window2 (2%)

Latches & Locks2 (2%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System2 (2%)

2002 Mini Cooper S: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 49% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mini Cooper S, with 51 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 78,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 78K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mini Cooper S, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mini Cooper S, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump Issues

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mini Cooper S, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering:hydraulic power assist:pump-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Mini Cooper S. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

15V660000Mar 2016

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Mini Cooper S is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 105 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Mini Cooper S Model Years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

View all Mini Cooper S years →

2002 Mini Cooper S: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mini Cooper S?

The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Mini Cooper S is related to the steering, with 51 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 2002 Mini Cooper S reliable?

The 2002 Mini Cooper S has 105 complaints, 4 crash reports, and 10 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.

How much does it cost to fix 2002 Mini Cooper S problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 2002 Mini Cooper S have any recalls?

Yes, the 2002 Mini Cooper S has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Mini Cooper S problems start?

Based on 91 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 78,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.

Get the Full 2002 Mini Cooper S Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 105 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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