Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%

Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Finalize now

Free Preview

#BS-2004-MINCOO-2833

2004 Mini Cooper S

Based on reports from 279 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

279

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 279 complaints, 7 crashes, 8 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.5x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SteeringHIGH

202 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 74K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED

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 (90 reports) • Median: 74K 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 (202 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

Steering202 (72%)

Electrical18 (6%)

Visibility:windshield8 (3%)

Airbags8 (3%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump6 (2%)

Engine5 (2%)

Steering:electric Power Assist System4 (1%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System3 (1%)

2004 Mini Cooper S: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 72% of all reports filed for the 2004 Mini Cooper S, with 202 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 74,271 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 74K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2004 Mini Cooper S, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Visibility:windshield Issues

Visibility:windshield complaints account for 3% of all reports filed for the 2004 Mini Cooper S, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:windshield-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 3% of all reports filed for the 2004 Mini Cooper S, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-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 2004 Mini Cooper S. Recent trend: increasing.

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

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

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (2 recalls)

04V348000Oct 2004

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLAT TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE, AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL WILL NOT SOUND TO ALERT THE DRIVER TO A FLAT TIRE.

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.

Unlock

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.

2004 Mini Cooper S vs. Class Average (Minicompact Cars)

This vehicle

279

Class avg

110

2.5x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical minicompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 279 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls 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 →

2004 Mini Cooper S: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Mini Cooper S?

The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Mini Cooper S is related to the steering, with 202 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 2004 Mini Cooper S reliable?

The 2004 Mini Cooper S has 279 complaints, 7 crash reports, and 8 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.5x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.

How much does it cost to fix 2004 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 2004 Mini Cooper S have any recalls?

Yes, the 2004 Mini Cooper S has 2 recalls 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 259 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 74,271 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 2004 Mini Cooper S Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 279 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $1.20Money-back guarantee

Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees