The 2005 MINI Cooper has 3 recalls, the most serious being a faulty passenger seat occupant detection mat that can cause the front passenger airbag to stay inactive during a crash, leaving that occupant without airbag protection.
The occupant detection mat sits beneath the front passenger seat cushion and is designed to tell the car's restraint system whether someone is seated there. Over time, the mat can wear out and fail, causing the system to treat an occupied seat as empty. When that happens, the airbag warning light and the passenger airbag indicator lamp may illuminate, and the airbag will not deploy in a crash even when it should. The steering system is also affected by a recall: the electro-hydraulic power steering assist can fail temporarily or permanently, which means the steering wheel becomes noticeably harder to turn, especially at low speeds in parking lots or tight turns where steering effort is highest. This makes the vehicle harder to control and raises the risk of a collision.
At a glance
What can fail
The electro-hydraulic power steering system may lose assistance temporarily or permanently, affecting steering control.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the power steering system and replace components and wiring as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger seat's occupant detection mat can wear out over time, causing the passenger airbag to turn off unexpectedly and trigger warning lights.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the occupant detection mat with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not work correctly, which could prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
