There are 6 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2003 MINI Cooperin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ON FEBRUARY 6, 2014 MY MINI COOPER S WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP MINI COOPER OF CONCORD FOR A RECALL IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. SHORTLY, AFTER IN MARCH MY CAR STARTED TO SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE AND MY CAR BURSTED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND TURNED DOWN THE FIRE, HOWEVER MY CAR IS A COMPLETE LOSS. I CALLED MINI COOPER OF CONCORD, HOWEVER NO ONE COULD PROVIDE HELP. I ALSO EMAILED THE HEAD OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I INVESTIGATED ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE WATER PUMP LEAKING AND CATCHING FIRE IN THE ENGINE. I CALLED MINI USA AND FILED A CASE,AND THEY PROMISED TO RESPOND WITHIN 3 DAYS. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT ONLY UNTIL I CALLED VARIOUS TIMES AND FINALLY WAS ABLE TO REACH A REPRESENTATIVE. JAMES INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO EVALUATE THE MINI COOPER WAS AS AT FAULT AND ONLY TRIED TO SELL ME A NEW CAR. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MINI COOPER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LACK OF SUPPORT. MY CAR IS NOW A COMPLETE LOSS. *TR
MINI COOPER DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED USING EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES UNDER CERTAIN FREEZING CONDITIONS. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING FREEZING WEATHER, USUALLY WHEN SNOW OR ICE IS PRESENT. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOORS. AT TIMES, IT OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR MANY HOURS WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING. HOWEVER, IT CAN ALSO OCCUR AFTER THE DOOR HAS BEEN OPENED AND THE VEHICLE DRIVEN FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, NEITHER THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE HANDLES WILL OPEN THE DOOR. THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO EXIT (OR ENTER) THE VEHICLE USING THE OTHER DOOR (SO FAR THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INSTANCE WHEN BOTH DOORS FROZE) AND WAIT FOR THE CONDITION TO RECTIFY ITSELF. *TR
THE UPPER RIGHT HINGE ON THE REAR HATCHDOOR OF MY 2003 MINI SHEARED IN HALF CAUSING THE DOOR TO SPRING OFF AND ALMOST HIT ME ON THE HEAD. IT ALSO POSES THE RISK OF THE REAR HATCH DOOR FLYING OFF WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION POSING A HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS. BMW CHARGED ME $700 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HINGE AND REFUSED TO ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE DESIGN. WHEN I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOW HAZARDOUS DEFECT. THE FOLLOWING ARE EMAILS EXCHANGED BY ME WITH BMW WHICH QUOTE SOME OF THE INTERNET THREADS ON THIS ISSUE. SEE E.G. HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/STOCK-PROBLEMS-ISSUES/86679-PLEASE-LUBE-REAR-HATCH-HINGES-2.HTML AND HTTP://WWW.MINICOOPERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=2245. MOREOVER, THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR MINI AT THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED TO ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. EMAIL: THE ISSUE IS NOT THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE PART BUT OF A DESIGN DEFECT AND SAFETY FLAW. HINGES ON THE HATCH LID SHOULD NOT BREAK OFF ENDANGERING OWNERS UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THE LID ALMOST FELL ON MY HEAD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND MY DEALER CONFIRMED IT. ARE YOU GOING TO WAIT FOR A LAWSUIT. MOREOVER, A $700 PRICE TAG TO REPLACE A $30 DOLLAR HINGE IS OUTRAGEOUS. THESE HINGES SHOULD NOT FAIL WITH NORMAL USE AND THAT IS ALL IT HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TOO. IF YOU LOOK ON THE INTERNET YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MY GUESS IS THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THEM AS WELL. THIS HAS COMPLETELY RUINED THE MINI EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I WILL NOT BE A REPEAT OWNER WITH THAT ATTITUDE. PLEASE READ THEM. AS YOU CAN SEE YOU HAVE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT YOU ARE IGNORING AND PASSING ON TO THE CUSTOMERS. IF I DO NOT RECEIVE SOME SATISFACTION WITH THIS I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. ON AUGUST 28, 2010. THE REAR HATCH DOOR OF MY MINI FELL OFF WHEN BEING OPENED BECAUSE THE HINGE BROKE IN HALF. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS BUT FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR
SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT AND LOCKED INSIDE OF MY 2003 MINI COOPER S BECAUSE THE CABLES INSIDE THE DOOR FROZE. HUSBAND HAD TO PULL ME OUT OF THE CAR VIA THE DRIVER'S WINDOW BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY OUT. ABLE TO INITIALLY GET IN AND OUT OF CAR BUT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE DOORS FROZE AND I WAS STUCK. TALKED TO MINI USA AND DEALERSHIP AND BOTH SAID NEVER HEARD OF IT EVEN THOUGH NUMEROUS BLOGS AND COMPLAINTS EXIST FOR MINI COOPER S MADE BEFORE 04/2004. VERY WORRIED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY AND ME AND MY UNBORN CHILD NEED TO GET OUT. ALSO HAVE HAD MY TWO AND FOUR YEAR OLD GIRLS IN THE CAR WITH ME. FORTUNATELY DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN THEY WERE PRESENT. *TR
RUST IS DEVELOPING ON THE SHEET METAL ON BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE BODY FRAME COVERED BY THE RUBBER DOOR SEAL. THIS RUST IS IN AN AREA THAT IS UNPAINTED (BARE SHEET METAL). THE RUBBER DOOR SEAL TRAPS MOISTURE AGAINST THE STEEL. *NM
UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE DOORS FROZE. ONCE GETTING IN THE VEHICLE ONE CANNOT GET OUT OR ONCE OUT CANNOT GET IN. CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026