2002 Mini Cooper Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

22Air Bags complaints

11.8%Of all 187 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

STEERING56 · 29.9%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD25 · 13.4%

AIR BAGS22 · 11.8%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION16 · 8.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 5.9%

Share of the 187 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Mini Cooper overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN…”NHTSA complaint 10370533 — filed 12/14/2010

“I HAVE A 2002 MINI COOPER, I PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. MY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT…”NHTSA complaint 10275987 — filed 07/07/2009

“THE AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE VEHICLE GOES ON, AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON.”NHTSA complaint 10225613 — filed 04/24/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Mini Cooper have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Mini Cooper: 22 of 187 complaints on file (11.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Mini Cooper have in total?

187 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.