Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 COOPER S - Hardtop R53.
The 2006 Mini COOPER S Hardtop, riding on the R53 platform, is a passenger car powered by the supercharged R53 engine and paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.8 quarts of 5W-30 oil and returning EPA fuel economy of 21 city, 29 highway, and 24 combined mpg. With 413 total owner complaints on file and a single recall, this model year sits in a reliability history marked by a notable concentration of issues in the Air Bags system, indicating that while the powertrain and chassis are well-documented, the safety restraint electronics warrant close inspection for researchers evaluating long-term dependability.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 480 CCA battery, OE oil filter 11427562249. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.
| Engine oil filter | 11427562249 alt 11427509211 |
| Engine air filter | 13721477840 alt 13717558382 |
| Fuel filter | 16146757196 alt 16146765122 |
| Battery | 61218377139 |
| Front wiper blades | 61610028137 |
| Thermostat | 11537596787 alt 11537512733 |
| Cabin air filter | 64319257505 |
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
| Overall length | 143.3 in |
| Overall width | 66.5 in |
| Overall height | 55.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 97.2 in |
| Curb weight | 2701 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 57.5 / 57.5 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 61/39 |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 21 / 29 / 24 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Recommended fuel | Premium Gasoline |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.8 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 88 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 23.0 ft-lbs.
| Automatic Transmission Fluid | With CVT: BMW part number 83220136376 |
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | SYNTHETIC · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.8 qt |
| Engine Oil | SYNTHETIC · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5.1 qt |
| Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity | 3.6-4.0 |
| Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs | 22 ft-lbs |
| Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts | 85 ft-lbs |
| Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts | 19 ft-lbs |
| Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts | 36 ft-lbs |
| Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug | 23.0 ft-lbs |
| Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs | 13 ft-lbs |
| Lug Nuts | 88 ft-lbs |
| Curb Idle Speed (No Load) | 770 rpm |
| Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load) | 50 rpm |
| Spark Plug Manufacturer | BMW |
| Spark Plug Gap | Not adjustable in |
| Spark Plug Torque | 16.0 ft-lbs |
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Refrigerant Capacity | 0.89-1.00 lbs |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 47 |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 480 cca |
| Pressure Test | ----- psi |
| Radiator Cap Pressure Relief | ------ psi |
| Thermostat Opening Temperature | ------- °F |
| Engine Compression | 167-247 PSI. |
| Torque Caliper to Bracket | 22-25 ft-lbs |
| Torque to Knuckle | 81 ft-lbs / 48 ft-lbs |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.118; Rear: 0.0118 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness From | 0.866 in / 0.394 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness To | 0.866 in / 0.394 in |
| Rotor Minimum Machining | 0.031 in |
| Rotor Discard at or Under | 0.803 in / 0.331 in |
| 1 | 4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 7 ft. lbs., Step 3: 130 | 4 ft. lbs |
| 1 | 6 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90 | 6 ft. lbs |
| 1 | 22 ft. lbs., Step 2: 150 | 22 ft. lbs |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi.
| Every 100,000 mi | Oxygen Sensor (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 2006 Mini COOPER S - Hardtop dominate in one area — the air bags, 145 of 413 reports (35%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recall 15V-205 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 13 of the reports describe a crash and 17 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 413 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S… Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI…
Showing 5 of 56 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| M511616 | 2023-11-02 | Structure | Cavity protection applied to underside of the hood is leaking out onto the wheel arch… |
| M610607 | 2023-10-25 | Electrical System | MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result… |
| M240112 | 2019-07-12 | Electrical System | Programming a Replacement EGS Module with ISTA/P. Programming a replacement electronic… |
| M650610 | 2018-06-01 | Equipment | NAVIGATION SYSTEM HAS MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is… |
| M650610 | 2018-05-01 | Equipment | NAVIGATION SYSTEM HAS MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.8 qt of USE MINI SYNTHETIC 5W-30 MOTOR OIL, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.