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2012 Mini Countryman problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2012 Mini Countryman has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 168owner complaints
- 3crash reports
- 21fire reports
- 23%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about Mini Countryman year on file: 168 complaints, against an average of 32 for the other 10 model years.
Every Mini Countryman model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2012 Mini Countryman?
The components named most often in the 168 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2012 Mini Countryman owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 168 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman stall, lose power or shut off while driving?15 owners · 8.9%
- Have any 2012 Mini Countryman vehicles caught fire?14 owners · 8.3%
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2012 Mini Countryman?13 owners · 7.7%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2012 Mini Countryman?11 owners · 6.5%
- Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman overheat?11 owners · 6.5% · Recall 18V248000
- Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman smell of burning or smoke?9 owners · 5.4%
- Why do the headlights or taillights fail on my 2012 Mini Countryman?7 owners · 4.2%
- Has the 2012 Mini Countryman had engine failures?6 owners · 3.6%
Has the 2012 Mini Countryman been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Gasoline: Turbo/Supercharger BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Is the 2012 Mini Countryman recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAAdaption Measure for the Emission Control System R60 / R61 N47T
Risk: For certain vehicles BMW Group has developed a package of measures (hardware and software) for the emission control system of the MINI R60/R61.
Fix: Installation of the hardware package including the required software measures
UK DVSARisk of fire
Risk: In certain conditions moisture could gain entry into the wiring connector that powers the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and the EPS unit. This moisture can then in very rare cases penetrate the EPS through the ground pin and cause overheating of the ground connector pin which can in turn lead to fire.
Fix: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected to replace the supplementary wiring harness with one that has an improved connector sealing arrangement.
How often does the 2012 Mini Countryman fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2012, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2012 Mini Countryman owners report?
12 of the 168 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
This vin waa not included in a recall however had recall issues it obtained water in the footwell which mini has a recall issue for this and the car was caught on fire it is at the dealership in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2012 MINI Countryman (R60) experienced a complete electrical shutdown and engine failure while operating due to a severe manufacturing defect. Authorized dealership Jackie Cooper MINI of Edmond diagnosed the vehicle under RO# [XXX] and confirmed in writing that the "JBE electronic connectors are heavily corroded" and "The FRM has water/corrosion damage," providing a repair estimate of $4,700 (including a specific $1,055.84 charge to replace the FRM and clean the sunroof drains). Water entering the footwell area through defective, shrinking sunroof drainage structures is the exact identical…
ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT. The electronic module in the driver side footwell area may short circuit. when I unlock the car or try to start, I hear loud electrical SHORT CIRCUIT noises coming out of the seating area. I am afraid to even unlock the car, and fear car might catch fire.
Airbag light and seatbelt light are on continuously no matter if someone is in the seat or not.
I purchased a 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman from LA Motorsports (703 1st Ave N, Windom, MN 56101) in November 2024. Prior to purchase, I specifically asked whether any open recalls remained, and the dealership assured me all had been completed. After the vehicle failed within 60 days, a certified MINI technician inspected it and confirmed the presence of stop leak and catastrophic internal engine damage. The technician also confirmed that the auxiliary water pump—subject to NHTSA Recall 18V-248, a federal Stop-Sale recall—was still actively leaking at the time of inspection, and that the recall…
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the fuel pump was defective, and the fuel pump was replaced. The contact stated that approximately a year later the failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump had failed again and needed to be replaced. The fuel pump was replaced under warranty; however, the failure recently returned a…
Mini BMW is fully aware of an issue with their OC3 detection mat on the passengers side and offered a extended warranty of 10 years/ 100k miles. This is insufficient coverage for a crucial saftey part and has led to a grey market production of occupancy detection mats "emulators" which are being sold online as the only way to have your airbag system "functional".
The clutch has been a problem. The clutch wears out prematurely, causing loss of acceleration, which caused loss of power trying to merge into freeway traffic, which nearly resulted in a collision with a semi. Looking up repair or replacement information, it appears this is a common problem that Mini has, some people were replacing the clutch 3 times before 50,000 miles, and also refusing to honor their warranty, claiming it’s the user fault. I got a quote from Mini Cooper in Tacoma, to replace the clutch, and I was quoted $3400. I paid $12,000 for my Mini Cooper. To change it myself is about…
started with lights not going off once i cut car off, then windshield wipers would come on it's on, then check engine warning lights, check fuel pump and check rear bulbs lights and several other warning lights would stay on, finally it got to it wouldn't crack until after three or four tries, then it started cutting off while driving, then I would have to wait for 30 min. or more, then it would crank back up. now it won't crack at all. I've been waiting on this recall since 5/12/23 recall #23V337. Please advise and Help!!
While traveling on the highway at speed, the forward (retractable) sunroof exploded with no apparent provocation or warning. When the failure occurred there was a loud bang followed by glass forcefully raining down into the front and back seat area of the vehicle. There were no vehicles immediately ahead, and no overpasses or trees from which something could have fallen. The driver immediately slowed but did not swerve and there were no other vehicles close by so there was no secondary incident. The glass from the roof continued to fall on subsequent bumps in the road until all of the loose…
Passenger side airbag light on with no one in seat. The repair shop stated that there is a seat sensor fault code is 93c3(passenger seat occupancy detector). If there is an accident the airbag may not deploy. I was told to by the BMW of Hawaii in Kona that it will cost $2030 for parts and labor.
timing chain failure which caused engine shut down. this is a known problem with other models. It was not recalled but BMW lost a class action lawsuit for the same problem in the same car, different years. They have not updated or repaired the issue. very expensive repair.
2012 Mini Countryman: questions owners ask
Is the 2012 Mini Countryman reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mini Countryman; the most common categories were engine (60, 35.7%), electrical system (58, 34.5%), air bags (21, 12.5%). There is 1 safety recall. 3 complaints mention a crash, 21 mention a fire, 1 injury was reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mini Countryman?
Across 168 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (35.7% of complaints), electrical system (34.5% of complaints), air bags (12.5% of complaints), power train (7.1% of complaints), exterior lighting (6% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2012 Mini Countryman have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2012 Mini Countryman; the most recent (campaign 18V248000, 2018-04-18) concerns Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Gasoline: Turbo/Supercharger. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
15 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (8.9%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Mini coopers have faulty transmission problems, and well mine today it's transmission went out when I had my AC on, the car stalled in the middle of the highway in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic and refused to budge, like seriously this is…" (NHTSA complaint 11526625, June 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Have any 2012 Mini Countryman vehicles caught fire?
14 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (8.3%) describe the car catching fire or melting wiring. One owner wrote: "This vin waa not included in a recall however had recall issues it obtained water in the footwell which mini has a recall issue for this and the car was caught on fire it is at the dealership in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF…" (NHTSA complaint 11750905, July 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2012 Mini Countryman?
13 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (7.7%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. One owner wrote: "Passenger side airbag light on with no one in seat. The repair shop stated that there is a seat sensor fault code is 93c3(passenger seat occupancy detector). If there is an accident the airbag may not deploy." (NHTSA complaint 11531633, July 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2012 Mini Countryman?
11 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (6.5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "started with lights not going off once i cut car off, then windshield wipers would come on it's on, then check engine warning lights, check fuel pump and check rear bulbs lights and several other warning lights would stay on, finally it got to it wouldn't…" (NHTSA complaint 11574247, February 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman overheat?
11 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (6.5%) describe the engine overheating or coolant loss. A related recall exists: campaign 18V248000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger). The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Bought mini from carvana a january 2020 and have had too many problems. car overheated on 48, had 2 new cylinders put in, 2 weeks later, due to many notable problems this car has had, all coolant leaked out and was quoted by mini dealership $9,000 to fix a…" (NHTSA complaint 11366813, October 2020). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2012 Mini Countryman smell of burning or smoke?
9 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (5.4%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "The car just randomly caught on fire while off in my driveway. Noticed a weird sound outside looked out and noticed the windshield wipers were going even though the car was off and I hadn't driven it. Opened the door to bellows of smoke coming out." (NHTSA complaint 11524794, June 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why do the headlights or taillights fail on my 2012 Mini Countryman?
7 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (4.2%) describe headlights, taillights or brake lights failing or condensation in the lamps. One owner wrote: "There is a recall existing for my car, by VIN mine is not included, however I have the exact same problem. Water in the driver side foot well electrical panel which has caused a fault in the lighting, hazard lights, and battery issue." (NHTSA complaint 11576223, March 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2012 Mini Countryman had engine failures?
6 of the 168 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Mini Countryman (3.6%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "Vehicle was in motion on a highway and after going over several pot holes the engine temperature warning light came on. the engine power was reduced and an engine failure light also appeared." (NHTSA complaint 11119998, August 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Countryman
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only; combines NHTSA's entries for COOPER COUNTRYMAN, COOPER S COUNTRYMAN and COOPER S COUNTRYMAN ALL4.