Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine12
- Electrical system3
- Air bags3
- Unknown or other3
- Power train2
- Seats2
- Steering1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Registered new in Europe in 2012
1,509 new MINI Cooper S Countryman cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Italy (572), Germany (417), Poland (136).
- Average mass
- 1,434 kg
- Average power
- 134 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In Finland
28 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 157,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
47 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman 5 HB FWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 8.2–9.0 L/100 km (about 26–29 mpg US), CO₂ 189–207 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper S Countryman · Compact · Premium gasoline | 8.9 | 7.3 | 8.2 |
| Cooper S Countryman · Compact · Premium gasoline | 9.4 | 7.3 | 8.4 |
| Cooper S Countryman ALL4 · Compact · Premium gasoline | 9.3 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Cooper S Countryman ALL4 · Compact · Premium gasoline | 10.0 | 7.8 | 9.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman.
| 2018195 19 Apr 2018 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the auxiliary water pump (which cools the turbocharger after the engine is turned OFF) can overheat and fail. This could result in a vehicl… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
18V248000 · Engine and engine cooling18 Apr 2018 · 47,806 vehicles
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What MINI told its dealers about the 2012 MINI Cooper S Countryman: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10244507 | MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The energy diagnosis test module helps to localize these causes. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. Without performing the energy |
| 10216755 | N18 engine high pressure fuel pump (hdp): limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles |
| 10206696 | New RDC wheel electronics will be introduced with future generation MINI models. The new wheel electronics are identified as Huf Generation 5. These new wheel electronics will need to be programmed using the new tool when replaced or when depressurized (0 psi) for more than 2 minutes. |
| 10193497 | MINI Water Pump Class Action Settlement |
| 10162461 | Air Conditioning System Leak Testing. The customer complains of poor or no air conditioning cooling. After further diagnosis, the system is found to be low or empty of a refrigerant charge, but when using an electronic leak detector, no leak can be found. CAUSE: In most cases, an electronic leak detector is not sufficient for identifying small leaks in the system. Electronic leak detectors can give false alarms and can lead to an improper diagnosis of small leaks. A leak cannot be located exactly if accessibility is impaired (in the case of the expansion valve, evaporator or condenser). |
| 10160298 | N18 THERMOSTAT WITH THERMOSTAT HOUSING: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/ This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M01 02 18 dated May 2018. |
| 10160229 | N18 THERMOSTAT WITH THERMOSTAT HOUSING: LIMITED WARRANTYEXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/ This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M01 02 18 dated May 2018. |
| 10152680 | "MANUAL TRANSMISSION - STIFF DIAGONAL GEARSHIFT LEVER MOVEMENT. The customer may complain of a ""stiff diagonal shift"" (e.g., N-R, R-N, 2-3/3-2 or 4-5/5-4). Also, in some cases, gears cannot be selected, or the selector gear does not go into the neutral position. CAUSE 1. The deflection lever circlip of the gearshift mechanism is damaged or missing. 2. Possible corrosion at the gearshift mechanism (shift cables or transmission gearshift unit)" |
| 10152362 | "Service Action: Retrofit of the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Internal corrosion could form in the engine coolant temperature sensor. This corrosion leads to internal bridging of the contacts, which can cause an inaccurate engine temperature reading. This false reading could lead to difficulty in the engine starting and/or a ""Service Engine Soon"" lamp being illuminated." |
| 10152359 | N18 Engine: FC 37DE Engine Ventilation, Heating, Triggering Stored in the DME After Programming. The Service Engine Soon lamp is illuminated after reprogramming the vehicle to integration level R056-11-11503 (ISTA/P P45.1.3.0) or higher. When diagnosed, the following fault code is stored in DME fault memory: ??37DE Engine ventilation, heating, triggering: open circuit CAUSE Due to a DME software change, the diagnostic monitoring capability is improved for the engine ventilation heating system. However, a fault will be stored in the fault memory because the engine ventilation heater circuit has |
| 10152338 | Door Open Message Displayed, Even Though Door Is Closed. The customer complains that while driving, a CCM (check control message) indicates the doors are open, even though they are closed. Also, sometimes the gong will sound and the interior lights will go on and off. Unspecified FRM (footwell module) door lock status due to voltage variations |
| 10152335 | Brake Fluid Maintenance Service: 36-Month Interval. The CBS displays the first brake fluid service as a 36-month interval from the date of production, instead of the appropriate 24-month interval. Only vehicles within the specified production range can be serviced and covered by this bulletin. For vehicles outside of the production range specified in this bulletin, refer to the CBS and/or Key Read information for the brake fluid service. |
| 10151349 | Bluetooth Connection Failures This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M84 01 14 dated February 2016.. There are various connectivity failures with the following devices: Apple iPhones Samsung S6 and the S6 Edge. Connectivity failure examples are: Call disconnection - Call is transferred back to the handset. In some instances the call is then transferred back to the vehicle. Contact List incomplete General connection failures Apple iOS software (issue started with iOS 8.3 continues with iOS 9.x and its variants) Samsung S6 and S6 Edge device firmware |
| 10151347 | Delay in Automatic Driving Light Switching on/off. When driving out of a tunnel or exiting underground parking, the automatic driving light remains switched on for two minutes. Shut-off period varies based on detected situation. This is normal operational behavior. |
| 10151221 | "N18 Engine High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HDP): Limited Warranty Extension to 10 Years/120,000 Miles. For the above-referenced vehicles, MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC (""MINI USA"") is extending the limited warranty for the engine's High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HDP) to: 10 years/120,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date Item #1: This ""componentspecific"" limited warranty extension applies to defects in materials and workmanship and is subject to the applicable vehicle and coverage eligibility requirements, exclusions and limitations that apply to the New |
| 10151060 | This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M84 01 14 dated November 2014. SUBJECT Bluetooth Connection Failures. There are various connectivity failures with the following devices: z Apple iPhones z Samsung S6 and the S6 Edge. Connectivity failure examples are: z Call disconnection - Call is transferred back to the handset. In some instances the call is then transferred back to the vehicle. z Contact List incomplete z General connection failures z Apple iOS software (issue started with iOS 8.3 continues with iOS 9.x and its variants) z Samsung S6 and S6 Edge device firmware |
| 10150402 | Service Action: OBC Functions Missing - Retrofit Procedure. The On-Board Computer function on certain vehicles is missing from the instrument cluster. CAUSE Option code 0550 is missing from the vehicle order. |
| 10150401 | "Front Power Windows Not Functioning Properly. The front power window may exhibit one or more of the following faults: * The window reverses when it reaches the top travel * Loss of the ""one touch"" feature when closing the window * Window movement is not smooth or stops halfway * Windows cannot be initialized with ISTA or manually CAUSE Front power window drive and Footwell Module (FRM) software" |
| 10150400 | Adjusting Rear Camber. Rear camber cannot be adjusted properly. CAUSE Repair instructions not followed properly |
| 10150398 | "Service Action: Retrofit of the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Internal corrosion could form in the engine coolant temperature sensor. This corrosion leads to internal bridging of the contacts, which can cause an inaccurate engine temperature reading. This false reading could lead to difficulty in the engine starting and/or a ""Service Engine Soon"" lamp being illuminated." |
| 10150397 | "Service Action: Retrofit of the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Internal corrosion could form in the engine coolant temperature sensor. This corrosion leads to internal bridging of the contacts, which can cause an inaccurate engine temperature reading. This false reading could lead to difficulty in the engine starting and/or a ""Service Engine Soon"" lamp being illuminated." |
| 10150357 | ?SUBJECT DWA (Anti-theft Alarm System): False Alarm Is Triggered Intermittently. When the vehicle is parked and locked (DWA active), the alarm system is triggered intermittently. One or more of the following conditions may trigger the alarm system: Sun roof in the tilted/open position, Window partially open, Excessive local noise (for example, near an airport, on a busy road, or in heavy rain) CAUSE Normal sensitivity of the interior ultrasonic sensor. |
| 10150356 | "Discharged Battery: Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed. MINI electrical systems and advancements in vehicle technology have resulted in an increased demand on the vehicle battery. This SI will help the dealer handle ""discharged battery"" complaints. A discharged battery can have various causes, most unrelated to the battery. A failed battery is often the symptom and not the cause. A fully serviceable battery fails when an electrical component causes the battery to discharge; the battery becomes internally damaged and must be replaced. For more information, refer to http://www.batteryuniversi |
| 10150350 | "Service Action: Retrofit of the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Internal corrosion could form in the engine coolant temperature sensor. This corrosion leads to internal bridging of the contacts, which can cause an inaccurate engine temperature reading. This false reading could lead to difficulty in the engine starting and/or a ""Service Engine Soon"" lamp being illuminated." |
| 10150349 | "Service Action: Retrofit of the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Internal corrosion could form in the engine coolant temperature sensor. This corrosion leads to internal bridging of the contacts, which can cause an inaccurate engine temperature reading. This false reading could lead to difficulty in the engine starting and/or a ""Service Engine Soon"" lamp being illuminated." |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)