CSR

MINI · NHTSA safety record

2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

17

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman have filed 17 safety complaints with NHTSA between June 2012 and February 2025. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 5 of them (29%). The typical failure was reported at 44,450 miles, the median across the 14 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

18V248000 · April 18, 2018

The defect
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.
The risk
If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
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.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 47,806 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

12V008000 · January 11, 2012

The defect
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 MINI COOPER S, 2008-2011 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 COOPER JCW CONVERTIBLE, AND 2011 COOPER S COUNTRYMAN PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 14, 2006, THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2011. THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP THAT COOLS THE TURBOCHARGER HAS AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CAN MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT.
The risk
THE CIRCUIT BOARD MAY SMOLDER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
The remedy
BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGANDURING FEBRUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-866-275-6464.

BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC · up to 90,368 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Engine compartment fire

PE11036

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened October 11, 2011 · closed June 11, 2012 · led to recall 12V008000

the engine and its cooling

In a January 10, 2012 letter to NHTSA, BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the electric auxiliary water pump in approximately 88,911 model year (MY) 2007-2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2006 through January 18, 2011 (Recall 12V-008).According to BMW, the auxiliary water pump on vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder turbocharged engines may overheat.Electro-migration can cause the pump electronic circuit board to overheat resulting in smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, it may lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.The pump supplier, Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH, redesigned the pump to address factors that may contribute to circuit board overheating.The redesigned pumps were completely implemented in production vehicles by January 2011.Recall 12V-008 was the third recall initiated by BMW to address electric auxiliary water pump fires in vehicles equipped with Pierburg pumps.In two October 20, 2011 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted DIRs for similar auxiliary water pump defect conditions in approximately 32,084 MY 2008-2011 BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X5 and X6 models equipped with 8- and 12-cylinder engines and manufactured from May 2008 through December 2010 (Recall 11V-521); and for approximately 589 MY 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from September 2009 through September 2010 (Recall 11V-522).In three separate April 5, 2012 letters to NHTSA, BMW submitted amendments to Recalls 11V-521, 11V-522 and 12V-008.The amendments all described a common defect condition related to a manufacturing process deviation in a certain production range of the redesigned Pierburg water pumps that could result in cracks in the pump housing, which may allow coolant to enter and contact the pump?s circuit board.BMW indicated that further analysis identified a specific machine process error at the sub-supplier that manufactures the water pump housing.Pump housing cracks may cause the circuit board to overheat and lead to smoldering of the water pump.Recall 12V-008 was, thus, amended to include approximately 1,457 MY 2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2011 through April 22, 2011, when pumps manufactured with the suspect manufacturing process may have been used in vehicle assembly.The amendment to Recall 11V-521 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-161, and covered approximately 2,846 MY 2011-2012 BMW 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2011 through August 1, 2011.The amendment to Recall 11V-522 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V-166, and covered approximately 69 MY 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from April 7, 2011 through June 2, 2011.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by BMW as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 30 unique Mini Cooper reports indicating engine fire.In addition, BMW provided warranty data showing 493 claims for replacement of the subject component on Mini Cooper vehicles.Owners of the recalled vehicles are notified to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer, who will replace the auxiliary water pump to prevent any incidents related to this issue.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.):10286597, 10286663, 10289793, 10310677, 10314796, 10342365, 10394808, 10394192, 10403982, 10418325, 10422646, 10429003.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 17.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 29%
ENGINE 5 29%
POWER TRAIN 5 29%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 18%
AIR BAGS 2 12%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 5.

2012 2018 2025
2012 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · 73,000 miles

CAR FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 I DROVE 10 MINUTES FROM HOME. I WAS PARKED IN A LOT FOR 5 MINUTES. CAME OUT OF STORE, STARTED ENGINE AND HEAVY SMOKE IMMEDIATELY STARTED FILLING THE INTERIOR AND BILLOWING UP FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I QUICKLY GOT OUT. OPENED THE HOOD. SAW FLAMES DEEP DOWN, JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. HEAVY WHITE/GRAY SMOKE. CALLED 911, WHO RESPONDED QUICKLY (DANBURY CT FIRE DEPT.) THE OWNER OF THE STORE I HAD BEEN IN, CAME OUT AND WITNESSED FIRE/SMOKE. FIRE SUBSIDED AND FIRE DEPT CHECKED FOR HOT SPOTS, AUTHORIZED FOR TOWING BY AAA TO DEALER. MY MINI HAD BEEN IN THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. APRIL 12, HAVING MAINTENANCE DONE... LESS THAN 48

NHTSA complaint 11088783, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My father has the same year mini cooper and has a recall on the foot control module. He actually just got it fixed even though he hadn't had any issues with it yet. My mini has had the foot control module go bad. My car is unusable. I have no interior lights, no dash lights, no turn signals, no blowers, the windows controls don't work. I had to drive it once because I hit a deer with my other vehicle and nearly got rear ended because they didn't know I was turning and it over heated............ I do not understand why my dad got a recall and I haven't. Please HELP

NHTSA complaint 11644516. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

119,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the battery became drained. The contact replaced the battery. The contact stated that after replacing the battery, the turn signals and brake lights failed to work as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to get the vehicle shipped to a dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

NHTSA complaint 11587828. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

79,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman. The contact stated while parked there was white smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the battery and CS module needed to be replaced. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA complaint 11461317. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
THE COOLANT THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS ALWAYS MAKING A PROBLEM. I SEE THERE IS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON OTHER YEARS MODEL. BUT IT HAS TO BE INCLUDED MY VEHICLE'S YEAR. THEY USES SAME THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND MAKING A SAME PROBLEM. LEAKS OR IT STUCK OPENED/CLOSED VERY EASILY. WITHIN A 3 YEARS I NEED TO CHANGE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING/ TIMES WITH OEM PART. FIRST TIME IT MAKES A PROBLEM AT AROUND 90000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint 11387266. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

17,000 miles

WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF DURING THE COURSE OF TRAVEL OR SITTING STILL. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, WHETHER IT BE ON A CITY STREET, FREEWAY, ETC.

NHTSA complaint 11143593. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
MY TURBOCHARGER FAILED IN 2017. I REPLACED WITH A NON OEM TURBOCHARGER. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MIN EXTENDING THE WARRANTY AFTER OUR REPAIR. MINI IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE PARTS COST AND INSTALL BECAUSE NON OEM PARTS. THIS SHOULD NOT MATTER ACCOUNT PARTS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO EXTENDED WARRANTY BEING COMMON KNOWLEDGE.

NHTSA complaint 11142708. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the MINI Cooper S Countryman

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2012 26 1

Other 2011 MINI models

Every MINI on this site — 29 vehicles, 45 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst