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What 29 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (29)Crash / fire / injury (3)Electrical system (11)Engine (4)Engine & cooling (4)Steering (4)Transmission & drivetrain (4)Airbags (3)Speed control (3)Brakes (2)Fuel system (2)Visibility & wipers (2)

3 of 29 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Sep 12, 2025Engine & coolingElectrical systemFire

The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in the driveway while both the contact and his wife were in another vehicle parked in the garage. The contact noticed white smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that upon opening the hood of the vehicle, the contact noticed an electrical burning smell and fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The contact then noticed that a blue plug had melted and was smoking. A police report was not filed. There was no injury sustained. Upon investigating the failure online, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V008000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that he would receive a call back. The failure mileage was 111,019.

NHTSA ODI 11686826

Jul 7, 2014AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. DURING THE IMPACT ALL AIR BAGS INSIDE THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI 10608728

Dec 12, 2011Engine & coolingFire

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER AND POPPED THE HOOD AND FOUND FLAMES IN THE ENGINE BAY. I DIDN'T HAVE AN EXTINGUISHER IN THE CAR AND THERE WASN'T A HOSE IN SIGHT, SO IT BURNED FOR A FEW MINS BEFORE A BYSTANDER STOPPED AND GAVE ME AN EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME SHORTLY AFTER AND DOUSED THE STILL SMOLDERING ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH WATER. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON IN THE DASHBOARD BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THIS FIRE. MY COUNTRYMAN, BUILT IN APRIL 2011 AND PURCHASED IN MAY, HAS ABOUT 5700 MILES ON IT AND HAS OTHERWISE HAD NO PROBLEMS. MY RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THAT OTHER MINI MODELS (COOPER S, CLUBMAN) HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, AND THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING SOME OF THESE. PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING THE COUNTRYMAN TO YOUR INVESTIGATION OF MINI SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10439348

Working with the data? Download all 29 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 27, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman verdict →