Home · 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman · Complaints

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)

4 of 29 complaints match · Engine · clear filters

Nov 15, 2023Engine

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? HEAD GASKETS BLEW ON THE ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING IN JANUARY 2022. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AROUND MARCH 2022. NOW THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS SHOWING THE SAME SIGNS THAT THE HEAD GASKETS ARE AGAIN BLOWN. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? THIS CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN INITIALLY WHEN THEY BLEW. THE ENGINE IS NOW AGAIN MISFIRING AS IF THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN AGAIN. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE CENTER YET, BUT IT IS ACTING THE SAME AS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NOT BEEN INSPECTED CURRENTLY. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AROUND MAY 2023.

NHTSA ODI 11555328

May 2, 2023Engine

The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal sound. The contact stated that after the vehicle warmed up, the abnormal sound stopped. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 11520101

Dec 9, 2013SteeringTransmission & drivetrainVisibility & wipersEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MAIN COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED TO REMEDY THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. MONTHS LATER, THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE RECURRED ACCOMPANIED BY A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO REPROGRAMMED THE SYSTEM BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED AN EPS COMPUTER PATCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,800. . ..UPDATED 01-10-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED MINI USA WAS AWARE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM FAILURE OCCURRING IN 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN'S. THEY HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDED HER INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT THEY KNOW IS FAILING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OR THE BULLETIN THAT HAVE ON THE STEERING ISSUE. THE DEALER WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, AND THEY BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. THE MIRRORS WERE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, THE CLUTCH FAILED TWICE, TWO STEERING FAILURES, AND THE RE-PROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER, SEVERAL TIMES. UPDATED 01/15/14

NHTSA ODI 10555365

Oct 2, 2013Speed controlEquipment Adaptive/mobilityEngine

THE 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN HAS A POORLY DESIGNED CUP HOLDER THAT PUNCTURES CUPS CAUSING LIQUID TO LEAK. THIS CUP HOLDER IS NOT PROPERLY SEALED AND ALLOWS FLUID (CONDENSATION) INTO THE GEARSHIFT ASSEMBLY. THIS CAUSES THE INABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. IT WILL ALSO CAUSE THE KEY TO BE STUCK IN THE IGNITION. MINI WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LABOR TO FIX THE ISSUE AND WILL ALSO NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM FROM RECURRING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS WELL AS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX FOR THE CONSUMER. WHEN I CALLED MINI USA THEY INFORMED ME THERE WAS LANGUAGE IN THE MANUAL THAT PROVIDED A WARNING ABOUT WHAT CUPS WERE APPROPRIATE BUT I FOUND NO SUCH LANGUAGE. THERE WAS BARELY A REFERENCE TO THE CUP HOLDERS. THEY MAY HAVE UPDATED THEIR MANUAL SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR BUT MINE DID NOT HAVE ANY REFERENCE TO SUCH A PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10546491

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 →