Home · 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman · Complaints

What 49 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Mini Cooper S 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 (49)Crash / fire / injury (6)Electrical system (16)Engine (16)Fuel system (5)Airbags (4)Body & structure (3)Seats (3)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Brakes (1)Engine & cooling (1)Latches & locks (1)

3 of 49 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters

May 27, 2020Body & structure

DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR FAILS TO OPEN WHEN STATIONARY. USING REMOTE AND/OR THE INTERIOR UNLOCK TOGGLE ALLOWS THE UNLOCK INDICATOR ON THE UPPER DOOR SILL TO POP UP; HOWEVER, NEITHER THE INTERIOR NOR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES, WHEN PULLED, OPEN THE DOOR. DRIVER MUST EXIT VIA WINDOW OR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. ALL OTHER DOORS OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 2 MAY 2020 UNTIL 26 MAY 2020. CURRENTLY AS OF 26 MAY 2020, THE DOOR UNLOCK INDICATOR POPS UP OR DOWN WITH REMOTE OR INTERIOR TOGGLE, BUT FAILS TO OPEN WHEN INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE IS PULLED. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND CAN BE IDENTIFIED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. THOUGH THE YEAR AND MODEL MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN OURS, MANY PARTS ARE SHARED ACROSS MODELS AND YEARS. HTTP://FORUMS.PELICANPARTS.COM/MINI-DISCUSSION-FORUM/939545-DRIVER-DOOR-WONT-OPEN.HTML HTTPS://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/STOCK-PROBLEMS-ISSUES/187003-DRIVER-S-DOOR-WON-T-OPEN-FROM-INSIDE-OR-OUTSIDE.HTML HTTPS://WWW.MINI2.COM/THREADS/DRIVER-DOOR-STUCK-CLOSED-HELP.183918/ HTTP://WWW.PSMINI.ORG/FORUM/DRIVERS-DOOR-WONT-OPEN-FROM-INSIDE_TOPIC6265.HTML HTTPS://MINICOOPERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/2002-2006-MINI-COOPER-R50-11/MINI-COOPER-DOOR-WONT-OPEN-NOT-ACTUATER-3479/*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11326149

Jul 2, 2018Electrical systemBody & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE CARPET WAS WET. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE SOUND OF WATER SWISHING AROUND COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE BOTTOM AND THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE ALARM WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MINI OF MANHATTAN (793 11TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10019, (212) 586-6464), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11105132

Jul 20, 2016Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURES RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR ACTUATORS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED EXCEPT FOR THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10886190

Working with the data? Download all 49 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 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman verdict →