What 49 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman

I purchased a 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman from LA Motorsports (703 1st Ave N, Windom, MN 56101) in November 2024. Prior to purchase, I specifically asked whether any open recalls remained, and the dealership assured me all had been completed. After the vehicle failed within 60 days, a certified MINI technician inspected it and confirmed the presence of stop leak and catastrophic internal engine damage. The technician also confirmed that the auxiliary water pump—subject to NHTSA Recall 18V-248, a federal Stop-Sale recall—was still actively leaking at the time of inspection, and that the recall was still open at the time of sale. This indicates the dealer sold the vehicle without completing the required recall, which violates federal law (49 U.S.C. § 30120(i); 49 C.F.R. § 573.11). I am reporting this as a violation of federal safety standards and consumer protection. I have evidence available, including a video inspection and technician report, and I am willing to provide those upon request.

NHTSA ODI 11673034

The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the fuel pump was defective, and the fuel pump was replaced. The contact stated that approximately a year later the failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump had failed again and needed to be replaced. The fuel pump was replaced under warranty; however, the failure recently returned a third time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11665052

Oil keeps leaking back into motor and many car repair companies keep saying this is common and they won’t repair it because it’s not worth it also on another side the hood latch keeps breaking

NHTSA ODI 11606209

Nothing has failed yet, however, the oil stick is completely illegible. On a car that fails to have an electronic dipstick and likes to burn oil, as well as has a very small oil capacity (Around 5 liters or less) this design is going to cause the engine to run out of oil without the driver knowing. It is a seriously bad design, especially combined with BMW recommending a 10,000 mile oil change, the car will burn off all the oil it has and operator will have no idea due to the faulty design of the dipstick. I generally like BMWS engineering and designs, but this one is just atrocious and I have no idea how it got approved. Running a car out of oil usually causes the engine seize unless you shut it off at the right time, which, most people will not do. Imagine if your engine seizes on the highway? No it hasn't been inspected, I can send pictures of it, if you want? Or a video? I have not had this problem yet (knock on wood) but I have read the only warning sign, is the sound of an engine without oil and the oil pressure light comes on (which at that point you have maybe 3s to pull over and shut off the engine before it toasts the engine) I have also read about the engines consuming the entire oil capacity if you follow the BMW recommended schedule. It all just seems like a huge oversight for a company that usually has few issues.

NHTSA ODI 11514050

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,421.

NHTSA ODI 11403950

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING UP A MOUNTAIN AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN ENGINE PROBLEM MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED SOON AFTER RESTART. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS A WARRANTY ON HER VEHICLE FOR THE HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MINI OF ONTARIO (1251 AUTO CENTER DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761) WHERE THEY INFORMED HER THAT HER VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE VALVE COVER, OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET O RING, FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL, OIL PUMP SOLENOID VALVE, WATER PUMP PULLEY DRIVE WHEEL, AND WATER PUMP ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11365166

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MINI OF ARLINGTON (2001 N COLLINS ST, ARLINGTON, TX 76011) FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V248000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11327159

THE FIRST IMAGE SHOWS A QUOTE FOR WORK THAT EDISON MINI STATED MY CAR NEEDS. THE SECOND IMAGE IS A SCREENSHOT I SAVED FROM THE INTERNET WHEN I RESEARCHED IF THE ISSUE WITH THE THE WATER PUMP IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR MY YEAR AND MAKE OF MY CAR. IS THERE A WAY WHERE YOU CAN HELP ME TO GET THIS WATER PUMP ISSUE CORRECTED BY MINI, AT THEIR EXPENSE? MY CAR IS A 2012, 8 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE A MERE 77,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11321445

THE CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY ONCE AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED BY MINI COOPER AND AGAIN SECOND TIME ON INNER ROADS DRIVING AT 20 MILES AN HOUR....WITHOUT ANY WARNING

NHTSA ODI 11301419

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 MINI COOPER S COUNTRYMAN. AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS, THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND BLACK SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT AND A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND FACILITY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. *LN*JB*PM*JB

NHTSA ODI 11269428

MY 2012 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN WITH 83033 MILES IS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THE RECALLED WATER PUMP WAS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER ON 10/31/2018, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WILL COST YOU $1800 TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, I HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO DRIVE MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WILL COST ME $1800. PRE THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX. THERE IS NOT ANY PARTS IN THE UNITED STATES CURRENTLY TO FIX THIS CAR. I HAVE INCLUDED PHOTOS OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING THAT WAS REMOVED FROM MY CAR AND BY PAPER WORK FROM THE DEALER. IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS CHIP WHEN THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AND NOT CRACKED. I HAVE ORDER TWO THERMOSTAT AND THEY DO NOT FIX. I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR THOUGH MINI FINANICEL, MAYBE IT TIME TO HAVE THIS CAR RETURN BACK TO THEM. I CANNOT GET THE CORRECT THERMOSTAT TO GET IT FIX. DO NOT WANT TO KEEP PAYING FOR A CAR I CANNOT DRIVE. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE....

NHTSA ODI 11155449

OIL FILTER HOUSING AND/OR OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKETS LEAKING DIRECTLY ON EXHAUST DOWNPIPE, AND IN MY OPINION IS A FIRE HAZARD. THE OIL FLLTER HOUSING IS ONLY HELD ON BY A FEW BOLTS, AND ENGINE VIBRATION AND HEAT CAUSE LEAKING. THIS IS A HORRIBLE DESIGN, AND A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 1.6 ENGINE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX, AND AGAIN IN MY OPINION, THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. MY MINI ONLY HAS 106K MILES, AND I HAVE NOT YET FIXED IT DUE TO THE EXPENSE. WITH THE OIL DRIPPING DIRECTLY ON THE EXHAUST, THE OIL BURNS AND SMOKES AND IS A FIRE HAZARD. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THOUSANDS OF MINI OWNERS.

NHTSA ODI 11150856

WATER PUMP FAILED AT 84,000 MILES CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11131115

MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR SLOWED TO 19 MPH, THEN DIED. I WILL NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN, ENGINE, AND MORE. THIS CAR IS NEW TO ME FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11130775

TURBO COOLANT PUMP - LAST YEAR MY CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPES. THE SMOKE WAS SO BAD, THE CAR LOOKED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP TO GET IT FIXED AND THE SMOKE STOPPED. ABOUT 9 MONTHS LATER, I WAS PARKED WITH THE CAR ON. THE RUBBER SMELL AND SMOKE APPEARED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE COOLANT PUMP FOR THE TURBO. HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR IT. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL, BUT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. MY CAR IS HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND MINI WILL NOT FIX IT. IT COSTS $3300 FOR ME TO FIX, WHEN CLEARLY, IT IS A MINI MANUFACTURING PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11130503

ENGINE RATTLING NOISE (TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER) AT ALL TIMES, VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI 10852609