What 71 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman

The problem started with fog lights blinking on and off while the car was off. As I entered the vehicle I noticed a pool of water on the floor bed. The car has a sunroof which was closed at the time, as well as all of the windows - water came in from somewhere else. I proceeded to turn on the car to see what was happening and the car did not turn on. I thought maybe the battery is dead - tried to give it a boost and it did not work. I replaced the battery - it turned on the car but most lighting areas and power windows do not work. The two front windows are not working properly, they do not go up or down, only the back windows. I do not have control of the headlights - it just stays on one setting. The directional lights do not work. The console lights do not work. This puts myself and others at risk because I can’t aware other drivers when I making a turn or changing lanes. I can’t see the console panel at night, unaware of gas, speed, or radio functions. The car has been driven locally only during the day to avoid accidents and when I arrive at my destination - I notice smoke coming out of the hood. There is an active recall (23V-337) on the R55 & R56 models but not R60 models - which is my car. The exact description of defect (see below) is what is happening to my car and I’d like to have this model added to the recall. It is very dangerous to keep driving this car which I need for daily use. “This safety recall involves the Footwell Control Module (FRM), an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which controls various lighting and power window functions, and is installed near the bottom of the driver's side A-pillar behind an interior trim panel. Due to several contributing factors (environmental, certain US States' wintertime road treatment, vehicle design configuration and age), over time, the FRM could become susceptible to corrosion. For vehicles equipped with a sunroof, after a multi-year period involving large temperature changes, multiple freeze/thaw cycles..”

NHTSA ODI 11592805

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. AFTER PARKING AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND THE DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB TO THE REAR SEATS TO EXIT THROUGH THE REAR DOOR. THE CONTACT REPLACED A FUSE THAT ENABLED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO UNLOCK, BUT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR REMAINED LOCKED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ODI 11131975

THE SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, THERE WAS NO EVENT, THERE WAS NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS TO OCCUR. IT HAD BEEN PARKED OVERNIGHT IN AN OPEN AREA, AS IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE ONRAMP WHEN IT SOUNDED LIKE A WINDOW WAS OPEN, THEN ON THE HIGHWAY IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS ICE CRUST COMING OFF OF THE BACK OF THE CAR, THEN THERE WAS A RUSH OF WIND - PULLED OVER AND SAW THE SHATTERED ROOF. THANKFULLY THE SUNSCREEN WAS CLOSED SO THE GLASS DIDN'T POUR ONTO ME.

NHTSA ODI 11072868

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 13 MONTHS THE REAR SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING FOR NO REASON. WE WERE DRIVING AROUND 45MPH AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. THE SCREEN WAS CLOSED BUT GLASS SHARDS FELL THROUGH THE SCREEN ALL OVER OUR DOG AND THE BACK SEAT.

NHTSA ODI 10818266