Most common 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman problems
Share of the 53 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mini Cooper Countryman complaints by model year
Best Cooper Countryman years: 2013, 2011. Years to avoid: 2012. Compare all years →
What 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman owners say
Engine & cooling all 28 →
The contact owned a 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman. The contact stated while she was at a standstill in traffic, she saw smoke exiting from under the hood. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the emergency lane and exit the vehicle before the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The contact did not sustain any injuries nor seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The contact spoke to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V248000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled. The fuel tank was a third of the way full. The trunk was locking and unlocking continuously while driving or while the vehicle was parked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical system). The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a short in the footwell module due to water intrusion. The drain was also clogged in the sunroof. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 161,818.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled. The fuel tank was a third of the way full. The trunk was locking and unlocking continuously while driving or while the vehicle was parked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical system). The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a short in the footwell module due to water intrusion. The drain was also clogged in the sunroof. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 161,818.
On the evening of [redacted] at approximately [redacted] my 2012 Mini Cooper S all 4 burst into flames. The car was parked in front of my building for 6 days (we don't use the car very much) in front of my building when the all of a sudden the head lights started flashing followed by the car cabin filling with grey smoke then followed by black smoke then there was a flash (spark?) and the entire cabin the became engulfed in flames. All of this has been captured by our building security camera. I reported the incident the following day to Mini/BMW customer care. I've been sharing emails with Thomas Lula who is investigating the "thermal event"
Transmission & drivetrain
timing chain failure which caused engine shut down. this is a known problem with other models. It was not recalled but BMW lost a class action lawsuit for the same problem in the same car, different years. They have not updated or repaired the issue. very expensive repair.
Engine light came on so I went in for a diagnostic. I live 2.5 hours from a Mini service center. The diagnostic at autozone just listed a bunch of misfires and nothing else. That explained the harsh sounding start and sputtering. As days have gone by, car will lose power in the middle of traffic, struggle up hills, fail to maintain speed limit, and struggle to start in the morning. All these events have occurred less than a month after being serviced at seattle Mini. I'm sure I'm under warranty, but I'm not happy about having to drive 2.5 hours if I can make it there, for something they seem to have been having complaints about.
2012 Mini Cooper Countryman engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 27 / 34 / 30 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 29 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman a good car?
Based on 53 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Cooper Countryman rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cooper Countryman at the same age. It is one of the Cooper Countryman years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman?
The engine & cooling — 28 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (14) and transmission & drivetrain (6).
How many recalls does the 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mini Cooper Countryman?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012. See the full Mini Cooper Countryman years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 52% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.