2012 MINI Cooper Countryman Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
No verdict The 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman has a complaint index of 100, the highest of the three model years with data, ranking it worst of the group. Engine problems, including fires, dominate the complaints, with a median failure mileage of 44,000 miles, though NHTSA lists no recalls for this year.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 3 Cooper Countryman years
- Verdict
- No verdict
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 53
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 8
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Engine
- Best nearby year
- —
- no alternative with data
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 28.5
- 26 city / 31.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine28 (53%)
- Electrical System14 (26%)
- Transmission & Powertrain6 (11%)
- Airbags5 (9%)
- Other5 (9%)
- Fuel System4 (8%)
- Seat Belts4 (8%)
- Brakes3 (6%)
- Visibility & Wipers3 (6%)
- Structure & Body2 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Engine bay fires can start with smoke or flames appearing suddenly, sometimes while the car is parked and unattended.
- Some owners smell smoke or see it while driving around 40 mph, followed by oil leaking from a hose or fitting near the engine.
- Vehicles can catch fire while stationary and become fully engulfed within minutes, leading to total loss of the car.
- The FRM electrical module has been linked to failed turn signals and other lighting problems, with some owners citing a warranty extension for the part.
- On manual-transmission models, the clutch can unexpectedly engage on its own, causing the engine to rev without the pedal being pressed, worsening over several hundred miles.
- A grinding noise from the transfer case and drive shaft has been reported at low mileage, sometimes alongside axle rusting.
2012 MINI Cooper Countryman recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2012 MINI Cooper Countryman fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 26 MPG
- Highway
- 31.5 MPG
- Combined
- 28.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Cooper Countryman years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 model has the highest complaint index (100) among the three years with data, driven mainly by engine problems including fires.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman?
- Engine issues make up 53% of complaints for this year, including 7 fires, with a median failure mileage of 44,000 miles.
- Does the 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 model year.
- How does the 2012 model compare to other Countryman years?
- The 2012 model has a complaint index of 100, compared to 50 for 2011 and 0 for 2013, making it the worst-ranked of the three years with data.