2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
No verdict The 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible has a complaint index of 0 with only 3 complaints and 1 recall, ranking it 8th of 8 model years by complaint volume order. No crashes, fires, or injuries were reported.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 0/100
- #8 of 8 Cooper S Convertible years
- Verdict
- No verdict
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 3
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 1
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 0
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 29
- 25.5 city / 33.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System2 (67%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (33%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Coolant coil failures were reported to affect the ECU, requiring replacement of the coils and the DME around 118,000 miles.
- The Footwell Module (FRM) was reported to corrode internally and stay active, continuously drawing power from the battery.
- Owners compared the FRM issue to a recall covering other MINI chassis (R55 and R56) but noted the R57 convertible was excluded.
- An FRM failure was reported to leave a vehicle stranded, with warning lights for ABS and the parking brake appearing before all electric switches stopped working.
2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V248000Apr 18, 2018Engine47,806 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 25.5 MPG
- Highway
- 33.5 MPG
- Combined
- 29 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,750
- 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 S Convertible years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible reliable?
- NHTSA lists only 3 complaints and 1 recall for this year, giving it a complaint index of 0, the lowest complaint volume among the 8 model years with data.
- What problems does the 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible have?
- Owners reported electrical issues, mainly the Footwell Module (FRM) corroding and draining the battery or causing stalling, plus one report of coil and DME failure around 118,000 miles.
- Does the 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible have a recall?
- Yes, one recall is listed, campaign 18V248000, covering an engine water pump issue on related BMW and MINI vehicles; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
- Is the 2012 model better than other MINI Cooper S Convertible years?
- Its complaint index of 0 is lower than 2005 (100), 2006 (86), 2010 (71), and 2008 (57), placing it among the years with fewer reported problems, though no verdict has been assigned.
- What is the top problem area for the 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible?
- Electrical System complaints make up 67% of reports for this year, mainly tied to the Footwell Module.