Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 MINI Cooper Countryman problems

Owners filed 29 complaints about the 2011 MINI Cooper Countryman with NHTSA between Oct 2011 and Apr 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (11).

Complaints
29
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system11
  2. Engine and engine cooling4
  3. Engine4
  4. Steering4
  5. Power train4
  6. Vehicle speed control3
  7. Air bags3
  8. Fuel/propulsion system2
  9. Visibility2
  10. Exterior lighting1
  11. Tires1
  12. Wheels1
  13. Service brakes1
  14. Equipment adaptive/mobility1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20114
20124
20132
20146
20151
20163
20172
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20233
20241
20252
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

11 reports1 fire
“The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in the driveway while both the contact and his wife were in another vehicle parked in the garage. The contact noticed white smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that upon opening the hood of the vehicle, the contact noticed an electrical burning smell and fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The contact then noticed that a blue plug had melted and was smoking. A police report was not filed. There was no injury sustained. Upon investigating the failure online, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V008000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that he would receive a call back. The failure mileage was 111,019.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2025Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11686826

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports2 fires
“The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside and outside the vehicle. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several hours. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked water pump, which caused the engine to overheat. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2026Engine and engine coolingODI 11729444

Engine

4 reports
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? HEAD GASKETS BLEW ON THE ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING IN JANUARY 2022. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AROUND MARCH 2022. NOW THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS SHOWING THE SAME SIGNS THAT THE HEAD GASKETS ARE AGAIN BLOWN. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? THIS CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN INITIALLY WHEN THEY BLEW. THE ENGINE IS NOW AGAIN MISFIRING AS IF THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN AGAIN. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE CENTER YET, BUT IT IS ACTING THE SAME AS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NOT BEEN INSPECTED CURRENTLY. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AROUND MAY 2023.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2023EngineODI 11555328

Steering

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFT. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUNCTIONED INDEPENDENTLY AND DIFFERENT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2016Steering, Electrical system, Visibility, Vehicle speed controlODI 10839300

Power train

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MAIN COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED TO REMEDY THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. MONTHS LATER, THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE RECURRED ACCOMPANIED BY A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO REPROGRAMMED THE SYSTEM BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED AN EPS COMPUTER PATCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,800. . ..UPDATED 01-10-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED MINI USA WAS AWARE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM FAILURE OCCURRING IN 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN'S. THEY HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDED HER INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT THEY KNOW IS FAILING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OR THE BULLETIN THAT HAVE ON THE STEERING ISSUE. THE DEALER WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, AND THEY BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. THE MIRRORS WERE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, THE CLUTCH FAILED TWICE, TWO STEERING FAILURES, AND THE RE-PROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER, SEVERAL TIMES. UPDATED 01/15/14”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2013Steering, Power train, Visibility, EngineODI 10555365

Vehicle speed control

3 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A LOSS OF POWER AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO NO AVAIL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO HAD THE VEHICLE FOR SIX WEEKS AND WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, FUEL FILTER FOUR SETS OF BRAKES, THREE BATTERIES, IGNITION COILS, WIRING AND THE COMPUTER BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING TWICE, CORE AND NEW BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED PLUS THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A FALSE READING FROM THE COMPUTER. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IT HAD CONTINUED TO JERK VIOLENTLY WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE ODOMETER WAS FLUCTUATING AND NOT READING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE HAD CONTINUED TO JERK VIOLENTLY, DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN BACK TO AN INDPENDENT MECHANIC FOR FURTHER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 24, 2014Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 10605751
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.