Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman — assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its 17-character VIN to decode that exact car — its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment — alongside these records. Free, no account.
Run a VIN →Recalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Mini Cooper S Countryman year.
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for this make/model/year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car — check with a dealer using the VIN.
Issue: 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.
Campaign 18V248000
Issue: BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 MINI COOPER S, 2008-2011 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 COOPER JCW CONVERTIBLE, AND 2011 COOPER S COUNTRYMAN PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 14, 2006, THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2011. THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP THAT COOLS THE TURBOCHARGER HAS AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CAN MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT.
Risk: THE CIRCUIT BOARD MAY SMOLDER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGANDURING FEBRUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-866-275-6464.
Campaign 12V008000
1 open NHTSA investigation into this model. Investigations come before recalls, so these are potential defects not yet covered by one.
Rated configuration: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman 5 HB FWD
The parts named most often across 22 owner complaintsfiled with NHTSA for this make, model and year — the closest free answer to “what is likely to go wrong?”
1 fire
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so treat this as where to look, not a defect rate.
My father has the same year mini cooper and has a recall on the foot control module. He actually just got it fixed even though he hadn't had any issues with it yet. My mini has had the foot control module go bad. My car is unusable. I have no interior lights, no dash lights, no turn signals, no blowers, the windows controls don't work. I had to drive it once because I hit a deer with my other vehicle and nearly got rear ended because they didn't know I was turning and it over heated............ I do not understand why my dad got a recall and I haven't. Please HELP
The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the battery became drained. The contact replaced the battery. The contact stated that after replacing the battery, the turn signals and brake lights failed to work as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to get the vehicle shipped to a dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman. The contact stated while parked there was white smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the battery and CS module needed to be replaced. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
THE COOLANT THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS ALWAYS MAKING A PROBLEM. I SEE THERE IS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON OTHER YEARS MODEL. BUT IT HAS TO BE INCLUDED MY VEHICLE'S YEAR. THEY USES SAME THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND MAKING A SAME PROBLEM. LEAKS OR IT STUCK OPENED/CLOSED VERY EASILY. WITHIN A 3 YEARS I NEED TO CHANGE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING/ TIMES WITH OEM PART. FIRST TIME IT MAKES A PROBLEM AT AROUND 90000 MILES.
WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF DURING THE COURSE OF TRAVEL OR SITTING STILL. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, WHETHER IT BE ON A CITY STREET, FREEWAY, ETC.
MY TURBOCHARGER FAILED IN 2017. I REPLACED WITH A NON OEM TURBOCHARGER. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MIN EXTENDING THE WARRANTY AFTER OUR REPAIR. MINI IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE PARTS COST AND INSTALL BECAUSE NON OEM PARTS. THIS SHOULD NOT MATTER ACCOUNT PARTS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO EXTENDED WARRANTY BEING COMMON KNOWLEDGE.
ENGHINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON SINCE PURCHASE IN 2015 AND WE HAVE ALREADY INVESTED SEVERL $ TRYING TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM. IT ALWAYS COME BACK ON POWER LOSS AND RATTLING SOUND TOOK TO BMW DEALER AND PAID FOR "TROUBLESHOOTING" WAS TOLD BY BMW SERVICE TECH NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT COULD SMOKE AD DIE! THE TIMING CHAIN AND GUIDES NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL AND LAWSUIT FOR THIS THROUGH 2010 BUT MY VEHICLE IS A 2011....CAR COULD SMOKE OUT AND DIE ANY MOMENT. 86272 MILES YEAR 2011 CALLED BMW FILED A COMPLAINT BUT THATS NOT FIXING THE ISSUE. WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD INVEST ANOTHER 5K+TO FIX THIS ISSUE.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE, CAUSING NUMEROUS AND SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REPAIR COSTS.
AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CODE CAME UP DURING A SMOG CHEG INSPECTION.
CAR FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 I DROVE 10 MINUTES FROM HOME. I WAS PARKED IN A LOT FOR 5 MINUTES. CAME OUT OF STORE, STARTED ENGINE AND HEAVY SMOKE IMMEDIATELY STARTED FILLING THE INTERIOR AND BILLOWING UP FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I QUICKLY GOT OUT. OPENED THE HOOD. SAW FLAMES DEEP DOWN, JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. HEAVY WHITE/GRAY SMOKE. CALLED 911, WHO RESPONDED QUICKLY (DANBURY CT FIRE DEPT.) THE OWNER OF THE STORE I HAD BEEN IN, CAME OUT AND WITNESSED FIRE/SMOKE. FIRE SUBSIDED AND FIRE DEPT CHECKED FOR HOT SPOTS, AUTHORIZED FOR TOWING BY AAA TO DEALER. MY MINI HAD BEEN IN THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. APRIL 12, HAVING MAINTENANCE DONE... LESS THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE THIS FIRE HAPPENED. (WORK DONE INCLUDED NEW FAN BELT, OIL CHANGE, FILTER, BRAKES, 2 FRONT TIRES...) I PICKED MY CAR UP ON FRIDAY, APR. 13, AND DROVE HOME. AFTER 2 SHORT ERRANDS ON SUNDAY, THE FIRE BROKE OUT. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALER BEING FIXED BY MINI. MINI USA HAS AUTHORIZED THE WORK. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT DAMAGE THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSED TO SURROUNDING PARTS UNDER THE HOOD. SO MANY SENSORS AND CIRCUIT BOARDS/ELECTRICAL PARTS... SERVICE MGR SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY A "HOT WIRE." COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN? I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AGAIN. I HAVE THE DANBURY FIRE DEPT. RECORD IN AN EMAIL, AND PHOTOS OF MY CAR BEING TOWED. THE DEALER HAS THE INSPECTION REPORT OF DAMAGE. FIRE HAPPENED JUST HOURS AFTER CAR HAD BEEN WORKED ON. COINCIDENCE? THEY SAY SO. NO PROOF. BUT, THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. IF I HAD BEEN ON A ROAD/HIGHWAY (WHICH I ALMOST WAS), I WOULD'VE BEEN OVERCOME WITH SMOKE AND PROBABLY PASS OUT BEFORE PULLING OFF THE ROAD. THANK GOD I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AT THE TIME! VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I OWNED THE CAR FOR 7+ YEARS. ONLY OWNER/DRIVER. 73K MILES. MAINTAINED VERY WELL. NO GAS/FUEL/OIL/COOLANT LEAKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER S US. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PRESSURE PUMP FAILED, STATING THAT THE PRESSURE WAS AT ZERO PSI. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,774.
AFTER A BATTERY FAILURE (LOSS OF CHARGE OR BATTERY REPLACEMENT) CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURES ARE DISABLED UNTIL THE CAR IS RETURNED TO A DEALER TO "PROGRAM THE NEW BATTERY". THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT ARE DISABLED INCLUDE: 1) TURN SIGNALS, 2) 4 WAY FLASHERS, 3) FRONT WINDOWS LOWERING, 3) CONTROL OF THE HEADLIGHTS (NO CONTROL OF DIMS AND BRIGHT LIGHTS), AND 4) DASH LIGHTS (CAN'T SEE THE SPEEDOMETER). WHILE A SIMPLE WARNING LIGHT IN THIS SITUATION WOULD WORK, THE MANUFACTURER CHOSE TO DISABLE CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR. IN MY CASE, ITS A 1 1/2 DRIVE IN AN UNSAFE CAR TO GET THE SITUATION CORRECTED. THIS SITUATION IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY OTHER DRIVERS AND OTHERS CAN BE FOUND WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH.
Showing 12 of 22 complaints.
Over 5 years this costs $2,500 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.