2012 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S years
- About as many complaints as other years 12th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 12th out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (13 complaints, 57%), typically at around 116,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 23owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 MINI Cooper S problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 13 | 57% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 17% | 78,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 13% | 47,702 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 9% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 4% | 44,342 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 MINI Cooper S recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the fuel pump was defective, and the fuel pump was…
My vehicle has an outstanding recall (NHTSA Recall #23V337) from over a year and a half ago. There is still no update on when this will be remedied. The recall states there is potential for a "thermal event", which to me is a fancy way of saying fire. For an incident where my vehicle can catch…
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that the headlights, turn signals, windows, and the radio were inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the VIN was…
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH on the highway, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The…
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…
Other MINI Cooper S years
← 2011 Cooper S · 2013 Cooper S →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Cooper S | 4 | 3 |
| 2024 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 Cooper S | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 Cooper S | 5 | 2 |
| 2019 Cooper S | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 Cooper S | 6 | 3 |
| 2016 Cooper S | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 Cooper S | 18 | 4 |
| 2014 Cooper S | 13 | 4 |
| 2013 Cooper S | 24 | 1 |
| 2012 | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Cooper S | 31 | 3 |
| 2010 Cooper S | 59 | 4 |
| 2009 Cooper S | 119 | 3 |
| 2008 Cooper S | 168 | 4 |
| 2007 Cooper S | 249 | 4 |
| 2006 Cooper S | 186 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 314 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 247 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 217 | 2 |
| 2002 Cooper S | 83 | 1 |
See all MINI Cooper S problems by year, every MINI model, or the MINI VIN decoder.
Similar MINI models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MINI Cooper S?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 MINI Cooper S?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 MINI Cooper S a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper S model years, the 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.