2012 MINI Cooper Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper years
- More complaints than other years 11th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 MINI Cooper. That ranks 11th out of 26 Cooper model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (28 complaints, 42%), typically at around 58,749 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 7 fires, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 66owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 MINI Cooper 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 | 28 | 42% | 58,749 | — | — |
| Engine | 17 | 26% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 18% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 12% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 8% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 6% | 36,911 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 6% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 5% | 22,615 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 5% | 47,620 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | 59,237 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 22 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 MINI Cooper recalls (1)
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.
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.
This vin waa not included in a recall however had recall issues it obtained water in the footwell which mini has a recall issue for this and the car was caught on fire it is at the dealership in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT. The electronic module in the driver side footwell area may short circuit. when I unlock the car or try to start, I hear loud electrical SHORT CIRCUIT noises coming out of the seating area. I am afraid to even unlock the car, and fear car might catch fire.
The electronic control module in the driverâs side footwell short-circuit, battery and electrical in the car are being drained and car does not work properly and completely drains battery.
My 2012 mini cooper has a Footwell Module recall and I took it to the dealer and they refused to replace it but they said i could pay to have it replaced even though it was a recall
Mini BMW is fully aware of an issue with their OC3 detection mat on the passengers side and offered a extended warranty of 10 years/ 100k miles. This is insufficient coverage for a crucial saftey part and has led to a grey market production of occupancy detection mats "emulators" which are being…
Other MINI Cooper years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cooper | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Cooper | 1 | 3 |
| 2024 Cooper | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 Cooper | 7 | 0 |
| 2022 Cooper | 6 | 0 |
| 2021 Cooper | 7 | 2 |
| 2020 Cooper | 7 | 2 |
| 2019 Cooper | 12 | 2 |
| 2018 Cooper | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 Cooper | 28 | 3 |
| 2016 Cooper | 28 | 1 |
| 2015 Cooper | 56 | 6 |
| 2014 Cooper | 34 | 7 |
| 2013 Cooper | 47 | 1 |
| 2012 | 66 | 1 |
| 2011 Cooper | 83 | 1 |
| 2010 Cooper | 92 | 2 |
| 2009 Cooper | 151 | 1 |
| 2008 Cooper | 116 | 1 |
| 2007 Cooper | 117 | 1 |
| 2006 Cooper | 200 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper | 372 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper | 282 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper | 320 | 2 |
| 2002 Cooper | 187 | 3 |
| 2001 Cooper | 6 | 0 |
See all MINI Cooper 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?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 28 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 MINI Cooper?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 MINI Cooper a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper model years, the 2012 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.