2011 MINI Cooper problems
NHTSA has received 130 complaints about the 2011 MINI Cooper, and 28% of them involve electrical system. Next are air bags (15%) and engine (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 130 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 29% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 54 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 13 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 4 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 14 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 8 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 54 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 60,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 90,000 miles (12 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2011 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 16 model years of the MINI Cooper with enough data (38 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mini cooper. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse from a residential garage, black smoke emitted from under the hood. The contact was able to put the fire out under the hood with a garden hose. The fire department was not contacted and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available.
Letter from senator flake on behalf of constituent re 2011 mini cooper. *smd the consumer received extremely, painful , scaring burns from the hot exhaust pipe while leaning over to retrieve items from the trunk. The consumer stated if one is facing the center trunk, the hot exhaust pipe is located directly to the right, approximately 10 inches off the ground. The metal is not coated to offer protection. Updated 03/07/16. Updated 04/11/16.
Drove car about 4 miles. Parked at shopping center, turned off car and locked it. Returned 15 mins later to find flames in engine compartment!
The new mini cooper that I leased started to have acceleration problems around 6500 miles. What happens is a hesitation in the acceleration of the mini from a start or at low rpms. For example when you're at a stop and you are trying to cross traffic the hesitation of the acceleration is dangerous in timing the vehicle to cross traffic and when the acceleration catches up the car jumps to high rpms.
Mini cooper 2011 overheated and blew off radiator hoses while driving on fwy- engine damage and head replacement.. Dealer is saying bottom radiator hose must have come off and leaked coolant. Just had it serviced.