2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster Reliability: 24 Complaints, 10 Recalls

24 NHTSA Complaints

10 Recalls

5 Fire Reports

1 Crash Reports

Data covers 6 NHTSA model names

COOPER COUPECOOPER ROADSTERCOOPER S COUPECOOPER S ROADSTERJCW COUPEJCW ROADSTER

Reliability Score

8.9 / 10

Reliability score

Fewer owner complaints than similar subcompacts

The class average is 7.0. Based on complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the engine, transmission or drivetrain.

Counted together with the Mini Cooper. The maker reports the two models' production to NHTSA as one figure.

Owners filed 109 powertrain complaints. A typical subcompact fleet of this size and age would have drawn about 284.

Scores this high have held: three years on they had moved 0.2 points in the typical case.

Breakdown

Complaints overall109 complaints against about 284 for similar vehicles

8.9

Last three years46 complaints against about 115 for similar vehicles

8.8

Engine, transmission or drive unit failed or replaced19 complaints against about 72 for similar vehicles

9.3

Oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating11 complaints against about 23 for similar vehicles

8.5

Each line scores one view of the same complaints the same way, so the lines overlap. The mark on each bar is the class average. A line needs 20 expected complaints to show a number.

By model year

20149.3
20158.2
20169.3
20178.6
20189.3
20199.1
20209.0
20219.1
20229.2
20239.0
2024n/a

Similar vehicles are others in the same class, compared at the same age and in the same years. The score counts complaints owners filed with NHTSA, per vehicle built, which is different from the share of vehicles that fail. How the score is worked out

By engine

2.0L 4-cyl turbo 9.6/10

No clear difference from this generation's other engines. (17 complaints, about 223,000 built)

1.5L 3-cyl turbo 9.2/10

No clear difference from this generation's other engines. (30 complaints, about 161,000 built)

electric Not rated

Too few complaints to compare. (6 complaints, about 13,000 built)

1.6L 4-cyl (turbo and non-turbo together) 8.8/10

No clear difference from this generation's other engines. (1 complaints, about 10,000 built)

A complaint counts toward an engine only when its VIN names the engine. Each score is that engine on its own against similar vehicles, worked out the same way as the score above.

On the record

No serious powertrain recall covering 5% or more of this generation and no escalated investigation in NHTSA's files. Warranty extensions and settlements have not been researched.

Complaints by Engine Code

N16B16

1.6L 4-cyl / 181 hp

14 complaints 4.0 per year Gasoline

4 fire reports

View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical

engine

safety systems

other

interior

Same engine used in

MINI Countryman (2011-2016)MINI Paceman (2013-2016)MINI Clubman (2008-2014)MINI Cooper (2007-2013)

Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster Unidentified Engine

10 complaints 3.3 per year

1 fire report

View details

Complaint Breakdown

engine

electrical

transmission

other

fuel system

Owner Complaints by System

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.

Electrical System: 8 owner complaints

Engine: 8 owner complaints

Recalls (10)

23V337000May 11, 2023serious

Electrical System

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.

18V248000Apr 18, 2018serious

Engine & Cooling

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.

15V739000Nov 9, 2015serious

Seats

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 door vehicles manufactured February 25, 2014, to May 16, 2015, 2014-2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 door vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to May 9, 2015, 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 door vehicles manufactured October 17, 2014, to June 2, 2015, and 2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 door vehicles manufactured November 24, 2014, to June 11, 2015. During a service appointment, the affected vehicles received replacement front passenger seat cushions (which contain integral Capacitive Interior Sensing (CIS) functions). The CIS functions may have been incorrectly calibrated, and if so, would cause impaired occupant classification and thus inappropriate air bag activation/deactivation.

15V628000Oct 7, 2015serious

Air Bags

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper two-door vehicles, 2015-2016 MINI John Cooper Works and MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper four-door vehicles and 2014-2015 BMW i3 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy properly in a low speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

15V450000Jul 17, 2015serious

Structure

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The affected vehicles do not meet the side impact performance requirements for the rear seat passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

Show 5 older recalls

15V034000Jan 26, 2015cosmetic

Equipment

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop two door vehicles manufactured December 1, 2013, to December 14, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with an incorrect maximum capacity weight stated on the Tire Information Placard. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."

14V789000Dec 15, 2014serious

Powertrain

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door, and Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles manufactured January 6, 2014, to October 17, 2014. During service appointments, dealers may have inadvertently reprogrammed the transmission control unit with software that may allow drivers to exit the vehicle when the transmission is not in Park. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

14V721000Nov 10, 2014serious

Seats

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver and front passenger seatback adjustment mechanism may not be fully engaged.

14V619000Oct 3, 2014serious

Tires

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-door vehicles manufactured January 7, 2014, to July 21, 2014. The spare wheel may have been attached under the car with a nut that is not self-locking.

14V422000Jul 14, 2014serious

Air Bags

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling a certain model year BMW i3 vehicle manufactured March 31, 2014, and certain 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop vehicles manufactured February 2, 2014 to May 30, 2014. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with an air bag inflator that was not assembled correctly. This could cause the air bag to not deploy properly in the event of an accident.

Alternatives in Subcompact

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3 engines / 269 complaints

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3 engines / 192 complaints

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster complaints?

Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the engine and the safety systems.

Is the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster a good used car?

That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster have?

NHTSA has 24 owner complaints on file for the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

What recalls affect the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster?

NHTSA lists 10 recalls covering some 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.

What should I check before buying a used Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster?

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the engine and the safety systems, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.

Does the Cooper Coupe/Roadster have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2012-2015 Mini Cooper Coupe/Roadster. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 24 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: low. Last updated: 2026-10-12.