Home › Cars › MINI › Countryman › 2011
2011 MINI Countryman problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
65% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2011 MINI Countryman are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 87% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 8 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 55%).
Does the 2011 MINI Countryman have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 28 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 MINI Countryman concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%), and the largest group is filed under engine (10). For comparison, the 2012 scores 57%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2011 compares with other MINI Countryman years
Of the 6 MINI Countryman years with enough complaints to score, the 2011 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (65%). The worst is the 2016 (74%), the best the 2013 (30%). By volume, the 2011 drew 51 complaints (28 drivetrain), against 168 for the 2012.
MINI Countryman years to avoid and best years →
2011 · 2012 Countryman problems · 2013 Countryman problems · 2014 Countryman problems · 2015 Countryman problems · 2016 Countryman problems
The rest of the picture on the 2011 MINI Countryman
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 28 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2011 MINI Countryman engine recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2011 MINI Countryman involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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…
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.…
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…
Risk: THE CIRCUIT BOARD MAY SMOLDER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Fix: 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.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2011 MINI Countryman? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2011 MINI Countryman
Does the 2011 MINI Countryman have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 28 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 MINI Countryman concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 MINI Countryman?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2011 MINI Countryman is electrical system: 17 of 51 complaints (33%) name it, followed by engine (10) and power train (10). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 65% of the relevant total.
Is the 2011 MINI Countryman reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 65% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 87% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 6 MINI Countryman years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2011 MINI Countryman?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2011 MINI Countryman involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total: 18V248000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger), 12V008000 (engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which MINI Countryman years are better?
Among the MINI Countryman years we track, the 2013 (30%), the 2015 (55%) and the 2012 (57%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2011 (65%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/mini-countryman
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.