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2011 MINI Cooper SProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 31 owner complaints about the 2011 MINI Cooper S, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-337 the manufacturer reports only 19% of affected cars repaired.

2011 MINI Cooper S
82
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years79% below the Cooper S median · #10 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 19%Owner complaints317 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage60kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 24, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 MINI Cooper S has problems

31 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine165
Electrical system162
Air bags30
Fuel system, gasoline10
Structure11
Vehicle speed control10
Engine and engine cooling10
Exterior lighting10
Fuel/propulsion system10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2011 MINI Cooper S recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

66%repaired · 2019 Q3

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 18V-248 · Apr 18, 2018 · 47,806 vehicles · 31,460 repaired

Risk. If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with MINI.

Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Cooper S year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cooper S median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'19'20'21'22'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 MINI Cooper S, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Engine compartment firePE11036 · closed Jun 11, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-008
In owners' words

What Cooper S owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Car stalls while driving and will not start again. No codes thrown. Found relay K96 on Junction Box Electronics module to have cracked through-hole solder joints resulting in bad continuity. Relay K96 supplies power to the low pressure fuel pump in the tank, thus with bad continuity, the pump gets…
Complaint 11634691 · Jan 7, 2025
I OWNED A 2011 MINI COOPER S ("MINI") VEHICLE THAT CAUSED A FIRE AND INJURIES AT OUR HOME. THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE THE MINI WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE WITH THE IGNITION OFF. THE FIRE DESTROYED OUR RESIDENCE, PERSONAL PROPERTY AND TWO VEHICLES, INCLUDING THE AFOREMENTIONED MINI. FIRE AUTHORITIES…
Complaint 11120962 · Aug 19, 2018 · 60,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (RAY CATENA MINI OF WESTCHESTER, 9543 TARRYTOWN RD, WHITE PLAINS, NY 10607) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER…
Complaint 11105312 · Jul 3, 2018 · 85,000 miles

Own a 2011 Cooper S?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.