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MINI Cooper CoupeModel year report

2012 MINI Cooper Coupe Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
17,800miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
32 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 29 city / 36 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe. The part named most often is electrical system, with 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine (3) and air bags (1). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 60% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 17,800 miles. Of all complaints, 2 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 126 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 37 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 32 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “I was driving and went to brake, but the car wouldn't respond. To avoid hitting another car, I swerved sharply and went up onto the curb. The car started smoking and caught fire.”

NHTSA complaint #11772569, filed 2026-10, 105,000 miles

Engine: “In weather below zero f when the car is left outside for over 8 hours the engine sometimes starts in limp mode and does not allow full power until fully warmed up. This can take over 10 miles of driving, idling alone does not warm up the engine very quickly in below zero weather and limp mode. The danger is that limp mode is very limited to engine power and one becomes a hazard to others when sharing the road. In the climate I live in this occurs a few times a winter. The dealership has not come up with a solution. …”

NHTSA complaint #10681326, filed 2015-02, 2,000 miles

Air bags: “The contact owns a 2012 Mini cooper. The contact stated that while the vehicle was occupied by a passenger the air bag light illuminated as if there were no passenger present. The vehicle was not taken to a mechanic and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. The failure mileage was 2,500 and the current mileage was 3,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10479761, filed 2012-10, 2,500 miles

Brakes: “Traction control and brake warning lights come on at start up and do not turn off. Problem is intermittent at this time. Dealer reports that it is the szl module (steering angle sensor) is failing. Bmw issued a service bulletin on the 2006 5 and 6 series for this same sensor. Reading the Mini forums this seems to be a fairly common problem. Car has 17,800 miles”

NHTSA complaint #10826020, filed 2016-02, 17,800 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

60% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 2,500 and 55,000 miles.

40%0–1020%10–250%25–5020%50–750%75–10020%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 17,800 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20122015201620192024220262
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Cooper Coupe FWD1.6L 4-cyl6-speed manual293632$2,550
Cooper Coupe FWD1.6L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273530$2,750

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 126 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 126 bulletins →

Other model years of the MINI Cooper Coupe

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2012817,8000—32—Not enough data

All MINI Cooper Coupe model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 3 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine with 3.

Has the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe get?

The EPA rates the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe (Cooper Coupe, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 32 mpg combined, 29 city and 36 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 MINI Cooper Coupe reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 17,800 miles and the middle half falls between 2,500 and 55,000 miles; 60% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.