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2018 Mini Countryman Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2018 Mini Countryman with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (3) and the steering (3). It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in August 2018 for the fuel pump. For comparison, the 2017 has 7 and the 2019 has 11.

NHTSA data checked

CAbout as many problems as a typical Countryman year, for its age

#180 most complained-about 2018 vehicle

Complaints
11
Recalls
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Most common 2018 Mini Countryman problems

Share of all 11 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2018 Mini Countryman recalls 2

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Fuel system: fuel pump

18V5570009,953 vehicles affected

The problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017-2019 MINI Cooper Countryman vehicles. These vehicles may be missing a crash protection plate near the high pressure fuel pump, which may result in a fuel leak in the event of a crash.
The risk
Without the crash protection plate, in the event of a crash, the fuel pump can become damaged, causing a fuel leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix
MINI will notify owners, and dealers will install a crash protection plate, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 22, 2018. Owners will receive a second notification when the repair is available. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Trailer hitches

17E051000166 vehicles affected

The problem
Curt Manufacturing LLC (Curt) is recalling certain Class 1 trailer hitches, part number 11451, sold for installation on 2016-2018 Mini Cooper Clubman and Countryman vehicles. The vehicles may have inadequate structure points for the trailer hitch mounting, causing the hitch to sag under to certain loads and possibly separate from the vehicle.
The risk
If the trailer hitch sags or separates from the vehicle, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
The fix
Curt will notify owners, and dealers will provide a replacement hitch, free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2017. Owners may contact Curt customer service at 1-800-798-0813.

What owners say

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11 complaints about the 2018 Mini Countryman

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.

SteeringEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was excessively difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with ECM failure. The contact was informed that the ECM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. In...

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addition, the contact was advised that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle while using the Click and Drive device. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000.

Filed Incident Steering · Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11728346
Steering

While driving, the steering wheel gets stuck and very hard to maneuver. I have seen a recall for this car but when i entered by VIN, it was not included on the recall. The problem had happened several times. There was a time when everything was working fine, turned off the engine to put gas and when i turned it on to drive, i had a hard time steering. I had to park for a long time (since i was at Costco decided to come inside the store), when i turned on engine, it was gone and working properly like the problem...

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did not happened at all. There were still times that when i turned it off for a little bit to pick up something from a restaurant, when i come back, the steering wheel looks like it was stuck and unable to make left or right turns. It does not happen only when car is turned on and off, it also happens while driving. When i was in a roundabout, steering wheel also has locked/got stuck. I have had our mechanic check this issues twice but he could not find any problem.

Filed Incident SteeringNHTSA 11634488
Engine & cooling

My engine malfunctioned after the module under the back seat was wet from an unknown water leak in the vehicle. My vehicle lost power without warning until I came to a complete stop on the side of a very busy highway. I'm not sure if the repair center kept the faulty module or not I would have to check. I know leaks have been a problem with my model in previous years but when I checked my VIN there were no recalls. This is a very dangerous defect and should be fixed.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11589841
Fuel system

Fuel sensor failed and due to tank pressure that would not release properly, according to repair shop. Among other safety issues, this caused me to not be able to open the gas tank to refill the gas tank. This has been ongoing. At first the gas flap was repaired (2x) and ultimately the fuel sensor was entirely replaced at my cost. All repairs were done at New Country Mini in Hartford, CT. The repair shop should provide history of repairs over the several years as Mini is denying the seriousness of the defect. I've notified mini.

Filed Incident Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11501422
Brakes

•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I had brake caliper repaired on front right wheel, on 5/5/20. Had to have service on same brake caliper on 10/5/21 - revealed caliper froze causing excessive bakes wear. •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential of brake failure. •Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Dealer repaired work- Passport Mini of Montgomery County, 820...

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Russell Ave, Gaithersburg, MD, 20879 •Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Unknown •Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11436356
Steering

Steering is becoming stiffer. Seems like there is new or added restistance when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is going slower.

Filed Incident SteeringNHTSA 11432572
Electrical systemEngine & cooling

I was pulling into shopping center all dashboard light up warnings etc. Started to head home because of prior incident with computer failure. Car stopped mid intersection and went dead. Put it in park restarted and drove home. Headlights and electrical engine would not shut off. Called service to tow to dealership repair. Tow truck driver attempted to turn of lights, no luck. Car repaired at dealership, was told at that point of a possible recall, but they didn't know of what. Car repaired. As soon a lease is up it is gone! *Tr

Filed Incident Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11330368
Electrical systemLights

Vehicle's switch controlling headlights was left in the "parking lights on" mode inadvertently (it opened terminal 15 per mini). Car would not start less than 12 hours later. Mini reports that this "damaged the battery beyond repair" and said it was not subject to warranty replacement because the user had operated the switch. If this happened for many mini owners, people would be stranded and left in a dangerous condition. Furthermore, this is clearly something mini is choosing to ignore and classify as user error...

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when it is a defect. Mini charged $600+ plus dollars to replace the battery, reprogram the vehicle and physically install the new battery. The dealer rep said he has personally seen 6 other vehicles this year alone with the same problem.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Unknown or otherNHTSA 11234632
Brakes

When stopped the brake pedal slowly goes to the floorboards. Sometimes I have to repeatedly pump the brake pedal while at a stop light to prevent running into the car in front of me. Took it to a dealership and they drove the car but couldn't fine any problems. The master cylinder leak down is getting progressively worse with time. I believe that I am qualified to write about this as I was, when younger, a top mechanic for porsche and volkswagen.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11197349
Other & unknown

The vin [[redacted]] is not recognized on nhtsa or safecar website. Manufacturer and dealership have my old address (not provided by myself) in their system. General helpline representatives told me to contact manufacturer. Manufacturer referred me to dealership. I called your general number again last week and the woman disparaged me and laughed at me. No one will help me fix this safety (communication) concern. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11184906
Other & unknown

Car pulls to the right and is wobbly while in motion, especially more unstable in wet conditions and mini cooper says it is an uneven torque issue related to the electrical/gas engine and cannot be fixed. I have driven the car for 11 months and they still haven't replaced the vehicle with a safer vehicle or even talked with me about what they are willing to do to correct the defect. The dealership and bmw have ignored me after several attempts to resolve the matter.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11145171

Mini Countryman: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20222010-A
20212200Driver assistanceC
20206200Engine & coolingC
201911210Engine & coolingD
201811200Engine & coolingC
20177202Electrical systemC
20160100-A
All Countryman years

2018 Mini Countryman vs rivals

VehicleComplaintsRecallsCrashesGrade
2018 Mini Countryman1120C
2018 Mini Cooper603BCompare
2018 Mini Hardtop200ACompare
2018 Mini Convertible200ACompare
2018 Mini Clubman110ACompare

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 2018 Mini Countryman

Does the 2018 Mini Countryman have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Mini Countryman: fuel pump (August 2018); trailer hitches (September 2017). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mini Countryman?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (3), steering (3), brakes (2).

How many complaints has the 2018 Mini Countryman had?

11 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on November 3, 2018 and the latest on March 31, 2026. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.

Is the 2018 Mini Countryman a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 46 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Mini Countryman year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Mini Countryman years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2018 Mini Countryman has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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