2012 MINI Cooper problems

• N47C16 90-112 hp (MINI Cooper D, 2010-2016)

  90–112 hp · N47C16A

  It shares its architecture and the rear chain design with the N47D20, so the same caution about the timing history is recommended.^[1]

  With caution

• N47C20 112-143 hp (MINI Cooper SD, 2011-2016)

  112–143 hp · N47C20A

  It shares the same block and the same rear timing design as the rest of the N47 family, with the same documented risk.^[2]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: Very frequentTimingRear timing chain stretch and breakageYes: the N47 has its timing chain at the rear of the engine, next to the gearbox, and on a very high proportion of units, especially those built between 2007 and 2009, it stretches or breaks prematurely because of an inadequate tensioner, with a risk of destroying the engine.Repair (garage): €1,590–€3,000Appears at around 50,000 km
• Critical severityFrequency: CommonIntakeBroken intake manifold swirl flapsYes: the N47's intake manifold has plastic swirl flaps that, with diesel soot and the passing years, can crack, come loose and be sucked into the cylinder, with a risk of seriously damaging the piston, cylinder head and valves.
• High severityFrequency: CommonTurboTurbo and wastegate valve failureThe N47's turbo does not usually fail from general wear, but because of failure of the wastegate valve, which regulates boost and can seize or lose adjustment, sending fuel consumption soaring; oil leaks from the turbo itself are also common.Repair (garage): €900–€1,800
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlClogged or seized EGR valveYes, as on most diesels of its generation: the N47's EGR valve seizes or clogs with carbon, especially on cars used in town, causing an unstable idle, jerking and loss of power; it is not usually a serious fault if it is cleaned or replaced in time.Repair (garage): €400–€1,500
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonClutchDual-mass flywheel wear (manual gearbox versions)Yes: on manual-gearbox BMW N47s, the dual-mass flywheel can wear, especially after a lot of town mileage or driving in high gears at low revs; the typical symptoms are vibrations, a metallic rattle at idle and jerking when pulling away.Appears at around 150,000 km

• 1.6 VTi 120 / 1.6 16v (EP6/EP6C, N12/N16, naturally aspirated)

  120 hp · EP6, EP6C, N12, N16

  It does not inherit the chain risk documented on the turbo versions, but it shares with the whole Prince family the fragility of the water pump and heat exchanger described by fiches-auto.fr.^[5]

  With caution

• 1.6 THP medium output (EP6DT/EP6DTS/EP6CDT, N14/N18; 140-190 hp)

  140–190 hp · EP6DT, EP6DTS, EP6CDT, N14, N18

  Real risk of stretching of the timing chain and tensioner on pre-2012 units, which can be checked by listening to the engine cold and reviewing the service history; it also shares the oil consumption and the high-pressure pump failures documented across the whole turbo family.^[6][7][8]

  With caution

• 1.6 THP high performance (EP6CDXD/EP6FDTR/EP6CDTR, John Cooper Works N14/N18; 200-270 hp)

  200–270 hp · EP6CDXD, EP6FDTR, EP6CDTR, N14, N18

  It shares with the rest of the turbo family the chain risk on pre-2012 units, the oil consumption and the high-pressure pump failures; as the highest-output versions, any cooling or lubrication defect is subjected to greater thermal stress.^[5][6][7]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonTimingTiming chain and tensioner stretch (turbo versions, before 2012)Yes: on the turbo versions of the 1.6 THP, built mostly before 2012, the timing chain and its tensioner wear out prematurely; if the chain jumps teeth, the engine can go out of time or seize. BMW, co-designer of the block, issued a technical bulletin on this fault in 2013.
• High severityFrequency: CommonCoolingFragile water pump and heat exchangerYes: both the naturally aspirated 1.6 VTi and the turbo 1.6 THP share, according to fiches-auto.fr, a water pump and a heat exchanger described as fragile; in the most serious cases, the resulting overheating has gone as far as damaging the cylinder head.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonInjectionHigh-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure on the turbo versionsThe high-pressure pump that feeds the direct injection of the turbo (THP) versions can fail. MINI, which uses the same block in the Cooper S, extended the warranty on this part in 2010 to 10 years or 192,000 km for 2007-2009 models in the US, without the need for a recall.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonLubricationOil consumption on the turbo versionsYes: oil consumption between changes is one of the defects that the French motoring press repeatedly associates with the turbo versions of the 1.6 THP, used by Peugeot, Citroën and MINI. We have not found that PSA or BMW acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionSpark plugs and ignition coils that wear out early on the 1.6 THPOn the 1.6 THP turbo a noticeable minority of owners replace spark plugs and coils earlier than expected: fiches-auto.fr records ignition warnings in 12% of opinions on the 200 hp THP. It causes judder and the engine warning light.

• 1.4 16v / VTi (EP3, N12; 90-98 hp)

  90–98 hp · EP3, N12

  It shares with the rest of the Prince family the risk of timing chain and tensioner wear flagged by a specialist German garage, and fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in this displacement; however, it does not inherit the problems specific to the direct injection of the turbo versions.^[7][10]

  With caution

• 1.6 16v / VTi (EP6/EP6C, N12/N16; 118-121 hp)

  118–121 hp · EP6, EP6C, N12, N16

  It shares with the rest of the Prince family the risk of timing chain and tensioner wear flagged by a specialist German garage, and fiches-auto.fr documents both frequent oil consumption and a fragile water pump and heat exchanger, shared with MINI and with the turbocharged 1.6 THP.^[5][7][10]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• High severityFrequency: CommonCoolingFragile water pump (and expansion tank or heat exchanger, depending on displacement)Yes: fiches-auto.fr describes a fragile water pump in both the 1.4 VTi (with an expansion tank prone to leaks) and the 1.6 VTi (with the heat exchanger), a cooling problem that the turbocharged 1.6 THP inherits from this naturally aspirated version.
• Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalTimingWear of the timing chain and tensionerYes, although with fewer documented cases than on the turbocharged 1.6 THP: a German garage says the timing chain and its tensioner can wear in any version of the Prince family, including the naturally aspirated one, although the most reported cases in forums are on the turbo engine.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonLubricationOil consumption on the 1.4 and 1.6 VTi versionsYes: fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in both the 1.4 VTi (93 of 245 reports) and the 1.6 VTi (173 of 533 reports). We have not found that PSA or BMW have acknowledged a specific campaign or extended warranty for this reason.

• High severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchNoise and premature wear of the manual gearbox and clutchIt is the most frequently cited non-engine fault of the Cooper R56: the manual gearbox can become noisy, whine or be hard to get into gear through wear of the bearings and synchromesh, sometimes with an oil leak; the clutch and, on diesels, the dual-mass flywheel also wear out early.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalSteeringPower steering faults: pump, play and electrical supplySeveral owners describe steering that becomes heavy or vague through wear of the power steering pump, play in the rack or occasional faults in its electrical supply.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalClimate controlAir conditioning leaks from the condenser and pipesThe air conditioning stops cooling over time on some Cooper R56s because of leaks in the condenser or rubbing of the aluminium pipes in the circuit, which end up losing the refrigerant gas.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectrical systemWindow cable fatigue on the electric windows, with water leaksThe cable in the electric window mechanism fatigues with use on some Cooper R56s and stops the window closing fully, which also encourages water leaks into the door.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBrakesSeized rear brake calipers and damaged rear discs on the Mini Cooper R56Parkers warns that on poorly maintained R56s the rear calipers can seize and drag, and the German TÜV frequently flags the handbrake and footbrake on this model.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorWater leaks through the panoramic roof and drains on the Mini Cooper R56Gebrauchtwagenberater.de notes that the R56's panoramic roof tends to let water through, and that blocked drains under the windscreen cause water to enter through the cabin filter and reach the footwells.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectrical systemFRM module (footwell module) on the Mini Cooper R56 that locks up after a voltage dipGebrauchtwagenberater.de notes that the R56's FRM module reacts badly to voltage dips (a flat battery, jump-starting) and can leave the lights and electric windows uncontrolled.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalSuspensionNoise and wear of the front bushes, drop links and shock absorbersKnocking and creaking from the front end of the Cooper R56 are caused, according to the testimonies collected, by wear of the bushes, the anti-roll bar drop links, the ball joints or the shock absorbers themselves.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorRust under the chrome trim on the Mini Cooper R56 tailgateAccording to gebrauchtwagenberater.de, the chrome trim of the tailgate handle rests on the paint without enough protection and, with vibration, wears it away until rust appears through contact.