Verdict
2016 Mini Cooper: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2016 Mini Cooper — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for hatchback.
Owners filed 47 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 50% of 2016 hatchbacks. Engine leads the reports (23%). 4 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2016 hatchbacks, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
47
Reports to NHTSA, 2016
Safety recalls
4
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Not rated
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
28
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
Fewer complaints than 50% of 2016 hatchbacks
The bar is this car's percentile among 2016 hatchbacks by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Engine issues lead owner complaints (23% of 47 reports), followed by electrical system (17%).
+ 4 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 47 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11322865, ODI 11700391, ODI 11639876, ODI 11609588, ODI 11600982.
Recalls(4)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Air BagsJul 2015 · 15V628000Details +Close −
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper two-door vehicles, 2015-2016 MINI John Cooper Works and MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper four-door vehicles and 2014-2015 BMW i3 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy properly in a low speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, an air bag that does not deploy properly increases the risk of injury to the front seat passenger.
Remedy: MINI and BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525 and BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Steering · 15V887000Details +Close −
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling one model year 2016 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door vehicle manufactured November 24, 2015, and one BMW X1 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) manufactured October, 19 2015. The steering gearbox may have been manufactured with incorrect parts.
Risk: A gearbox malfunction may cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will replace the steering gearbox, free of charge. Affected vehicles are located in dealer inventory and will be remedied before customer retail. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Seat Belts · 16V747000Details +Close −
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, MINI Hardtop 4 Door Cooper, Mini Hardtop 4 Door Cooper S, MINI Cooper Clubman, and Cooper S Clubman, 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost, and 2016 528i vehicles. The vehicle-sensitive locking mechanism of the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for the driver's seat may not lock as designed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat, possibly increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Exterior Lighting · 17V222000Details +Close −
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2017 MINI Cooper Clubman, Cooper S Clubman and JCW Clubman vehicles. When the affected vehicles are braking and the turn signals are on, the inner, bumper-mounted, brake light will go out. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the brake light does not illuminate when a turn signal is activated, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the vehicle to correct the brake lighting, free of charge. The recall began May 22, 2017. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
0 NHTSA investigations on record
No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.
Crash-test ratings
No NHTSA crash test is on record for this year. Some vehicles and model years were not tested or do not have a published NCAP result.
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Hardtop 4 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| Cooper Hardtop 2 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 28 | 38 | 32 |
| Cooper Hardtop 4 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| Cooper Hardtop 2 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| Cooper Convertible | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| Cooper Convertible | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 27 | 36 | 30 |
| Cooper Paceman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 32 | 29 |
| Cooper Countryman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 32 | 29 |
| Cooper S Paceman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| Cooper S Paceman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 31 | 28 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| Cooper S Countryman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 32 | 28 |
| Cooper S Countryman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 31 | 28 |
| Cooper S Convertible | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| Cooper Clubman | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 25 | 34 | 28 |
| Cooper Clubman | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| Cooper S Paceman All4 | 1.6L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 25 | 30 | 27 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 33 | 27 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 33 | 27 |
| Cooper S Countryman All4 | 1.6L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 25 | 30 | 27 |
| Cooper S Clubman | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 | 33 | 27 |
| Cooper Paceman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 29 | 27 |
| Cooper Countryman | 1.6L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 | 29 | 27 |
| Cooper S Paceman All4 | 1.6L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| Cooper S Countryman All4 | 1.6L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| Cooper S Convertible | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 32 | 26 |
| Cooper S Clubman | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 22 | 31 | 25 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
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Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2016 Mini Cooper: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2016 Mini Cooper?
Owners filed 47 NHTSA complaints about the 2016 Mini Cooper — fewer complaints than 50% of comparable 2016 hatchbacks, so it sits toward the stronger end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2016 Mini Cooper?
The most-reported problem areas are Engine (23% of complaints) and electrical system (17%).
How many recalls does the 2016 Mini Cooper have?
4 recalls have been issued that affect the 2016 Mini Cooper, covering components such as air bags. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Mini Cooper get?
The EPA rates the 2016 Mini Cooper between 25 and 32 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.