2016 MINI Cooper S recalls and problems

The 2016 MINI Cooper S has 3 safety recalls and 10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any MINI dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

1 / 2

Injuries / deaths

0 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2016 MINI Cooper S vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2016 MINI Cooper S recalls

Recall 17V-222: Exterior Lighting

Reported Mar 31, 2017 · 16,883 vehicles affected · BMW of North America, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 16V-747: Seat Belts

Reported Oct 17, 2016 · 15,455 vehicles affected · BMW of North America, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 15V-628: Air Bags

Reported Oct 7, 2015 · 6,073 vehicles affected · BMW of North America, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

2016 MINI Cooper S problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Engine	4
Power Train	2
Electrical System	2
Exterior Lighting	2
Seat Belts	1
Steering	1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 43,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2016 MINI Cooper S complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Power Train · reported Oct 22, 2026

On September 13, 2026, my vehicle experienced a failure of the internal Steptronic automatic transmission gear selector position-detection return spring (torsion spring). This mechanical failure triggered persistent dashboard safety warnings reading: "P Secure vehicle against rolling" and "Transmission: Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center." Even though the vehicle physically shifts into Park, the broken internal spring prevents the magnet from signaling the sensor. This creates an immediate safety hazard, confusion regarding vehicle state, and an increased…

Engine · reported Jul 22, 2025

Front passenger side motor mount failed pretty terribly, the rubber completely slipped off the engine side mount leaving a severe engine vibration. The mount is very under engineered. Ours failed at 27,0000 miles.

Exterior Lighting · at 34,000 miles · reported Apr 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Left brake lamp and Tailgate light malfunction" was displayed and while depressing the brake pedal the driverâs side rear brake light failed to illuminate. Additionally, the left turn signal was blinking quickly while activated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the rear brake light bulbs, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the driverâs side brake sensor wiring harness was melted and needed to be…

Engine · reported Nov 23, 2024

There have been thousands upon thousands of failures of the oil cooler/oil filter housing on all BMW/MINI B46/B48 2.0T engines. This problem dates back to 2014 when BMW issued a stop sale order and recall on the 2014 MINI Cooper with both the 1.5L I3 (B38) and 2.0L I4 (B48) engines. Since 2014, the engine has been installed in over two million vehicles sold in the United States under the BMW, MINI, Karma, and Toyota brands. There is a defect with the oil cooler/oil filter housing that leads to coolant and oil leaks due to the plastic housing failing after being heat cycled a certain number of…

Electrical System · at 67,000 miles · reported Feb 15, 2021

While driving home thursday night I received left tail light malfunction waring on my dash panel with the turn signal blinking extremely fast. After arriving home I checked the light and found that the tail light inoperative and the turn signals were extremely dim. The next morning I called tucson mini and told them the problem. The sa stated to bring the car in and they would check out the problem. Upon inspection they found that the l/h tail light ground connector and the bulb connector melted. I ask the sa what would cause this problem and she could not answer this problem. But she did make…

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Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 MINI Cooper S: 17V-222 (exterior lighting), 16V-747 (seat belts), 15V-628 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 MINI Cooper S?

Owners report engine problems most often (4 reports), followed by power train (2). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 43,000 miles.

Are MINI recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized MINI dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.