Model year 2016 · Minicompact Cars, Subcompact Cars
2016 MINI Cooper: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2016 MINI Cooper at 26–32 mpg combined across 12 versions. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 51 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
4
EPA combined mpg
26–32
NHTSA overall rating
4/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as COOPER CONVERTIBLE, COOPER S.
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a MINI dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2016 MINI Cooper recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 4 safety recalls for the 2016 MINI Cooper, newest first.
Exterior lighting: Brake lights
NHTSA 17V222000Reported Mar 31, 2017
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
16,883 (estimate)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Air bags: Frontal: Passenger side: Inflator module
NHTSA 15V628000Reported Oct 7, 2015
Filed by
BMW of North America, LLC
Units affected
6,073 (estimate)
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.
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.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2016 MINI Cooper fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2016 MINI Cooper crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2016 MINI Cooper NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2016 Mini Cooper Hardtop 3 HB FWD
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
11.1%
Optional
2016 Mini Cooper Hardtop 5 HB FWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
Optional
2016 Mini Cooper JCW Hardtop 3 HB FWD
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
11.1%
Optional
2016 Mini Cooper S Countryman 5 HB FWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
No
2016 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 5 HB AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
No
2016 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 3 HB FWD
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
11.1%
Optional
2016 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 5 HB FWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
Optional
2016 Mini Cooper S Paceman 3 HB FWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
No
2016 Mini Cooper S Paceman ALL4 3 HB AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
—
No
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2016 MINI Cooper owner complaints
Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 MINI Cooper, most recently on Oct 22, 2026. 3 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 6 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2016 MINI Cooper complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Engine
15
Exterior lighting
14
Electrical system
11
Power train
9
Unknown or other
4
Seat belts
3
Service brakes
3
Air bags
2
Equipment
2
Steering
2
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
