YearToAvoid

2016 MINI Cooper S Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2016 MINI Cooper S has a complaint index of 39, ranking 12th out of 19 model years, and earns a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 9 complaints, 3 recalls, and 2 fires, with the engine as the top problem area at 44% of complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
39/100
#12 of 19 Cooper S years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
9
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2019
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
27.5
25 city / 31.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2016 MINI Cooper S problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine4 (44%)
  2. Electrical System2 (22%)
  3. Seat Belts1 (11%)
  4. Steering1 (11%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain1 (11%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Engine oil warnings and check-engine lights appear with the dipstick showing no oil present, sometimes prompting the vehicle to alert the driver to shut off the engine.
  • A vehicle caught fire under the hood on the front passenger side while being driven at 40 mph, requiring a fire department response.
  • A front passenger side motor mount reportedly failed, with the rubber separating from the engine side and causing severe vibration.
  • Tail light and brake light malfunction warnings appear alongside rapidly blinking or dim turn signals.
  • A driver's side seat belt failed to retract properly, leaving inadequate restraint.
  • One owner reported the vehicle shifted out of park on its own while parked on an incline and rolled into a garage door.
2016 MINI Cooper S complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2017Feb 2019Aug 2019Apr 2020Feb 2021Nov 2024Apr 2025Jul 2025
9 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2017 to Jul 2025; peak May 2017 (2).

2016 MINI Cooper S recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 17V222000Mar 31, 2017Electrical System16,883 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights

    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.

  2. NHTSA 16V747000Oct 17, 2016Seat Belts15,455 vehicles

    Seat belts:front:retractor

    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.

  3. NHTSA 15V628000Oct 7, 2015Airbags6,073 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

2016 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost

City
25 MPG
Highway
31.5 MPG
Combined
27.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,900
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Cooper S years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’19’20’21’22’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Good3313428
2015Caution5018428
2016Good399327.5
2017Good286326
2019Best175126

All MINI Cooper S years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 MINI Cooper S reliable?
NHTSA data shows 9 complaints and a complaint index of 39 for the 2016 Cooper S, giving it a Good verdict relative to other Cooper S years. It ranks 12th out of 19 model years, meaning many other years perform worse.
What are the most common problems on the 2016 MINI Cooper S?
Engine issues make up 44% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 22%. Owners also reported seat belt, steering, and transmission concerns in smaller numbers.
Does the 2016 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 Cooper S covering the electrical system (brake lighting reprogramming), seat belts (driver's seat belt assembly replacement), and airbags (passenger frontal air bag module replacement). None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2016 Cooper S compare to other MINI Cooper S years?
The 2016 model's complaint index of 39 is much lower than early years like 2007 (100) or 2005 (94), which are rated Avoid. It's higher than 2019, which has the lowest index at 17 and earns a Best verdict.
What is the median mileage for engine complaints on the 2016 Cooper S?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 42,000 miles for engine-related complaints on the 2016 Cooper S.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.