NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 9 owner complaints for the 2016 MINI Cooper S. Most complaints involve engine (4) and exterior lighting (2). The EPA rates it 25–28 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.
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."
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."
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."
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“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.”
“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 driver’s 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 driver’s side brake sensor wiring harness was melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V222000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 34,000.”
“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 A COMMENT THAT SHE HAD SEEN HUNDREDS OF THESE PROBLEMS. SOME WHICH CAUSED ENOUGH DAMAGE THAT REQUIRED THE WHOLE TAIL LIGHT TO BE REPLACED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT I WAS LUCK THAT THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR LIMITED TO ONLY THE GROUND CONNECTOR AND THE LIGHT BULB HOLDER. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE SAME PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED. IN ONE CASE THE PERSON HAD TO REPLACE BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper S Convertible Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,850 | 315 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,850 | 316 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,850 | 316 |
| Cooper S Clubman Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 23 | 33 | 27 | $2,950 | 329 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 23 | 33 | 27 | $2,950 | 331 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 23 | 33 | 27 | $2,950 | 331 |
| Cooper S Convertible Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 23 | 32 | 26 | $3,050 | 336 |
| Cooper S Clubman Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 31 | 25 | $3,200 | 348 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
3 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (4), exterior lighting (2), electrical system (1). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2016 MINI Cooper S at 25–28 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (8 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2016 MINI Cooper S 4 out of 5 stars overall.