Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting4
- Unknown or other3
- Service brakes2
- Structure1
- Equipment1
- Power train1
- Electrical system1
- Seat belts1
- Engine1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 7.2–7.7 L/100 km (about 31–33 mpg US), CO₂ 170–181 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 8.2 | 6.0 | 7.2 |
| Cooper Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 8.7 | 6.6 | 7.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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 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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What MINI told its dealers about the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10166399 | RATTLE NOISE FROM SUNROOF WHILE DRIVING: A rattle noise is present from the sunroof while driving only with the sunroof glass in the closed position. |
| 10166398 | SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN: The sunroof does not move and the vehicle has no faults stored related to the sunroof. A software error in the FZD (Roof function center). |
| 10166397 | NOISE DURING FORWARD/BACK SEAT ADJUSTMENT OVER THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF TRAVEL: A loud screeching noise can be heard from the front driver's or passenger's seat during forward/back seat adjustment. |
| 10166396 | RATTLE FROM FRONT DOOR: A rattle noise is present from the door while driving most commonly when driving over rough roads. |
| 10165273 | SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR HEAD UNITS. Security patches for non-safety critical vulnerabilities in MINI head units Entry Nav Entry Media NBT and NBT EVO. |
| 10165271 | LIN BUS COMMUNICATION FAULT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AIR CATALYST (EAC) SENSOR FC1B8302. The malfunction indicator lamp light is on (MIL) with the following fault code stored in the DME. |
| 10165250 | SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR HEAD UNITS. Security patches for non-safety critical vulnerabilities in MINI head units Entry Nav Entry Media NBT and NBT EVO. |
| 10165248 | LIN BUS COMMUNICATION FAULT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AIR CATALYST (EAC) SENSOR FC1B8302. The malfunction indicator lamp light is on (MIL) with the following fault code stored in the DME. |
| 10164019 | DIAGNOSTIC HINT: CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSPECTION AFTER LOSS OF CRANKSHAFT SIGNAL: In certain situations when the crankshaft position signal is lost while driving the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and an engine malfunction check control message (CCM #29) may be displayed. The engine may run roughly or with reduced power. |
| 10163066 | Safety Systems HEAD UNIT NBT EVO (HU-H2) PROGRAMMING ABORT. During programming several aborts can occur in the head unit NBT EVO (HU-H2). |
| 10163062 | EGS FAULTS STORED AFTER AISIN TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. Due to hardware changes in the AISIN GA6F21AW or GA8F22AW transmissions. |
| 10161588 | TELEMATICS CONTROL UNIT ACTIVATION VIA DCSNET FOR MINI ASSIST. |
| 10161587 | BLUETOOTH CONNECTION IS LOST DURING A PHONE CALL. During an active call the call audio autonomously switching from the vehicle hands-free system to the phone. The Bluetooth connection returns after a vehicle sleep cycle (20 minutes). |
| 10161585 | Service Information May 2019 Special Roofs M54 03 17 Technical Service CONVERTIBLE TOP WILL NOT COMPLETELY STOW This Service Information bulletin replaces SI B54 03 17 dated February 2019. |
| 10161584 | CAVITY PROTECTION WAX LEAKING OUT OF HOOD. Cavity protection applied to underside of hood is leaking out onto wheel arch trim and grille. |
| 10161583 | The Service Engine Soon (MIL) light is on with the following fault stored in the Digital Motor Electronics (DME). In the situation being described the fault is only stored during the cold winter months along with the use of winter fuel. |
| 10159159 | PHONE CALL AUDIO AUTONOMOUSLY SWITCHES FROM VEHICLE TO PHONE. During an active phone call the call audio autonomously switches from the vehicle hands-free system to the phone. |
| 10159158 | SAMSUNG SMARTPHONE WITH ANDROID 8 NO USB AUDIO PLAYBACK OR CHARGING FUNCTION. The Samsung Smartphone running Android 8.x does not support USB audio playback and/or charging of the device via the USB port. |
| 10159157 | AIR BAG WARNING LAMP CC MESSAGE 'RESTRAINT SYSTEM' This Service Information bulletin replaces SI M65 01 17 dated February 2017. |
| 10159155 | GROANING/SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. A groaning and/or squeaking noise from the front axle occurs when turning at low speeds or idle. Plastic and elastic deformation of lower ball bearing shell in spring strut support bearing. |
| 10159154 | N16 ENGINE IGNITION COILS: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120000 MILES This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M01 08 17 dated February 2018. |
| 10159153 | B36M ENGINE - FUEL TANK VENT (PURGE) VALVE: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120000 MILEAGE. The vehicle's malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) lights up. |
| 10154765 | AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON AFTER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT REPLACEMENT. |
| 10154763 | CONVERTIBLE TOP WILL NOT COMPLETELY STOW. When attempting to stow the convertible top; it does not compress into a fully locked position on the left side; preventing the soft-top bow cover from moving forward into proper operating position. |
| 10154762 | SERVICE ACTION PVC SEAM ON TAILGATE WATER CHANNEL COULD LEAK WATER; CHECK AND REWORK. Water may leak into the luggage compartment from inside the D-Pillar. Insufficient sealing of the D-Pillar sheet metal. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)