2016 Mini COOPER S: complaints, problems and recalls

SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONVERTIBLE WAS ROLLING UP ON ONE SIDE AND NOT PROVIDING ADEQUATE SAFE RESTRAINT. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT I WAS PULLING THE SEAT BELT OUT WITH MY LEFT HAND AND SITTING TOO CLOSE AND THAT I SHOULD BE PULLING THE SEAT BELT OUT WITH MY RIGHT HAND. OWNERS MANUAL DID NOT PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION. CONTACT WITH BMW OF NORTH AMERICA DID NOT RESOLVE ISSUE. WHEN I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE PERSON THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW IF YOU CAN ONLY USE ONE HAND TO PULL THE SEAT BELT AND SIT A CERTAIN WAY, SHE AGREED THAT IT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10984502 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED THIS MINI COOPER S ON MARCH 16, 2016 AND IT HAD 47,282 MILES ON IT. I ALSO BOUGHT A LIMITED 90 DAY WARRANTY OFFERED BY BUDDY'S AUTO SALES OF SPRINGFIELD, MO. I TRAILERED THE CAR TO PHOENIX WHERE MY SON WAS TO ATTEND A MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC SCHOOL IN OCTOBER. ON OCTOBER 07, 2016 WE UNLOADED IT FROM THE TRAILER AND PARKED IT AT A HOTEL. THE NEXT MORNING MY SON (A CERTIFIED MECHANIC) WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK ON THE CAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. ASSUMING SOMEONE WAS IN THE CAR, HE RAN TO IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND SMELLED O…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,085 miles reported. Look up ODI 10985774 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALERTED THE CONTACT TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL DIPSTICK SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MINI OF FT. MYERS (LOCATED AT 13880 S TAMIAMI TRAIL, FORT MYERS, FL 33908, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11182358 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL OF A DRIVEWAY, FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED AND NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE APPLIED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11245046 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2016 MINI COOPER S. CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING AN SMOKE APPEARED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED HIS WIFE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE WHOLE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE LOT AND DEEMED A TOTALED LOST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND SENT A FIELD INSPECTOR WHOM COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUS…

Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11322865 at NHTSA ↗

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 S…

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11396364 at NHTSA ↗

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11626962 at NHTSA ↗

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 wi…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11652098 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-10-07 (October 7, 2015)

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."

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2016-10-17 (October 17, 2016)

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."

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2017-03-31 (March 31, 2017)

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."

Consequence: 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.