Menu

2016 MINI Cooper ConvertibleProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 13 owner complaints about the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-747 the manufacturer reports only 88% of affected cars repaired.

2016 MINI Cooper Convertible
–
CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 88%Owner complaints131 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem4Exterior lighting

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 19, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible has problems

13 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Exterior lighting40
Service brakes20
Electrical system10
Seat belts10
Structure10
Power train10
Engine10
Equipment10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2016 MINI Cooper Convertible recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

96%repaired · 2018 Q3

Exterior lighting: brake lights

Recall 17V-222 · Mar 31, 2017 · 16,883 vehicles · 16,266 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

88%repaired · 2020 Q4

Front: retractor

Recall 16V-747 · Oct 17, 2016 · 15,455 vehicles · 13,544 repaired

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,…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

100%repaired · 2017 Q1

Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)

Recall 15V-887 · Dec 30, 2015 · 2 vehicles · 2 repaired

Risk. A gearbox malfunction may cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with MINI.

Best & worst years

2016 vs. every other Cooper Convertible year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cooper Convertible median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'16'22'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Cooper Convertible owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS..IT COMES WITH 3 SMALL BRAKE LIGHTS...TWO ON BUMPER & ONE ON TOP SCOOP, ALL RELATIVELY SMALL. THE MAIN TWO ARE MUCH BIGGER BUT ARE ONLY USED FOR DRIVING LIGHTS & TURN SIGNAL. 'IT MAKES NO SENSE '. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED, RIGHT ?
Complaint 11090194 · Apr 25, 2018
PLEASE CHECK THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT PHOTOS (HALFWAY DOWN, THIS PAGE: HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/R55-CLUBMAN-TALK-2008/[PHONE]-CLUBMAN-13.HTML). I WAS FOLLOWING ONE OF THESE CARS THE OTHER DAY AND IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC THE LOWER BRAKE LIGHTS ARE SIMPLY NOT VISIBLE! THE LARGE (TURN…
Complaint 10882328 · Jul 3, 2016
THIS CAR HAS TERRIBLY PLACED TAILLIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ARE NOT PLACED IN A VISIBLE LINE OF SIGHT. THE MINI CLUBMAN I SAW HAD VERY SMALL LIGHTS BELOW THE LARGE LIGHTS ON THE REAR DOORS. THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE LARGE LIGHTS THAT APPEAR TO BE TAILLIGHTS SHOULD BE MADE FUNCTIONAL. THE…
Complaint 10824831 · Feb 8, 2016

Own a 2016 Cooper Convertible?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.