MINI Cooper Complaints (2016)

38 consumer complaints on file.

#11773087October 22, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On September 13, 2026, my vehicle experienced a failure of the internal Steptronic automatic transmission gear selector position-detection return spring (torsion spring). This mechanical failure triggered persistent dashboard safety warnings reading: "P Secure vehicle against rolling" and "Transmission: Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped. Consult service center." Even though the vehicle physically shifts into Park, the broken internal spring prevents the magnet from signaling the sensor. This creates an immediate safety hazard, confusion regarding vehicle state, and an increased risk of vehicle rollaway. MINI is aware of this systematic component failure and issued a 10-year/120,000-mile extended warranty (Service Bulletin SI M01 04 24) to cover it. However, I was denied coverage and forced to pay out-of-pocket for repairs because eligibility was arbitrarily restricted by vehicle production date, despite my vehicle (produced on 6/9/2016) experiencing the exact same mechanical defect, fault codes, and safety risks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745527June 22, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2015 and 2016 Hard top Mini Coopers, Standard (F55) are prone to their environmental air catalyst sensor breaking, causing a check engine light and emissions issues. The remedy is replacing the entire radiator. This occurred on my vehicle at only 40,000 miles. MINI is aware of the issue, but only issued an extended warranty for "S" (or 4-cylinder) models, despite the 3-cylinder base model containing the same radiator sensors with the same defects. [XXX] This extended warranty should cover base models with the same parts. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711458January 16, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The malfunction indicator lamp light is on (MIL) with the following fault code stored in the DME: Fault code Control module Fault code text 1B8302 DME LIN bus, communication (EAC sensor): missing Problem verified. Don't know if car will quit on the highway. Mini recall for exact problem and extended warranty to solve the problem only on the "S" model with the exact same engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678331August 4, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear brake lights and rear signal indicator lights keep going in and out arbitrarily. It's dangerous because it will work fine and then just randomly stop working and then work again. People can't tell if I'm stopping or turning when this randomly occurs. This is currently not a recall on my Mini, however, I saw that it is a recall on other Minis and it seems mine is having the same issue so it's possible they all have similar or the same faulty wiring/electrical for the brake lights and signal indicator lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675501July 22, 2025
ENGINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11652098April 1, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639876January 31, 2025
ENGINE
Oil filter housing failure. MINI issued a recall for this part in 2014 when the third generation MINI Cooper S/JCW first launched. Unfortunately they did not fix the part and now as time goes on, the issue is occurring with high frequency on every BMW/MINI and Toyota Supra with the BMW B46/B48 2.0L turbocharged engine. The plastic oil filter housings crack causing oil and coolant to leak. In my case oil poured down the front of the hot engine which could have caused a fire. BMW/MINI dealers charge nearly $2500 to repair this failure. The ODI should investigate this concern as it has been reported dozens of times on each model with this engine including the BMW X1 28i/M35, BMW X2 28i/M35, BMW X3 30i, BMW X4 30i, BMW 328i/330i, BMW 528i/530i, BMW 330e hybrid, BMW 530e hybrid, BMW Z4, Toyota Supra 2.0T, MINI Cooper S/JCW 3-door and 5-door, MINI Countryman, MINI Cooper S/JCW Convertible, etc. BMW is aware of this common failure. Thus far BMW has refused to issue a service campaign or recall for this problem which causes owners of these affected vehicles to be out of pocket thousands of dollars. If oil drips onto hot exhaust or into a wiring harness, it could easily cause a fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11636617January 17, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Drivetrain error occurred. I pulled codes and found P0015. I added oil, cleared code. The next day the drivetrain error popped back up. Pulled codes and found P0366. I took the vehicle to mechanic for diagnostics and to find the issue. They found faults: 130F11 and 120408. When replacing engine oil and filter, they found metal shavings in the oil; bearing material. They are recommending replacing the engine. Doing research, it appears this has been a common occurrence with these vehicles/engines. Is there a current recall on some of these engines, or a possibility for a discounted replacement due to the issues being widespread? The car has less than 74,000 miles, and the mechanic said it looks like it may have been going on a while. I purchased this car from a used dealership less than 3 months ago, and have already encountered so many unexpected issues. I really expected more from the Mini brand. Thanks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11626962November 23, 2024
ENGINE
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 failing after being heat cycled a certain number of times. It has gotten so bad that numerous aftermarket metal replacement parts exist to try and prevent this issue from recurring. Due to the placement of the part on the engine, the repair costs up to $3000. Failures are occurring on vehicles with as little as 30,000 miles, but vast majority between 50,000-80,000 miles. Due to the loss of both oil and coolant, a fire risk exists. Coolant can come in contact with electrical components and cause a short, while the oil can begin to drip onto hot engine or exhaust parts. This is a dangerous hazard that should be recalled. BMW should refit affected engines with a more durable component. Below I have included a link to the original NHTSA stop-sale from 2014. [XXX] I’ve also included links to various forums and news articles about this issue. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] / [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11614123September 12, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving straight on an Interstate highway at approximately 65 mph, the right front and left rear brakes momentarily locked up after the windshield wipers were turned on due to light rain starting to fall. This happened multiple times, only when the wipers were turned on. There were no warning lights illuminated in the instrument cluster or dash displays. This nearly caused a loss of vehicle control on several occasions and nearly caused an accident as well. The car has been routinely serviced to factory schedules including brake fluid time based changes. There appeared to be some occasional delay in the release of the brakes when starting from a stop. The brakes were serviced after this incident and the service center recommended completing a few panic stops to operate the ABS system. They could not explain how the wiper system can cause one circuit of the braking system to operate momentarily. A search of web forums for the F56 series MINI shows that this random locking of the RF & LR brakes with teh wipers in operation has happened to quite a few other owners of similar Mini Coopers. This problem creates a very significant safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11609588August 20, 2024
ENGINE
Had recurring engine warning light which will only reset for one ignition cycle. Took to dealer to read code and result was "LIN bus communication fault for environmental air catalyst sensor". This is the same problem drivers of the Mini Cooper S model have reported and received an extended warranty from Mini of North America (15 year / 150000 mi) with replacement of sensor and radiator. However, talking with Mini of North America, the extended warranty does not apply to the base model 5-door Cooper because not enough complaints have been recorded. If more people report this issue, it could be covered just as the S-model is being covered. In the meantime, the car will not pass an emissions inspection with the light on, and Mini dealer wants $2000 to replace radiator and sensor. Car currently has about 70,000 miles on it, but engine light as been on for approximately 15 months (emissions inspection is required every 24 months). I have a decent code reader, but it only provides "U019D generic code" which is why I took it to Mini dealer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11605757July 31, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Rear passenger tail light casing/bucket had burnt connections. Replaced casing/bucket and bulb. Worked for short time, tail light failed a second time. Casing/bucket & bulb replaced, again worked for short time and then went out. Took vehicle to another mechanic after passenger side headlight failed. New mechanic checked casings/bucket - connections looked okay, however both wiring harnesses were severely burnt. Headlight harness was all bare wires. Mechanic unable to determine cause of the severe heat that would lead to both the headlight & taillight wiring harnesses becoming burnt so severely. Mechanic was concerned of the potential for this issue to cause vehicle fire. Suggested to follow up with dealership to have lights & wiring harnesses on Driver side checked After research online regarding this year/make/model - I have found numerous other reports of other owners experiencing the same issues with burned wiring harnesses causing both front and rear light failure with no known causes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11600982July 10, 2024
ENGINE
My Mini service adviser said the timing case cover is seeping and will continue to get worse until the seep becomes a leak and the oil starts dripping onto the manifold, potentially creating a fire. It is at the seepage stage now and therefore my extended warranty will not fix it. My Mini service adviser said she doesn’t think it is dangerous yet but I have to keep an eye on it as this is a common problem on Minis. They quoted me a price of $934 to replace the timing case cover itself. I researched the problem online and found this is a common problem and will need my attention to ensure it doesn’t get dangerous before I’m able to get it repaired.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11573298February 22, 2024
ENGINE
Notes from Beckley Auto Service from 2-12-24. "Verified warning light on, retrieved one code for LIN bus communication fault for environmental air catalyst sensor. Checked and found technical service bulletin (TSB) from Mini Cooper M13 01 19. The chemical composition of the fan shroud contaminates the sensor. This repair involves the replacing of the radiator with each sensor and fan shroud. Should be covered under Mini Coopers emissions warranty. Called Mini Cooper of Des Moines(Jerimiah) and was advised that this vehicle does not have and extended parts warranty/warranty extension on the environmental sensor. Would recommend contacting Mini Cooper Customer service or Mini Cooper North America for assistance." I did contact Mini Cooper customer service North America and was told my vin does not fall within this TSB. When asked why my vehicle with the identical engine and issues specified in the TSB is not covered I was told, "I don't know."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11569727February 3, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
* Component/ system that has malfunctioned and failed - The Driver side tail light circuit board and pig tail malfunctioned. The connector has corroded and the plastic plug housing looks melted on the earth / brown wire. This in return damages the the ground connection for the tail light rendering the turn signal the reverse light and the brake light inoperable on the effected side. YES, MY VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT ANY TIME. *A driver behind an affected vehicle could be confused which could increase the risk of a crash. *The vehicle has been inspected by a licensed MINI Dealership. They failed to report two of the three nonworking rear lights that have failed due to the connector becoming corroded. The corroded plastic plug housing becomes melted on the earth / brown wire. This in return damages the the ground connection for the tail light rendering the turn signal and brake light inoperable on the effected side. In this case it is the rear driver side. *There was/ is no warning until long after the first second and/ or third rear light(S) were not operable. Intermittently (sometimes) a warning will popup when turning on the vehicle. The vehicle will not warn the driver about and and / or all three lights each and every time the vehicle is turned on. ALSO while the vehicle is in drive or in reverse , the driver will not have any warning what so ever that the three lights 1. The driver side rear break light 2. The driver side rear reverse light 3. The driver side rear turn signal are not working due to a malfunction. * note that there is a very strong burnt/melted smell that comes from the connector as well. I could smell it on my fingers after removing the connector so I could check the rear bulbs for replacement. Please note the 1st photo-this is how the dealership left my connector after their assessment. Additional photos are of the connector/ pig tail/ circuit board corrosion. Intermittent warrnings for some of the nonworking lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11562935January 1, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
There is a design issue resulting in failure of the connector for the rear tail light assembly. The connector corrodes and the plastic plug housing melts. This damages the ground connection for the tail light rendering the turn signal and brake light inoperable on the effected side. This has happened on the right rear of our Mini Cooper JCW hardtop. Searching on the web shows this to be a common problem for the F55, F56 & F57 MINIs. As this failure makes the car brake light system non-compliant with FMVSS lighting requirements, there should be a recall to address this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11561607December 23, 2023
POWER TRAIN
Error signal "Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped" Mini dealer says "common problem" with Mini transmissions and always due to fluid leaking thru shifter onto gear shift mechanism. Lots of forums stating this is common. Unclear why Mini not taking responsibility for this due to poor design. How many cars ever get a failure such as this? None that I can find except MIni and BMW with similar transmissions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11552298October 27, 2023
EQUIPMENT
*The condensation drain hose is not properly draining the condensate from the vehicle. The micro-filter is is absorbing condensate water from the evaporator housing. *After a while the water that sits, turns to mold. You dont know about it until it gets to that point. You breathe in mold, constantly until you figure out where it is coming from. *The problem has been confirmed and also confirmed that its a known problem to have with these cars *Yes the care has been inspected by the dealer. *There are no warnings at all
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11538855August 16, 2023
POWER TRAIN
About two days ago I noticed my MINI started showing an error every time I got into the vehicle saying "Secure vehicle against rolling" I have seen numerous different discussions online but none seemed to come to a solution or single cause of this error. Everything still shifts completely fine in the car, the parking brake engages, and the car shifts into park fine. Seems to be a common problem, it's a shame MINI has not addressed it as a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516815April 12, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Rear tail lights have a bulb socket and a 6-pin connector that have a tendency to burn at the brown ground wire where the connector and bulb socket meet. Requiring replacement of both parts and disabling the rear tail light (brake, turn, and reverse lights). It requires rewiring the 6-pin connector and replacing the bulb socket. About $60 in parts. When this occurs it an alert comes on the dash of a malfunction to all three rear lighting functions. One or all three of the lights can be affected. However, due to the complexity of the parts and labor required, it can be burdensome for people to diagnose and then afford to repair, if they don’t know how to repair themselves. Web searches helped me diagnose the issue and find the burnt connections on our vehicle, with folks commenting of a known issue on MINIs and BMWs for this type of connection, surprised it hasn’t been part of a recall. An example can be found here: https://www.mini2.com/threads/solution-driver-side-tail-light-failure-melted-connector.361711/
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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