The Environmental Air Catalyst (EAC) Sensor on my 2016 MINI failed two years ago when I had only 25,000 miles on the car. (The car now has 30,200 miles on it; I do not drive it very much). the federal safety agency worked with MINI/BMW several years ago, and MINI extended a limited warranty for this sensor to 15 years/150,000 miles, but only for Cooper "S" models. Mine is not an "S". See Recall "S1 M01 05 20" The S has a BMW "B46M PZEV/SULEV " engine, which is covered by the extended warranty. My car - not the "S" model - has the BMW "B36M" engine. This is not covered by the extended warranty noted above. I have gone online and saw lots of complaints, as this appears to be a very common problem. A MINI dealer in Richmond, VA told me the same thing: the sensor fails, and you have to replace the entire radiator because the sensor is attached to it. I was quoted more than $2,000 to fix this problem. It seems to me that this defect is as common in the non "S" MINI Cooper's as it is in the "S" versions, and that MINI should extend the same warranty to vehicles with the B36M engines. Can you help?
The worst 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Lights4
- Brakes2
- Body1
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Lights4
- Brakes2
- Body1
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Seat belts1
- Transmission1
Recalls 3
Exterior lighting: brake lights
- What is wrong
- 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."
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 17V222000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: retractor
- What is wrong
- 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."
- 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, 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.
Recall number 16V747000 · Recall details
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A gearbox malfunction may cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will replace the steering gearbox, free of charge. Affected vehicles are located in dealer inventory and will be remedied before customer retail. The recall began on December 28, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 15V887000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible 251
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- RATTLE FROM FRONT DOOR: A rattle noise is present from the door while driving most commonly when driving...
- NOISE DURING FORWARD/BACK SEAT ADJUSTMENT OVER THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF TRAVEL: A loud screeching noise can be...
- Sunroof will not open
- RATTLE NOISE FROM SUNROOF WHILE DRIVING: A rattle noise is present from the sunroof while driving only...
- Lin bus communication fault for environmental air catalyst (eac) sensor FC1B8302.
- Security improvements for head units.
- Diagnostic hint: catalytic converter inspection after loss of crankshaft signal
- Egs faults stored after aisin transmission replacement.
- Safety Systems HEAD UNIT NBT EVO (HU-H2) PROGRAMMING ABORT. During programming several aborts can occur in...
- The Service Engine Soon (MIL) light is on with the following fault stored in the Digital Motor Electronics...
2016 MINI Cooper Convertible fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 3‑cyl | FWD | 27 | 36 | 30 |
What 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 ?
Brake pedal at same level as gas pedal at times ( they are close together) my shoe on the brake also hits the gas to excellerate pressing jarred in a panic will stop the car and I will put it in neutral city street or hi-way in motion
Drivetrain malfunction light flashes for a few seconds and then goes away. Driving on I-85 s june 5, 2017 warning appeared for a few seconds then disappeared.
Constant replacing of the seat belts. Currently back seat belt not working again serious saftey hazard . No longer receiving a response from the dealer. Cannot ride a certain amount of passengers in the rear. Have taken the car back multiple times
Base model blue tooth telephone interface without on-board voice control disables phone hands free function (e.g "siri" on iphone) inviting distraction to use phone functions. Common also on similarly equipped bmw models. This was not the case with earlier year models with similar equipment.
We purchased this all-new model in march 2016 and have been unable to ascertain a crashworthiness rating through your administration or the iihs. I once assumed that these tests were conducted prior to the public sale of automobiles. How long must a consumer wait for a test to be conducted? The insurance companies seem to depend heavily on these evaluations when determining their rates.
After my car was involved in an accident I was made aware that the mini VIN number indicates that my mini is a 2 door model in most data resources for evaluation purposes. But I have the mini 4 door hardtop model! How could that not be indicated with a 4d instead of the 2d in this models VIN #?
Twice since buying my car in may if 2016 I have badly burned my leg on the tailpipe while getting bags out of the trunk. I was not even reaching into the trunk particularly deeply. The tailpipe protrudes beyond the bumper and it is very easy to inadvertently bump it with one's leg if wearing shorts. This is dangerous to adults, but also especially dangerous for children helping their parents get things out of the car. I have photos of the burns if you need them.
Please check the rear brake light photos (halfway down, this page: http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r55-clubman-talk-2008/293675-2016-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 signal) lights just below the rear window "look" they're supposed to be brake lights but, obviously, don't come on with braking. No question, this will result in collisions, some serious. The federal safety agency needs to be proactive and force a corrective repair; this is truly a public health.safety issue!!!
Compare the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible
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Questions about the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible
Is the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible reliable?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible, close to a typical Cooper Convertible model year.
What is the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible year score?
The 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible scores 71 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the MINI Cooper Convertible: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible?
Lights, with 4 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible have?
3 recalls, covering exterior lighting, seat belts and steering.
Was there a recall on the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible lights?
Yes, 1 recall: 17V222000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What gas mileage does the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible get?
Official estimates for the 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible range from 30 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 3-cyl, FWD) gets 27 city and 36 highway.
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