2008 MINI Cooper S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cooper S years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 MINI Cooper S. That ranks 6th out of 22 Cooper S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (78 complaints, 46%), typically at around 54,834 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 10 fires, 3 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 168owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 MINI Cooper S problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 78 | 46% | 54,834 | “timing chain” (51%) | $3,050 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 43 | 26% | 36,068 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 30 | 18% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 5% | 49,200 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 5% | 39,950 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 2% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 2% | 111,610 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 44,740 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 2% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 12,277 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 24,552 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 24,552 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 31,545 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 MINI Cooper S recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Engine and engine cooling:engine; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
Risk: If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1-800-525-7417, MINI at 1-866-825-1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 mini cooper s, 2008-2011 mini cooper s clubman, 2009-2011 mini cooper s convertible, 2009-2011 mini cooper jcw, 2009-2011 mini cooper jcw clubman, 2009-2011 cooper jcw convertible, and 2011 cooper s countryman passenger cars manufactured from november 14, 2006, through january 18, 2011. The electric auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.
Risk: The circuit board may smolder which could result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump free of charge. The safety recall beganduring february 2012. Owners may contact bmw at 1-866-275-6464.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Problem: Bmw is recalling 28,450 my 2007-2008 mini cooper s vehicles. The centrally located tailpipe extension protrudes slightly beyond the rear bumper. It is possible for inadvertent contact to occur with a person's leg.
Risk: If the tailpipe extension is hot during inadvertent contact, a burn could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tailpipe with a new shorter tailpipe free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during january 2009. Owners may contact bmw at 1-866-275-6464.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fire (PE11036) — opened Oct 11, 2011, closed Jun 11, 2012, led to recall 12V008000.
- Exhaust pipe burns (EA08020) — opened Aug 29, 2008, closed Jan 2, 2009, led to recall 08V657000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the windows would roll down independently and the sunroof would fail to close completely. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was diagnosed that the failure was…
The contact owns a 2008 Mini Cooper S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact…
The front passenger seat occupant detection mat sensor has failed. The front passenger air bag is not activate in a crash when the seat is occupied. Recalls active for this exact issue for the same make in other years and models are currently recalled however others are excluded.
To the best of my knowledge the airbag system is off line. The passenger airbags do not turn on when a passenger is seated. The passenger airbag indicator light shows that it is not turning on with or without a passenger. Also the drivers side airbag indicator light comes on the dashboard and the…
Timing chain jumped out of timing and caused bent valves.
Other MINI Cooper S years
← 2007 Cooper S · 2009 Cooper S →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Cooper S | 4 | 3 |
| 2024 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Cooper S | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 Cooper S | 0 | 2 |
| 2020 Cooper S | 5 | 2 |
| 2019 Cooper S | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 Cooper S | 6 | 3 |
| 2016 Cooper S | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 Cooper S | 18 | 4 |
| 2014 Cooper S | 13 | 4 |
| 2013 Cooper S | 24 | 1 |
| 2012 Cooper S | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Cooper S | 31 | 3 |
| 2010 Cooper S | 59 | 4 |
| 2009 Cooper S | 119 | 3 |
| 2008 | 168 | 4 |
| 2007 Cooper S | 249 | 4 |
| 2006 Cooper S | 186 | 1 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 314 | 2 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 247 | 2 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 217 | 2 |
| 2002 Cooper S | 83 | 1 |
See all MINI Cooper S problems by year, every MINI model, or the MINI VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
Owners most often report engine, engine and engine cooling, air bags problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 78 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 MINI Cooper S a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cooper S model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.