2008 MINI Cooper S Engine Problems
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2008 MINI Cooper S, 46% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 54,834 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (51% of reports).
- 78engine complaints
- 54,834median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $3,050typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 40 of 78 complaints (51%)
- Oil feed: mentioned in 10 of 78 complaints (13%)
- Supply line: mentioned in 7 of 78 complaints (9%)
- Heat shield: mentioned in 5 of 78 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2008 MINI Cooper S at $3,050, and half of them between $1,450 and $7,550.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 74 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 78 complaints, 4 a fire.
MINI Cooper S engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Cooper S | 2 | 40% | 1,400 |
| 2019 Cooper S | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2017 Cooper S | 2 | 33% | 58,000 |
| 2016 Cooper S | 4 | 44% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Cooper S | 3 | 17% | 42,621 |
| 2014 Cooper S | 3 | 23% | 6,000 |
| 2013 Cooper S | 7 | 29% | 62,137 |
| 2012 Cooper S | 4 | 17% | 78,500 |
| 2011 Cooper S | 16 | 52% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Cooper S | 37 | 63% | 65,000 |
| 2009 Cooper S | 65 | 55% | 55,177 |
| 2008 Cooper S | 78 | 46% | 54,834 |
| 2007 Cooper S | 94 | 38% | 65,000 |
| 2006 Cooper S | 7 | 4% | 68,750 |
| 2005 Cooper S | 8 | 3% | 75,763 |
| 2004 Cooper S | 2 | 1% | 140,772 |
| 2003 Cooper S | 5 | 2% | 72,000 |
| 2002 Cooper S | 1 | 1% | 60,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Timing chain jumped out of timing and caused bent valves.
My car caught fire while driving. I had been driving for about an hour on the highway. There was no warning. No cel or errors on the dash display. Car was running normally. I noticed some smoke. After pulling to the side of the road flames started coming from under the hood. The car was still…
At 32000 miles an oil leak was noted on the garage floor. The foreign car repair shop troubleshot the leak. Final outcome: replace supercharger assembly, vacuum brake booster pump and intake manifold gasket. Total cost $3,014.78 for a vehicle that has a trade-in value of less than $5,000. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 MINI Cooper Ss have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 78 owner complaints about engine for the 2008 MINI Cooper S (46% of the 168 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 MINI Cooper S engine?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 54,834 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,050 (half paid between $1,450 and $7,550), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 40 of 78 complaints, followed by “oil feed” (10).
See all 2008 MINI Cooper S problems or engine problems across all Cooper S years.