2008 MINI Cooper S Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2008 MINI Cooper S ranks 3rd worst of 19 model years with a complaint index of 89 and 168 NHTSA complaints, most tied to the engine. It carries an Avoid verdict, driven largely by 121 engine complaints including 10 fire reports.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 89/100
- #3 of 19 Cooper S years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 168
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 10
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 28
- 24.5 city / 33 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2008 MINI Cooper S problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine121 (72%)
- Airbags30 (18%)
- Electrical System9 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain9 (5%)
- Structure & Body6 (4%)
- Fuel System5 (3%)
- Seat Belts4 (2%)
- Other3 (2%)
- Brakes2 (1%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (1%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report engine compartment fires starting shortly after driving or even while the car sits parked, sometimes producing visible flames under the hood.
- Several complaints describe smoke or red-hot wires near the engine bay before a fire ignites, occurring on trips as short as a mile.
- One owner reported a fire that started while the car was parked in a garage overnight, spreading to another vehicle and property.
- A passenger airbag warning light reportedly stayed on intermittently despite repeated dealer inspections finding no fault.
- One owner described the clutch failing without warning at low speed, causing the car to stall in an intersection.
- A structural/body fire was reported after an hour of highway driving with no dashboard warning beforehand.
2008 MINI Cooper S recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 23V337000May 11, 2023Electrical System97,933 vehicles
Electrical system
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 18V248000Apr 18, 2018Engine47,806 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 12V008000Jan 11, 2012Engine90,368 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
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.
Remedy: 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.
2008 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 24.5 MPG
- Highway
- 33 MPG
- Combined
- 28 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,850
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2008 compared with other Cooper S years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 MINI Cooper S reliable?
- Compared with other Cooper S model years, 2008 ranks poorly: it has the 3rd-worst complaint index (89) out of 19 years and carries an Avoid verdict based on NHTSA complaints and recalls.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
- The engine is the top problem area, accounting for 121 of 168 complaints (72%) and 9 reported fires, with a median failure mileage of 52,000.
- Does the 2008 MINI Cooper S have engine fire recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns touching this vehicle, including engine-related water pump recalls (12V008000 and 18V248000), though owner complaints describe more engine fires than the recalls alone cover.
- How does the 2008 Cooper S compare to later years?
- Complaint index drops steadily in later years, from 89 in 2008 to 33 in 2014 and 17 in 2019, which carries a Best verdict, showing 2008 is among the higher-risk years for this model.
- Were there airbag problems in the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
- Yes, airbags are the second-largest problem area with 30 complaints (18% of the total), including passenger airbag warning lights and one crash-related airbag complaint at 64,000 median mileage.