YearToAvoid

2008 MINI Cooper S Engine Problems

NHTSA has 121 owner complaints about engine problems in the 2008 MINI Cooper S, 72% of all 168 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest engine complaint count among 19 Cooper S model years. These complaints report 9 fires and 2 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 52,000 miles.

Engine complaints
121
72% of 168
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
9
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
52,000 mi
Related recalls
3

When 2008 MINI Cooper S engine complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 7, 2008, latest Sep 17, 2020.

2008 MINI Cooper S engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter102008 Q32010 Q22011 Q32012 Q42014 Q12015 Q22016 Q32018 Q3
121 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q3 to 2020 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (10).

Engine recalls for the 2008 MINI Cooper S

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 08V657000Dec 12, 2008Engine28,450 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

Engine complaints by Cooper S model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200517 (5%)
  2. 200624 (13%)
  3. 2007176 (71%)
  4. 2008121 (72%)
  5. 200981 (68%)
  6. 201043 (73%)
  7. 201118 (58%)
  8. 20125 (22%)
  9. 20137 (29%)
  10. 20143 (23%)
  11. 20153 (17%)
  12. 20164 (44%)
  13. 20172 (33%)
  14. 20191 (20%)
  15. 20202 (40%)
  16. 20210 (0%)
  17. 20220 (0%)
  18. 20241 (100%)
  19. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 MINI Cooper S have engine problems?
NHTSA has 121 owner complaints about the engine in the 2008 MINI Cooper S, 72% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 52,000 miles.
Which MINI Cooper S year has the most engine complaints?
The 2007 MINI Cooper S has the most engine complaints (176), compared with 121 for the 2008.
Is there a engine recall for the 2008 MINI Cooper S?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2008 MINI Cooper S concern the engine: 18V248000, 12V008000, and 08V657000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.