Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 Mini Cooper S. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2008 Mini Cooper S. Not checked against your VIN.
Control Module in Footwell May Short Circuit
Electrical system
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
18.8% repairedof 97,933 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 23V337000
Listed for 2008 Mini Cooper S. Not checked against your VIN.
Electric Auxiliary Water Pump Failure
Engine and engine cooling · engine
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
67.1% repairedof 47,806 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V248000
Listed for 2008 Mini Cooper S. Not checked against your VIN.
Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection Mat
Air bags · frontal
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not function properly and, as a result, the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash.
- Consequence
- An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
36.9% repairedof 91,800 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V205000
Listed for 2008 Mini Cooper S. Not checked against your VIN.
AUXILIARY WATER PUMP/POSSIBLE FIRE
Engine and engine cooling · engine · gasoline · turbo/supercharger
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Repair progress not yet reported90,368 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 12V008000
Listed for 2008 Mini Cooper S. Not checked against your VIN.
EXHAUST PIPE TIPS
Engine and engine cooling · exhaust system · manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Repair progress not yet reported28,450 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 08V657000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (175)
175 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
1involved a crash
11involved a fire
4injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 175 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 78 | 44.6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 44 | 25.1% |
| Air bags | 33 | 18.9% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 5.1% |
| Power train | 9 | 5.1% |
| Seats | 5 | 2.9% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 2.3% |
| Seat belts | 4 | 2.3% |
| Structure | 4 | 2.3% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 2.3% |
How 2008 compares with other Cooper S years
Best and worst Cooper S years →2004247
2005375
2006222
2007257
2008175
2009128
201069
201135
201226
201324
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 247 | 2 |
| 2005 | 375 | 2 |
| 2006 | 222 | 1 |
| 2007 | 257 | 6 |
| 2008 | 175 | 5 |
| 2009 | 128 | 3 |
| 2010 | 69 | 4 |
| 2011 | 35 | 3 |
| 2012 | 26 | 2 |
| 2013 | 24 | 1 |
This year (2008)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 2008 Cooper S for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2008 Mini Cooper S FAQ
How many recalls does the 2008 Mini Cooper S have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 23V337000 (electrical), 18V248000 (engine), 15V205000 (air bag), 12V008000 (engine), 08V657000 (engine). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2008 Mini Cooper S problems?
Owners filed 175 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (78), Engine and engine cooling (44), Air bags (33) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 2008 Cooper S compare with other years?
Among the 2004–2013 Mini Cooper S model years at least five years old, the 2013 drew the fewest complaints (24) and the 2005 the most (375). The 2008 drew 175. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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