2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman recalls and problems

The 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman has 2 safety recalls and 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any MINI dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

0 / 3

Injuries / deaths

0 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman recalls

Recall 18V-248: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Apr 18, 2018 · 47,806 vehicles affected · BMW of North America, LLC

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.

Recall 12V-008: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Jan 11, 2012 · 90,368 vehicles affected · BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

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.

2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Engine and Engine Cooling	3
Engine	3
Air Bags	3
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility	1
Electrical System	1
Power Train	1
Structure	1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 53,225 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · reported Jan 2, 2026

The air bag warning light has been set off for many years and comes back even after a computer replacement. This is the light for the passenger bag. There was a recall of 2005 to 2008 mini for this exact issue. For some reason my VIN is not included in this recall. What should I do? The airbag or sensor was never "fixed".

Air Bags · reported Jan 2, 2026

Air bag light has been lit since around 2014. For some reason my 2008 mini VIN is not part of the 2005-2008 mini airbag recall. What should I do, as this issue should be part of the recall.

Engine · at 146,000 miles · reported Dec 15, 2014

I was hearing a loud rattle and brought my mini in to get serviced right away. It was misdiagnosed and now I fear it has caused significant damage to the engine due to a timing chain tensioner issue. The car will lose power out of nowhere. I have read that this is not being considered a safety issue but when you live in minnesota and are trying to go through a busy intersection during a blizzard and the car loses all power and you almost get t-boned by a truck I would tend to disagree.

Engine · at 88,512 miles · reported Oct 19, 2014

While driving home on secondary road, a loud engine noise started and the engine light came on blinking. I pulled over and had car towed to my garage. The diagnosis was that the timing chain tensioner broke and had to be repaird. This was done for a cost of $567.97. In researching information about this, it appears many owners have had the same problem. I AM filing this complaint in hopes that bmw reimburses this expense for an issue they seem to be aware of but are not taking recall action with.

Air Bags · at 28,000 miles · reported Jun 17, 2013

Air bag light goes off with code 93b1 passenger head airbag not present. Mini knows this is an issue as it has issued a technical service bulletin for this issue. The TSB number is si-m-65-10-08. This is a serious issue and should be recalled.

Other MINI Cooper S Clubman years

2021 2020 2012 2011 2010 20092008

Compare all MINI Cooper S Clubman years · All MINI models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman: 18V-248 (engine and engine cooling), 12V-008 (engine and engine cooling). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman?

Owners report engine and engine cooling problems most often (3 reports), followed by engine (3). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 53,225 miles.

Are MINI recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized MINI dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.