2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible recalls and problems

The 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible has 1 safety recall and 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any MINI dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

0 / 1

Injuries / deaths

1 / 0

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

2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible recalls

Recall 15V-205: Air Bags

Reported Apr 6, 2015 · 91,800 vehicles affected · BMW of North America, LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Seats	3
Air Bags	3
Engine and Engine Cooling	1
Structure	1
Unknown or Other	1
Electrical System	1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	1
Suspension	1

Most reported parts

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 30,000 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 Convertible complaints

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

Seats · at 64,000 miles · reported Aug 24, 2017

While traveling at or above 65 miles per. Hour, vibration in front end. Have had tires rotated, balances and front end checked out. Unknown at this point and now must keep under 65 MPH. Unsafe to drive at or above 65.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · reported Jun 9, 2015

The contact owns a 2008 mini cooper s convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v20500 (Air bags); however, the part needed to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified about the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The consumer stated the ABS engaged under 10 MPH when the brake was applied. Updated 08/25/15

Air Bags · at 27,330 miles · reported May 2, 2014

Airbag warning light turned on when driving on highway. The service diagnosed faulty passenger seat occupancy detector and quoted $1,880 to fix. This problem seems common for this make based on forum websites. The car has only 28k mileage and sport seats.

Air Bags · at 30,000 miles · reported Feb 8, 2013

My passenger side seat, which has a weight-sensor to determine air-bag operation (On/off, full force, partial force) is faulty, and with a 110 lb person seated in there, the sensor still believes the person weighs below 25 lbs, and as such, disables the airbag. This is concerning to me as I drive with a passenger much of the time, and most of the time the airbag is disabled. This seems like a safety-recall issue to me. I have also done much research through the vehicle make forums scattered through the internet and found that this issue exists on many other vehicles of the same generation.…

Seats · at 21,000 miles · reported Jan 28, 2011

The seat heaters in my 2008 mini cooper s get way too hot. They have two temperature settings (One is hotter than the other) and either one gets too hot and you have to turn off the heater. If you don't turn it off it will continue to heat until it burns you. I believe this is a safety issue and I AM certain that without turning the heater off the passenger could be burned and/or the wiring to the heater could melt or catch on fire. This is a known problem with bmw/mini and they have attempted to fix it via a wiring harness installed in-line with the heater to control the voltage, but this fix…

Other MINI Cooper S Convertible years

2012 2011 2010 200920082007 2006 2005

Compare all MINI Cooper S Convertible years · All MINI models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible: 15V-205 (air bags). 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 Convertible?

Owners report seats problems most often (3 reports), followed by air bags (3). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 30,000 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.