2008 Mini COOPER S problems and owner complaints

2008 MINI COOPER S. THE VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE FAILURE WITH NO NOTICE. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 287 IN NJ WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NOTICE THE CAR LOST TOTAL POWER. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, ALL GAUGES DROPPED TO ZERO, NO POWER WHATSOEVER FROM THE ENGINE, NO WAY TO OPEN WINDOWS OR DOOR LOCKS AS THEIR WAS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE - THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO NOTICE. ONE MOMENT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THE NEXT I HAD COMPLETE AND TOTAL MECHANICAL, ENGINE…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,552 miles reported. Look up ODI 10350222 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR IS GOING OFF WHEN EITHER A PASSENGER OF AVERAGE WEIGHT (150LBS.) IS OCCUPYING SEAT OR A SMALL BUMP IN ROAD IS HIT. THE AIR BAG SENSOR FOR WIRING AND SEAT CUSHION REPLACEMENT IS NO LONGER UNDER A WARRANTY FOR 2008 MODEL, BUT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM COSTING APPROXIMATELY $1200.00 TO REPAIR AT THE DEALER. THE 2002-2006 MODELS HAD RECALL BY MINI FOR THIS. ALONG WITH THE BELOW SERVICE BULLETIN. SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: SIM-65-08-03 COMPONENT(S): AIR BAGS NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10043927 MANUFACTURER: BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC SUM…

Owner-reported narrative. 39,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587311 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ABUSIVE OPERATION OF THE CLUTCH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IS NOT COVERED IN THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS UNK…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10264856 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY AND THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVEN SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577155 at NHTSA ↗

AT 32000 MILES AN OIL LEAK WAS NOTED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE FOREIGN CAR REPAIR SHOP TROUBLESHOT THE LEAK. FINAL OUTCOME: REPLACE SUPERCHARGER ASSEMBLY, VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. TOTAL COST $3,014.78 FOR A VEHICLE THAT HAS A TRADE-IN VALUE OF LESS THAN $5,000. THE FOREIGN CAR EXPERT WAS AMAZED THAT THE TURBO HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE.

Owner-reported narrative. 32,094 miles reported. Look up ODI 11193140 at NHTSA ↗

NOISE IN ENGINE AFTER COLD START. ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY MINI OF PEABODY MA AFTER A INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS A 2008 COOPER S JCW AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN NOISY SINCE IT WAS REPLACED. NOISE GOES AWAY AFTER IT WARMS UP. DEALER TELLS ME NOTHING IS WRONG. ORIGINAL ENGINE FAILED AT 8,000 MILES AND SO DID THE TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. NOW AT 17,000 MILES TRANSMISSION OK BUT ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT IS KNOCKING AT START UP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295697 at NHTSA ↗

LEADING UP TO INCIDENT CAR WASN'T SHIFTING SMOOTHLY AND WOULD BECOME STUCK I THIRD GEAR WITH YELLOW GEAR LIGHT WITH EXCLAMATION ILLUMINATED. IF YOU STOP AND TURN ENGINE OFF THEN START AGAIN THE LIGHT TURNS OFF AND CAR DRIVES NORMAL. YESTERDAY THE CAR SLAMMED INTO PARK WHILE DRIVING 25MPH. GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN DRIVE THE WHOLE TIME. YELLOW GEAR LIGHT CAME ON WITH EXCLAMATION MARK AND TRIP COMPUTER SAID CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD TO BE TOWED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 111,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10640153 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS IN A BAD CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH MY CAR WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS IN THE VERY MOST RIGHT HAND LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, AT A STOP IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME DID NOT STOP, HITTING ME AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. AS A RESULT, MY CAR SPUN OUT TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY HEAD ON. THE CAR THEN BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL, AND SPUN ABOUT 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, WHERE THE REAR END OF THE CAR THEN HIT THE SAME GUARD RAIL AND FINALLY STOPPED. WHEN THE CAR CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL HEAD ON, THE AIR BAG D…

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981563 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AND CAUSED STEERING CONTROL TO BECOME DIFFICULT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD OVERHEAT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO PARK THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT COOLED IN ORDER FOR THE POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED MINI OF KENNESAW (2275 BARRETT LAKES BLVD, KENNESAW, GA 30144; [phone removed]) WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC T…

Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11034139 at NHTSA ↗

MY CAR HAS 114,000 MILE ON IT. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED PER RECALL. THE ENGINE HAS FAILED WITH BAD INJECTORS, CYLINDERS AND RINGS. MECHANIC SAID THIS FAILURE IS PERVASIVE IN 2002 TO 2008 MODELS DO TO POOR DESIGN. THE COST TO REPAIR IS TOO HIGH.

Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11006136 at NHTSA ↗