2008 Mini COOPER CONVERTIBLE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
55,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 8 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 9 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 22.2% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 22.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Seats | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Suspension | 1 |
Air Bags: 3; Power Train: 2; Seats: 2; Steering: 2; Suspension: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2009: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10274856 · 2009-06-24 (June 24, 2009)
MY 2008 MINI CONVERTIBLE HAS A BAD VIBRATION THAT STARTS AT 70MPH. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SEVERAL SERVICE VISITS WHERE THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REBALANCED TWICE, TIRES REPLACED TWICE, FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND INSPECTION OF THE SUSPENSION. NONE OF THESE ACTIONS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. BMW / MINI ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND CLAIM THE CAR IS BEHAVING AS DESIGNED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT FURTHER DAMAGE IS BEING DONE TO THE SUSPENSION AND DRIVE TRAIN AND COULD LEAD …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274856 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10536304 · 2013-08-20 (August 20, 2013)
TRANSMISSION IS GOING ON A 2008 CAR WITH ONLY 47000 MILES ON IT. DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN NEEDED THEREFORE DOESN'T ACCELERATE SAFELY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10536304 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10547584 · 2013-10-10 (October 10, 2013)
TRANSMISSION FAILED (CVT). VEHICLE HAS LOW MILES AND COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $8,000. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10547584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10605489 · 2014-06-24 (June 24, 2014)
IT APPEARS THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED SENSOR IS NOT WORKING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10605489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10712176 · 2015-04-22 (April 22, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10712176 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10780102 · 2015-10-06 (October 6, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V205000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT FOR MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10780102 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10822745 · 2016-01-28 (January 28, 2016)
POWER STEERING FAILED AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER CAR. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS FULL. INSPECTED AT GARAGE AND MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NO CLEAR REASON AS TO WHY THE STEERING HAD FAILED. DID GET SOME STEERING ABILITY BACK BUT AM WORRIED IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN STATIONARY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND STEERING WAS GONE WHEN TURNED CAR ON FOR FIRST TIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10822745 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10855576 · 2016-04-14 (April 14, 2016)
MOVING MY MINI INTO THE GARAGE A FIRE CAUGHT UNDER THE HOOD AND THE STEERING WENT OUT, AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND TO BE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER THE COST AS IT IS A MECHANICAL FAILURE. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE PREVIOUS MODELS BEING RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AS WELL AS CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS. I BELIEVE MY MINI MAY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT BMW SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS.
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10855576 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V205000 · Air Bags:Frontal
Reported: 2015-04-06 (April 6, 2015)
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗