NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Mini Cooper Convertible Recalls & Complaints

The 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 9 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mini dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2008 Mini Cooper Convertible owner complaints

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible, describing incidents dated December 15, 2008 to September 22, 2019.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 3 complaints
Power Train 2 complaints
Seats 2 complaints
Steering 2 complaints
Suspension 1 complaint

Of the 9 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire; across all 9 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11257322 · Filed September 23, 2019
PASSENGER UPPER SEAT HEATER BURNED HOLE THROUGH SEAT AND CHILDS JACKET WHILE DRIVING. THE HEATING ELEMENT IS NOW VISIBLE AND DAUGHTER RECEIVED A MINOR BURN TO FINGER, DO TO MELTED HOLE IN JACKET FROM SEAT HEATER.
ODI #10855576 · Filed 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…
ODI #10822745 · Filed 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…

Read all 9 complaints

Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection Mat

NHTSA #15V205000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported April 6, 2015 · BMW of North America, LLC

Potentially affected: 91,800 vehicles

Repair completion: 36.91% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified October 12, 2015 · Vehicles built January 5, 2005 – July 31, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

9 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible.

Seats

ODI #11257322

1 injury

Incident: September 22, 2019 · Filed: September 23, 2019

PASSENGER UPPER SEAT HEATER BURNED HOLE THROUGH SEAT AND CHILDS JACKET WHILE DRIVING. THE HEATING ELEMENT IS NOW VISIBLE AND DAUGHTER RECEIVED A MINOR BURN TO FINGER, DO TO MELTED HOLE IN JACKET FROM SEAT HEATER.

Steering

ODI #10855576

Fire

Incident: April 10, 2016 · Filed: 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.

Steering

ODI #10822745

Incident: October 29, 2015 · Filed: 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.

Air Bags

ODI #10780102

Incident: June 10, 2015 · Filed: 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 WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags

ODI #10712176

Incident: November 22, 2014 · Filed: 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.

Air Bags; Seats

ODI #10605489

Incident: June 19, 2014 · Filed: June 24, 2014

IT APPEARS THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED SENSOR IS NOT WORKING. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10547584

Incident: October 9, 2013 · Filed: October 10, 2013

TRANSMISSION FAILED (CVT). VEHICLE HAS LOW MILES AND COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $8,000. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10536304

Incident: July 1, 2013 · Filed: 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

Suspension

ODI #10274856

Incident: December 15, 2008 · Filed: 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 TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Other Mini Cooper Convertible model years

Check your 2008 Mini Cooper Convertible VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mini Cooper Convertible at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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