NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible Recalls & Complaints

The 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 7 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 S Convertible. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible owner complaints

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible, describing incidents dated October 3, 2009 to July 15, 2017.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 3 complaints
Seats 3 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint

Of the 7 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire; across all 7 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11019469 · Filed August 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.
ODI #10724355 · Filed June 9, 2015
TL* 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…
ODI #10586194 · Filed 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. *TR

Read all 7 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Preliminary Evaluation PE11-036: Engine compartment fire
Closed June 11, 2012

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

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 S Convertible. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

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

Suspension; Seats

ODI #11019469

Incident: July 15, 2017 · Filed: August 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; Air Bags

ODI #10724355

Incident: June 9, 2015 · Filed: June 9, 2015

TL* 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*JB

Electrical System; Air Bags

ODI #10586194

Incident: March 14, 2014 · Filed: 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. *TR

Air Bags; Seats

ODI #10496848

Incident: February 1, 2012 · Filed: February 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. THANK YOU. *TR

Seats

ODI #10379509

1 injury

Incident: January 28, 2011 · Filed: January 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 DIDN'T WORK ON MY CAR. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY. *TR

Structure; Unknown or Other

ODI #10351891

Incident: August 26, 2010 · Filed: August 26, 2010

DEFECT. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10286597

Fire

Incident: October 3, 2009 · Filed: October 7, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE. WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

Other Mini Cooper S Convertible model years

Check your 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible VIN

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

Check a Mini VIN