Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags3
- Power train2
- Steering2
- Seats2
- Suspension1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.0–9.3 L/100 km (about 25–26 mpg US), CO₂ 207–214 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 10.3 | 7.4 | 9.0 |
| Cooper Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 10.5 | 7.9 | 9.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible.
| 2015147 7 Apr 2015 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat can fatigue over time. As a result, the passenger airbag could deactivate, illuminating th… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What MINI told its dealers about the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10244507 | MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The energy diagnosis test module helps to localize these causes. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. Without performing the energy |
| 10151228 | This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 32 02 14 dated August 2014. SUBJECT Installation of Right-Hand Drive Steering Spindle in Left-Hand Drive Vehicle is No Longer Required. Left-hand drive steering spindles are currently available. |
| 10149392 | MINI CVT Replacement Parts Warranty Extension: Additional 12 Months with Up to 50,000 Accumulated Miles. A MINI vehicle's CVT assembly or component that was previously repaired and/or replaced by an authorized MINI dealer or BMW center may experience a subsequent failure. |
| 10148394 | Installation of Right-Hand Drive Steering Spindle in Left-Hand Drive Vehicle. Supply shortage of left-hand drive steering spindles |
| 10148241 | MINI CVT Replacement Parts Warranty Extension: Additional 12 Months with Up to 50,000 Accumulated Miles. A MINI vehicle's CVT assembly or component that was previously repaired and/or replaced by an authorized MINI dealer or BMW center may experience a subsequent failure. |
| 10134994 | AISIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISISON: RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL REPLACEMENT |
| 10059114 | MINI: FAULTY SOFTWARE FOR THE TANK VENTILATION CONTROL DISPLAYS ENGINE THROTTLE REACTION WHEN TEMPERATURE IS HIGH OUTSIDE, AND MORE OBVIOUS IF THE TANK IS ONLY PARTLY FILLED. *MA |
| 10057570 | MINI: SOME VEHICLES HAVE TURBOCHARGER NOISE AND A LACK OR LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, DUE TO RESTRICTION OF TURBOCHARGER OIL SUPPLY, RESULTING IN OIL STARVATION AND SEIZING OF TURBOCHARGER ASSEMBLY. MODEL ALL. *PE |
| 10053604 | MINI: THERE IS A PROCEDURAL ERROR IN THE REMOVING AND INSTALLING OR REPLACING HIGH PRESSURE PUMP CURRENT VERSION THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH THE CORRECTED REPAIR INSTRUCTION PORTION FOR THE N14 AND N18 ENGINE. MODELS R55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10043725 | MINI: AFTER DRIVE-AWAY LOCKING ACTIVATES, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO UNLOCK THE BOOT. *KB |
| 10043724 | MINI: INSTALLATION OF A HEAT SHIELD FOR THE BONNET INTAKE AIR GRILL. *KB |
| 10043722 | MINI: INFORMATION PROVIDED REGARDING PROCEDURE OF REPLACING FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO FAILURE ON THE RIGHT AND/OR LEFT SIDE. *PE |
| 10040741 | BMW: ENGINE TOO HOT MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED WITH STORED TROUBLE CODES. THE WATER PUMP DOESNT POWER UP. *RM |
| 10040687 | BMW: THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON WITH FAULT CODES STORED. DRIVEABILITY IS NOT AFFECTED. IT IS A TANK LEAK DIAGNOSTIC PUMP PROBLEM. *RM |
| 10040664 | BMW SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH A VAPOR RECOVERY PUMP WHICH WILL CAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO COME ON. *RM |
| 10039704 | BMW: SOME VEHICLES WITH THE N12 ENGINE WILL HAVE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WILL BE ON, BUT PERFORMANCE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. *RM |
| 10039593 | BMW: THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON WITH A FAULT STORED. THE WIRING UNDER THE SEAT MAY BE PINCHED OR DAMAGED. *RM |
| 10037305 | BMW: DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFICATIONS OF CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM. *RM |
| 10035884 | MINI: TEILECLEARING FOR N14/N18 ENGINE DRIVABILITY AND FUEL SYSTEM. ENHANCED TECHNICAL SUPPORT (TEILECLEARING) PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO HELP IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSES OFCUSTOMER COMPLAINTS RELATING TO THE N14/N18 DRIVABILITY AND FUEL SYSTEM *E.G., LONG CRANK, LOSS OF POWER, SES LAMP ON, ETC.). THIS PROCESS CAN ALSO HELP EXPEDITE THE DEFECT ERADICATION PROCESS, ONCE THE ROOT CAUSE HAS BEEN DETERMINED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10032765 | MINI: SERVICE ACTION-PROGRAM CONTROL MODULES (FRM). AN ERROR IN THE FOOTWELL MODULE (FRM) SOFTWARE MAY LEAD TO A LOSS OF WINDOW INITIALIZATION FOR R57 (MINI CONVERTIBLE) ON SOME MODELS. WHEN WIND WINDOW INITIALIZATION IS LOST, THE WINDOW REMAINS IN THE SHORT LIFT POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED, AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CANNOT BE OPENED. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)