2008 MINI Cooper Convertible Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags330.0%
- Interior & seats220.0%
- Powertrain (other)220.0%
- Steering220.0%
- Suspension110.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
IT APPEARS THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED SENSOR IS NOT WORKING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILED (CVT). VEHICLE HAS LOW MILES AND COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $8,000. *TR
TRANSMISSION IS GOING ON A 2008 CAR WITH ONLY 47000 MILES ON IT. DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN NEEDED THEREFORE DOESN'T ACCELERATE SAFELY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .