2008 MINI Cooper Convertible Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Air bags: frontal
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,…
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.
9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 52,313 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 2 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 23, 2019 · Seats
“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 mechani”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 14, 2016 · Steering
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2008 MINI Cooper (Cooper Convertible, Cooper S, Cooper S Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 23–32 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19–28 / 29–37 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Minicompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Automatic (variable gear ratios); Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare MINI Cooper Convertible model years
Recall and complaint counts for every MINI Cooper Convertible model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 96 |
| 2006 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 27 |
| 2007 MINI Cooper Convertible | 2 | 7 |
| 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 9 |
| 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 18 |
| 2016 MINI Cooper Convertible | 3 | 13 |
| 2022 MINI Cooper Convertible | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 1 |
| 2026 MINI Cooper Convertible | 1 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible
How do I know if my 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised MINI dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 15V205000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other MINI models
- Cooper2,235 complaints
- Cooper S1,782 complaints
- Cooper S Convertible138 complaints
- Cooper Clubman116 complaints
- Cooper Countryman107 complaints
- Countryman104 complaints
- Cooper S Clubman90 complaints
- Clubman80 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.