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MINI Cooper S ConvertibleModel year report

2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible Problems

Complaints
7filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
28,665miles, 6 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 21 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible. The part named most often is air bags, with 3 complaints (43% of the total), followed by seats (3) and brakes (1). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 83% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 28,665 miles. Of all complaints, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 22 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Air bags: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #10496848, filed 2013-02, 30,000 miles

Seats: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #10379509, filed 2011-01, 21,000 miles

Brakes: “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”

NHTSA complaint #10724355, filed 2015-06

Electrical system: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #10586194, filed 2014-05, 27,330 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

83% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 21,000 and 32,000 miles.

17%0–1017%10–2550%25–5017%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (6 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 28,665 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20091201012011120131201412015120171
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Cooper S Convertible FWD1.6L 4-cyl6-speed manual212924$3,400
Cooper S Convertible FWD1.6L 4-cyl6-speed automatic192923$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 22 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 22 bulletins →

Other model years of the MINI Cooper S Convertible

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20101027,0001—29—Not enough data
2009947,0001—29—Not enough data
2008728,6651—24—Not enough data
2007826,0002—24—Not enough data
20063663,5001—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20056169,0001—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All MINI Cooper S Convertible model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible have?

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 3 complaints (43% of the total), followed by seats with 3.

Has the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible get?

The EPA rates the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible (Cooper S Convertible, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 21 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible reported?

Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 28,665 miles and the middle half falls between 21,000 and 32,000 miles; 83% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.