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Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (2)
Electrical system
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2014 MINI Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Clubman John Cooper Works, and 2007-2013 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. The electronic control module in the driver's side footwell area may short-circuit, due to corrosion from water and road salt.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the sunroof drains, interior footwell area, and FRM and, depending upon the results of the inspection, certain components will be replaced. Owner notification letters were mailed May 13, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
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, 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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: 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.
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.
Canadian recalls (3)
Show 3 Canadian recalls
Electrical
2023-05-11 · campaign 2023-281
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the footwell module (FRM) may become contaminated by a mixture of salt and moisture inside the vehicle. Over time, this can lead to corrosion that could cause a short circuit.
Safety Risk:
A short circuit can create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off.
Corrective actions:
BMW will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
BMW advises that you should park your vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs have been completed.
Electrical
2018-10-03 · campaign 2018-544
On certain vehicles, the footwell module (FRM3) may become contaminated by a mixture of salt and moisture which could lead to corrosion over time. This could cause a short circuit, resulting in overheating of the module that could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the footwell module, and replace if necessary. A protective film will be also installed over the module. Note: Owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors until the recall repairs have been completed.
Seats and restraints
2015-04-07 · campaign 2015-147
On certain vehicles, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat can fatigue over time. As a result, the passenger airbag could deactivate, illuminating the airbag warning lamp and the passenger airbag ON/OFF lamp. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant. Correction: Dealers will replace the occupant detection mat. Note: This recall is an expansion of recalls 2008-307 and 2013-238.
Owner complaints (116)
Owners filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 MINI Cooper (3 crashes, 4 fires, 9 injuries reported). Among 26 model years of this model, it ranks #8 for the most complaints (median 47).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Engine | 44 | |
| Air bags | 41 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 13 | |
| Power train | 12 | |
| Electrical system | 11 | |
| Seats | 5 | |
| Steering | 4 | |
| Unknown or other | 3 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 MINI Cooper.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2008 MINI Cooper w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 MINI Cooper Convertible w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2008 MINI Cooper version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Cooper 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 28 | 37 | 32 | $2,550 |
| Cooper 1.6 L Automatic (S6) | 26 | 34 | 29 | $2,850 |
| Cooper Convertible 1.6 L Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 22 | 30 | 25 | $3,300 |
| Cooper Convertible 1.6 L Manual 5-spd | 23 | 32 | 26 | $3,150 |
| Cooper S 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 26 | 34 | 29 | $2,850 |
| Cooper S 1.6 L Automatic (S6) | 23 | 32 | 27 | $3,050 |
| Cooper S Convertible 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 21 | 29 | 24 | $3,400 |
| Cooper S Convertible 1.6 L Automatic (S6) | 19 | 29 | 23 | $3,550 |
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Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.