2008 Mini Cooper S Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

78Engine complaints

46.4%Of all 168 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE78 · 46.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING36 · 21.4%

AIR BAGS30 · 17.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8 · 4.8%

POWER TRAIN6 · 3.6%

Share of the 168 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Mini Cooper S overview page.

What owners report

“TIMING CHAIN AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKEN AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE AT MILE 48544 - 48552”NHTSA complaint 10872172 — filed 06/02/2016

“THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THICK, GREY SMOKE…”NHTSA complaint 10852542 — filed 03/30/2016

“I OWN A 2008 MINI COOPER S AND IT HAS 62000 MILES ON IT. AS MANY OTHER MINI OWNERS, I HAVE " RATTLE NOISE" ISSUE…”NHTSA complaint 10852027 — filed 03/28/2016

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Mini Cooper S have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2008 Mini Cooper S: 78 of 168 complaints on file (46.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2008 Mini Cooper S have in total?

168 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 1 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 3 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.