MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN · model year

2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN

13 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008MINICOOPER S CLUBMAN carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 COOPER S CLUBMAN is engine and engine cooling with 3 filings, followed by engine (3) and air bags (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 2008 COOPER S CLUBMAN. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

13
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

13 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
ENGINE3
AIR BAGS3
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1
STRUCTURE1

Recalls (2)

18V24800018/04/2018

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Coo

12V00800011/01/2012

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2011 MINI COOPER S, 2008-2011 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW, 2009-2011 MINI COOPER JCW CLUBMAN, 2009-2011 COOPER JCW CONVERTIBLE, AND 2011 COOPER S COUNTRYMAN PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 14

Recent Complaints

20260102AIR BAGS

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN SET OFF FOR MANY YEARS AND COMES BACK EVEN AFTER A COMPUTER REPLACEMENT. THIS IS THE LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER BAG. THERE WAS A RECALL OF 2005 TO 2008 MINI FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. FOR SOME REASON MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. WHAT SHOULD I DO? THE AIRBAG OR SENSOR WAS NEVER "FIXED".

20260102AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN LIT SINCE AROUND 2014. FOR SOME REASON MY 2008 MINI VIN IS NOT PART OF THE 2005-2008 MINI AIRBAG RECALL. WHAT SHOULD I DO, AS THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL.

20141215ENGINE

I WAS HEARING A LOUD RATTLE AND BROUGHT MY MINI IN TO GET SERVICED RIGHT AWAY. IT WAS MISDIAGNOSED AND NOW I FEAR IT HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER ISSUE. THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER OUT OF NOWHERE. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS NOT BEING CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE BUT WHEN YOU LIVE IN MINNESOTA AND ARE TRYING TO GO THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION DURING A BLIZZARD AND THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER AND YOU ALMOST GET T-BONED BY A TRUCK I WOULD TEND TO DISAGREE. *TR

Mileage: 146,000

20141019ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON SECONDARY ROAD, A LOUD ENGINE NOISE STARTED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BLINKING. I PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED TO MY GARAGE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRD. THIS WAS DONE FOR A COST OF $567.97. IN RESEARCHING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT BMW REIMBURSES THIS EXPENSE FOR AN ISSUE THEY SEEM TO BE AWARE OF BUT ARE NOT TAKING RECALL ACTION WITH. *TR

Mileage: 88,512

20130617AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OFF WITH CODE 93B1 PASSENGER HEAD AIRBAG NOT PRESENT. MINI KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE AS IT HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE. THE TSB NUMBER IS SI-M-65-10-08. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

20130114STRUCTURE

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF A FAULTY PLASTIC TENSIONER PIECE BRAKING. THIS ISSUE HAS SURFACED REPEATEDLY GLOBALLY, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND BECAUSE OF ONE SMALL LITTLE PLASTIC FAULTY PART COST ME CLOSE TO $5000. MINI/BMW NORTH AMERICA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE NOR WANTS TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES INCURRED TO KEEP DRIVING SAFELY. *TR

Mileage: 92,000

20130114ENGINE

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF A FAULTY PLASTIC TENSIONER PIECE BRAKING. THIS ISSUE HAS SURFACED REPEATEDLY GLOBALLY, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND BECAUSE OF ONE SMALL LITTLE PLASTIC FAULTY PART COST ME CLOSE TO $5000. MINI/BMW NORTH AMERICA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE NOR WANTS TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES INCURRED TO KEEP DRIVING SAFELY. *TR

Mileage: 92,000

20121006POWER TRAIN

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS GOING OUT AT ONLY 53 THOUSAND MILES... EVERY TIME I GOT TO TURN OFF MY CAR THE LIGHT POPS ON SAYING THEIR IS A ISSUE WITH MY TRANSMISSION..IT ALSO TAKES ME TURNING OFF MY CAR AND BACK ON FOR IT TO GET UN STUCK OUT OF PARK.. IM GETTING FED UP AND FEAR THAT SOMETHING WORSE WILL HAPPEN WITH MY CAR WHEN MY CHILD OR HUSBAND IS IN THE CAR WITH ME.. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR A YEAR AND ALREADY PUT $1200 INTO A WATERPUMP AND THERMOSTAT WITH HOUSING ... AND THAT WAS HARDSHIP ON ME. *TR

Mileage: 53,225

20120507FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I CAME HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED THE CAR IN HIS NORMAL PARKING SPACE ON THE BLACK TOP. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AND LOCKED THE DOOR. A MINUTE LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT REPORT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A KEY LEFT IN THE IGNITION.

Mileage: 35,000

20120507FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I CAME HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED THE CAR IN HIS NORMAL PARKING SPACE ON THE BLACK TOP. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AND LOCKED THE DOOR. A MINUTE LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT REPORT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A KEY LEFT IN THE IGNITION.

Mileage: 35,000

20100712FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 68,312

20100215FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MY 2008 MINI CLUBMAN S WAS PARKED AT THE POST OFFICE, WHEN SOMEONE CAME IN TO TELL ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. I RAN OUTSIDE TO FIND SMOKE POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I RAN BACK INSIDE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND CAME BACK OUT TO FIND FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, ALONG WITH THE SMOKE. I EMPTIED THE EXTINGUISHER, BUT THE FLAMES KEPT COMING. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, ONLY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE FLAMES WERE 12 FEET HIGH, AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I HAVE FOUND REPORTS OF AT LEAST 30 OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF MINIS SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING, BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 16,000

20091125EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

THE MINI COOPER CLUBMANS 2008 AND 2009 HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE TOYOTAS HAVE WITH THE FLOOR MATS. THEY ARE REALLY DANGEROUS. *TR

Mileage: 8,000

Compare 2008MINICOOPER S CLUBMAN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN have?
The 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN?
Yes, the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN?
The most-complained component for the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2008 MINI COOPER S CLUBMAN safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.