Timing chain jumped out of timing and caused bent valves.
2008 MINI Cooper S engine problems
120 complaints (71% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 52,000.
- owner complaints
- 120
- of this car's complaints
- 71%
- typical mileage
- 52,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 3
Which part fails
- Engine4
- Exhaust system2
- Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1
- Cooling system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
MINI Cooper S engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 MINI Cooper S engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Engine failure 21Knocking 13Check engine light 9Overheating 7Won't start 6Stalling 5
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- 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, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
- Risk
- If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1‑800‑525‑7417, MINI at 1‑866‑825‑1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1‑877‑877‑3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Recall number 18V248000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- 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, 2006, through january 18, 2011. The electric auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.
- Risk
- The circuit board may smolder which could result in a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump free of charge. The safety recall beganduring february 2012. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑866‑275‑6464.
Recall number 12V008000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- What is wrong
- Bmw is recalling 28,450 my 2007-2008 mini cooper s vehicles. The centrally located tailpipe extension protrudes slightly beyond the rear bumper. It is possible for inadvertent contact to occur with a person's leg.
- Risk
- If the tailpipe extension is hot during inadvertent contact, a burn could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the tailpipe with a new shorter tailpipe free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during january 2009. Owners may contact bmw at 1‑866‑275‑6464.
Recall number 08V657000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Engine compartment fire
In a January 10, 2012 letter to the federal safety agency, BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the electric auxiliary water pump in approximately 88,911 model year (MY) 2007-2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2006 through January 18, 2011 (Recall 12V‑008).According to BMW, the auxiliary water pump on vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder turbocharged engines may overheat.Electro-migration can cause the pump electronic circuit board to overheat resulting in smoldering of the water pump. If smoldering occurs, it may lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire.The pump supplier, Pierburg Pump Technology GmbH, redesigned the pump to address factors that may contribute to circuit board overheating.The redesigned pumps were completely implemented in production vehicles by January 2011.Recall 12V‑008 was the third recall initiated by BMW to address electric auxiliary water pump fires in vehicles equipped with Pierburg pumps.In two October 20, 2011 letters to the federal safety agency, BMW submitted DIRs for similar auxiliary water pump defect conditions in approximately 32,084 MY 2008-2011 BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X5 and X6 models equipped with 8- and 12-cylinder engines and manufactured from May 2008 through December 2010 (Recall 11V‑521); and for approximately 589 MY 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from September 2009 through September 2010 (Recall 11V‑522).In three separate April 5, 2012 letters to the federal safety agency, BMW submitted amendments to Recalls 11V‑521, 11V‑522 and 12V‑008.The amendments all described a common defect condition related to a manufacturing process deviation in a certain production range of the redesigned Pierburg water pumps that could result in cracks in the pump housing, which may allow coolant to enter and contact the pump?s circuit board.BMW indicated that further analysis identified a specific machine process error at the sub-supplier that manufactures the water pump housing.Pump housing cracks may cause the circuit board to overheat and lead to smoldering of the water pump.Recall 12V‑008 was, thus, amended to include approximately 1,457 MY 2011 Mini Cooper vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2011 through April 22, 2011, when pumps manufactured with the suspect manufacturing process may have been used in vehicle assembly.The amendment to Recall 11V‑521 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V‑161, and covered approximately 2,846 MY 2011-2012 BMW 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2011 through August 1, 2011.The amendment to Recall 11V‑522 was assigned a new recall number, Recall 12V‑166, and covered approximately 69 MY 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost vehicles manufactured from April 7, 2011 through June 2, 2011.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by BMW as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 30 unique Mini Cooper reports indicating engine fire.In addition, BMW provided warranty data showing 493 claims for replacement of the subject component on Mini Cooper vehicles.Owners of the recalled vehicles are notified to take their vehicle to a BMW dealer, who will replace the auxiliary water pump to prevent any incidents related to this issue.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.):10286597, 10286663, 10289793, 10310677, 10314796, 10342365, 10394808, 10394192, 10403982, 10418325, 10422646, 10429003.
PE11036
Exhaust pipe burns
Bmw will conduct a safety recall (08v‑657) on 28,450 mini cooper s vehicles manufactured from november 18, 2006 through july 8, 2008.dealers will install modified exhaust pipe tips that do not extend beyond the rear bumper.the two exhaust pipe tips of the subject vehicles exit the underside of the vehicle at the center of the vehicle and extend beyond the rear bumper.the complainants reported being burned on their legs when they inadvertently touched the exposed hot exhaust pipe tips while removing items of cargo from the rear of their vehicle via the hatch back door.some complainants reported being burned on more than one occasion or that other family members were also burned.the 50 injuries reported in this investigation include significant second degree burns causing blistered and scared skin and one incident resulted in a third degree burn.this investigation also resulted in an initial decision of a defect.for information regarding the initial decision and details of the investigation see documents, inrm-ea08020-31646.pdf (initial decision letter) and inir-ea08020-31648.pdf (initial decision report), in the investigation file.this investigation is closed.
EA08020
What 2008 MINI Cooper S owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My car caught fire while driving. I had been driving for about an hour on the highway. There was no warning. No cel or errors on the dash display. Car was running normally. I noticed some smoke. After pulling to the side of the road flames started coming from under the hood. The car was still running normally. I shut off the motor and got out. Bystanders emptied an extinguisher through the front grille but within minutes the entire vehicle was engulfed. Car was almost completely destroyed. Fire burned through the firewall and consumed the interior.
At 32000 miles an oil leak was noted on the garage floor. The foreign car repair shop troubleshot the leak. Final outcome: replace supercharger assembly, vacuum brake booster pump and intake manifold gasket. Total cost $3,014.78 for a vehicle that has a trade-in value of less than $5,000. The foreign car expert was amazed that the turbo had to be replaced with such low mileage.
While driving at highway speed on I-71 n & n. Broadway exit in columbus, ohio on march 1, 2019 the timing chain broke and caused complete engine failure and bent all valves and cylinder head and valves resulting in $8821.97 in damage to my engine. The cause of the timing chain failure is due to the prince/psa engine design and manufacturing defect admitted to in the class action lawsuit know as joshua skeen and laurie freeman v. Bmw of north america, l.lc. United states district court district of new jersey civ. No. 2:13-cv-1531-whw-clw. Bmw declined to replace my engine under the extended warranty agreed to in the settlement agreement of the above cited action. All affected vehicles should have been recalled and my engine failure could have easily caused loss of life. My vehicle is one of the class vehicles, r56 n14 engine produced between 2006 thru 2010. This is a product liability safety claim that is not subject to any statutory/warranty time limitation. All class vehicles should be recalled due to the loss of life and safety risks. Do not wait for loss of life to enforce the liability of bmw for their failure to self report the design defect and failure to voluntarily recall all affected vehicles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mini cooper s. While driving 60 MPH, the timing chain fractured, causing a complete engine failure. All the valves and cylinder heads were bent. The contact was able to coast the vehicle over to the shoulder even after the vehicle lost all power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (midwestern auto group, 6335 perimeter loop rd, dublin, oh 43017, (614) 889-2571 where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of over $8,000. The contact notified the manufacturer and was provided a claim number. The manufacturer did not assist with the warranty or recall,s but offered to pay $2,000 towards the repair cost. The offer was good for six months. The failure mileage was 70,674.
My mini cooper has a timing chain problem it rattles upon starting and I haven't driven it .....I just found out about this recall
The vehicle lost power while driving on the highway and a mini dealership has confirmed that the timing chain is the problem along with the valves (possibly caused by the timing being off). Multiple conversations with mini customer relations have gotten no where and the manufacturer refuses to take responsibility for the known issues with the timing chain in this vehicle. Despite a class action lawsuit specifically about the timing chain, no recall has been issued and the manufacturer refuses to assist customers with necessary repairs to this defective part (and other damage caused by the defect). These timing chain issues are not only an undue burden on the consumer, they can be potentially fatal if a timing chain fails at an unfortunate moment. Mini needs to issue a recall.
While traveling on I-10 in tallahassee, fl at highway speed of 70 MPH the car suddenly lost power. Being I the center lane of eight (four each direction) it was almost impossible to get out of traffic. Several vehicles made abrupt maneuvers to avoid a crash. Also as I got out of the vehicle was nearly struck by other cars. I later found out this was due to a failed timing chain with numerous complaints and no recall. There was also a class action settlement and still no recall. This could have well been a fatal incident.
Car takes a while to "warm up" however after a very short drive the hood is hot to the touch. It also smells hot. I looked on line and seen several complaints and there is actually an after market 'deflector' to channel heat from the hood. I have noticed the plastic hood scoop is deformed from heat. I feel it is a matter of time before a fire or other reaction, e.g., heat causes another part to fail and car wont stop, accelerate or other causing a crash. I also noticed the headlight wiring to be frayed as if it has been hot.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mini cooper s. The contact was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 08v657000 (engine and engine cooling), but the repair was not completed before the contact owned the vehicle. In addition, the contact experienced a failure concerning the federal safety agency campaign number: 12v008000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was taken to a repair shop who provided an oil change and cleared a dtc. The contact later experienced extreme smoke emitting on the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle. The vehicle was coasted over to the side of the road and towed to a repair shop. The mechanic diagnosed that the water pump leaked, the engine over heated, the cylinder head was warped, and the oil filter housing gasket was leaky. The mechanic diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle would be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
Questions about the 2008 MINI Cooper S engine
Does the 2008 MINI Cooper S have engine problems?
Owners have filed 120 complaints about the engine of the 2008 MINI Cooper S, 71% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2008 MINI Cooper S engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 52,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2008 MINI Cooper S engine?
Yes, 3 recalls: 18V248000, 12V008000, 08V657000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2008 MINI Cooper S problems
Airbags 30Transmission 9Electrical 8Fuel system 5Seat belts 4Body 3Acceleration 2Seats 2Visibility 2Brakes 1Driver assistance 1Lights 1Locks 1Steering 1Tires 1
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2008 MINI Cooper S?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history