2008 Mini Cooper S Engine And Engine Cooling Problems
NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How engine and engine cooling ranks on this vehicle
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 BELT AND TENSIONER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HAS BROKEN GUIDES AND CAUSES VERY LOUD "DIESEL" SOUNDS. ONLY 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR. OIL LEAK…”NHTSA complaint 10454799 — filed 04/11/2012
“I HAVE A 2008 MINI COOPER S THAT HAS A TIMING CHAIN ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL ,AS I RESEARCHED…”NHTSA complaint 10454457 — filed 04/08/2012
“VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT COLD START, DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER, TOTAL COST ABOUT $1950.00…”NHTSA complaint 10452671 — filed 03/22/2012
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Mini Cooper S have engine and engine cooling problems?
Engine And Engine Cooling is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2008 Mini Cooper S: 36 of 168 complaints on file (21.4%). 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 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 1 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 3 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
