2008 Mini Cooper S Engine Problems

Which parts fail

• Engine
  4
• Exhaust system
  2
• Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
  1
• Cooling system
  1

Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1412%
• 25k–50k
  4136%
• 50k–75k
  4035%
• 75k–100k
  1311%
• 100k–150k
  65%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Mini Cooper S owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mini Cooper s. The contact was included in NHTSA 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 NHTSA 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. …

Tl* 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 coming from the front of the vehicle. The oil warning light illuminated. The contact opened the hood and noticed flames in the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report and a fire report were filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V008000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,777.

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.

I bought car new in nov 2007. Car was used as transportation every day to and from work (~100 mi total). Car was well cared for, service was performed as required, etc. In sept 2008 after sitting undriven for 10 days while I was away on vacation, I drove 50 mi to work and there were no signs of trouble except that an indicator for a blown headlamp came on when I initially started up. When I arrived at work and pulled into a parking space I noticed wisps of smoke coming from the grill and intake and suspected overheating. I peered into the intake and saw glowing orange, and smelled the smoke and realized this was a fire not an overheating. I had a colleague call 911 and grabbed a fire extinguisher. When I got back to the car smoke was pouring out of the hood. Not wanting to open the hood I aimed the fire extinguisher into the grill, intake, and gaps but it didn't do much. …

As many others have posted here, my engine began rattling loudly when I would start it up. To alleviate this, I would top off the oil and get frequent oil changes, in fact, more often than Mini/BMW suggested it should get an oil change. This would usually take care of the rattle. One night, the engine rattle kept increasing and suddenly the car stopped in the middle of a busy street just 20 feet from railroad tracks without any warning lights or indications whatsoever. I had it towed to a nearby mechanics shop I trust (not the dealership). The timing chain had broken and bent the valves and I'm in the process of having a new engine put in (with the same faulty timing chain) to the tune of $6,500. I called Mini/BMW USA because my mechanic said he's seen this problem frequently in my model. …

Pristine condition, low mileage, dealer serviced Mini Cooper s (owned since new) began exhibiting a rattling noise from engine at 34K miles. Dealer diagnosed it as a timing chain defect and timing chain tensioner defect. This is a known engine defect. Reference class action suit and settlement 338403. This settlement by BMW/Mini USA covers this flaw and BMW/Mini knows that vehicles produced within the 2007-2010 timeframe have this flaw. This flaw can result in catastrophic engine failure. In my case, it was noisy under acceleration, and was into the dealer for service within days of first issue. This is a known flaw. However, BMW/Mini settled the class action lawsuit and set aside millions of dollars for claims....but those claims must be filed by 7/1/16. I did not have the issue before that date, I had it happen in September 2016 - two months later. …

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. …

Leaving from work around 5:00 pm (car had been in the parking lot since 7:20 am), I drove for a mile or less when at a red light the car by my side told me about smoke coming from the under the hood. I drove to the closet parking lot, opened the hood (there was a lot of smoke) and I could see 2 wires red hot. I went to try to get a fire extinguisher and luckily and ambulance on duty (could not help me because he had a patient) gave me a small bottle of water. When I returned to the car with the water there were flames about 10" tall on a small area, already touching the pipes the come out of the turbo (pipes that bring air into turbo and out to the intercooler) and with the 500ml bottle of water I was able to put it off. Daler (Mini of sterling) repaired the vehicle for free (car is under warranty). …

The vehicle was driven approximately 1 mile, then stopped at a gas station to add air to a low tire. While the car was idling, white smoke came from the engine, followed by dark smoke. When the hood was opened, we saw a small flame coming from inside the front of the engine. We ran to get a fire extinguisher from the gas station attendant; by the time we returned, flames were visibly shooting up out of the engine. We were able to extinguish the fire with a hand-held fire extinguisher. There were no injuries and the fire department was not called. The vehicle was towed to the nearest Mini dealer. The service attendant declared that he had no experience with any engine fires in his tenure with Mini. After an investigation (pictures taken by service and emailed to Mini corporate), the auxiliary water pump was found to be the source. …

Purchased at 61,000 miles 9/9/14; had synthetic oil change 5/15; 9/29/15 car began to have a rattle but unsure if it was front of car or back of car. Rattling stopped on acceleration. No warning lights came on. 10/4/15 car died at 69,362 miles while driving on a two lane road on a curve. Was able to coast to getting half the car off the road. Bypassers pushed me off the rest of the way. Towed to mechanic who said it was the timing chain guard that split off. Called Mini they said their dealership service dept had to look at it. Had it towed to oh 70 miles away. They told me I had an oil leak which caused the following to be damaged - crank shaft, harmonic balancer, cylinder head, timing chain and guard and maybe other stuff but they couldn't tell without further examination. Told $5,000 plus to fix, but I see Mini estimate states $3,500-4,500. …

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Engine complaints in other Cooper S years