MiniCOOPER S - Convertible2008R52/mini/cooper-s-convertible/2008/r52/

2008 Mini COOPER S - Convertible — R52

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 COOPER S - Convertible R52.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine R52Transmission Automatic (S6)

The 2008 Mini COOPER S Convertible R52 is a passenger‑car built on the R52 platform and powered by the R52 engine, featuring a 4.4‑qt oil capacity with 5W‑30 viscosity and EPA‑rated 19/29/23 mpg paired with an Automatic S6 transmission. Its standout specifications include the fuel‑economy figures and the automatic gearbox. The model accumulated 16 owner complaints, primarily concerning the seats, and was subject to a single recall, marking its 2008 production year with a modest but manageable reliability record.

Model year200820072006200520042003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/29/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 480 CCA battery, OE oil filter 11427562249. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 480 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter11427562249 alt 11427509211
Engine air filter13717568728 alt 13717561235
Fuel filter11252754870 alt 16146757196
Battery61217575326 alt 61217571896
Front wiper blades61610028137
Thermostat11537596787 alt 11518613803
Cabin air filter64319127516 alt 64319257505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length143.3 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase97.2 in
Curb weight2701 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 29 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume70 cu ft
Cargo volume7 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidWith CVT: BMW part number 83220136376
Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.4 qt
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-30

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs22 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs6 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts19 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsBolts: 11, nuts: 15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsBolts: 11, nuts: 15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)770 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerBMW
Spark Plug GapNot adjustable in
Spark Plug Torque14.8-19.2 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance480 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test29.0 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief18-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature------- °F
Engine Compression116-174 PSI. 43 maximum variation. psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.0118 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.866 in / 0.945 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in / 0.866 in / 0.945 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.031 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.331 in / 0.803 in / 0.882 in
Rotor Finish0.00013 μin

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 7 ft. lbs., Step 3: 1304 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 11 ft. lbs., Step 3: 1304 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22 ft. lbs., Step 3: 906 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22 ft. lbs., Step 3: 906 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15022 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., Step 2: 10037 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi.

Every 100,000 miOxygen Sensor (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2008 Mini COOPER S - Convertible top in one area — the seats, 2 of 16 reports (12%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 4 recall campaigns target the seats, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seats pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
27
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 16 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seats2
Steering2
Air Bags2
Air Bags,Seats2
Power Train2
Suspension,Seats1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Air Bags1
Electrical System,Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V248000Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/SuperchargerReported 18/04/2018

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… 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…

08V657000Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail PipeReported 12/12/2008

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. 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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 27 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
M6106072023-10-25Electrical SystemMINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result…
M2401182018-02-01Power TrainAISIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISISON: RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL REPLACEMENT
BMWJUL13162016-07-29EquipmentMINI Water Pump Class Action Settlement
M3202142016-03-01SteeringThis Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 32 02 14 dated August 2014. SUBJECT…
12 09 152015-07-01Electrical SystemMINI: FAULTY SOFTWARE FOR THE TANK VENTILATION CONTROL DISPLAYS ENGINE THROTTLE REACTION…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific COOPER S - Convertible. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 COOPER S - Convertible R52 take?

4.4 qt of USE MINI SYNTHETIC 5W-30 MOTOR OIL, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 COOPER S - Convertible have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the R52 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 29 highway / 23 combined mpg.