Arrrgghhh ... I'm sure it's possessed (My MCS that is)

[Logues42]

Does anyone else have problems with their car's personality (I'm not talking Herbie here but it's getting that way).

I go away for several months and leave my baby in the garage ... the car's response is to throw an electrical wobbly and flash air bag lights etc at me ... into the dealers, a quick reset and nothing's wrong. Suspected reason: car was P'd off I went away and left it.

Went to Canterbury launch last weekend and had a great time. So did the car apparently because on the way home more lights flashing (DSC and ABS) ... a quick restart at the next set of lights and nothing else. Suspected reason: car was enjoying the company of all the other MINI's and got p'd off I left or perhaps got jealous I was looking at everyone else's wheels.

Was very keen to head out to EC on Fri and had been talking about it for a while (in earshot of the car) but work got stupid and I had no hope of getting out of the office. I was also panning on doing a run to CBR this week for work but had decided on Fri to fly instead as I was running out of hours in the day. Came home parked and even gave it a bath yesterday. Get ready to head out this morning and bam ... EML light's on and limp mode is activated. Suspected reason: car was P'd off I didn't take it for a fang or on the CBR drive (that and perhaps it saw the rain coming).

I'll have to do the 40km/hr limp into the MINI garage in the morning and hope they'll fit me in ( I might leave the car there as punishment until I get back from CBR).

If it winks at me when I walk in the garage in the morning and nothing's wrong I'll scream

[n00b]

Not possessed I can assure you

The DSC/ABS both going off together is more than likely a sensor input error..I've got that myself but it's all sorted out when they put in a new steering angle sensor.

[Shieldsbane]

At least you've got a sense of humour about it...

[doona]

Mine seems to be 'posession' free....

-Dan

[Root Ginger]

Reminds me of the "Christine" effect the early cars had.

You'd lock you car at night and come out in the morning to find it unlocked with the windows and sunroof open

[Todd!]

If you leave any mechanical ting in the garage for a few months without moving it, chances are there si going to be some issues... seriously, you are lucky you didnt sieze something. You should try to start the car every week to keep tings going and give it a run every few weeks so things dont bind up.

[Logues42]

Ummm .... who's Richard? (I've got a brother of that name but where he is at the moment there is definatley no MINIs)

As for your advice ... thanks mate I can actually think for myself and do have a lovely wife that managed (in between everything else she has to do while I'm away) to give the car a run every now and then.

["Megan"]

Quote: Originally Posted by Logues42

Does anyone else have problems with their car's personality (I'm not talking Herbie here but it's getting that way).

I go away for several months and leave my baby in the garage ... the car's response is to throw an electrical wobbly and flash air bag lights etc at me ... into the dealers, a quick reset and nothing's wrong. Suspected reason: car was P'd off I went away and left it.

Went to Canterbury launch last weekend and had a great time. So did the car apparently because on the way home more lights flashing (DSC and ABS) ... a quick restart at the next set of lights and nothing else. Suspected reason: car was enjoying the company of all the other MINI's and got p'd off I left or perhaps got jealous I was looking at everyone else's wheels.

Was very keen to head out to EC on Fri and had been talking about it for a while (in earshot of the car) but work got stupid and I had no hope of getting out of the office. I was also panning on doing a run to CBR this week for work but had decided on Fri to fly instead as I was running out of hours in the day. Came home parked and even gave it a bath yesterday. Get ready to head out this morning and bam ... EML light's on and limp mode is activated. Suspected reason: car was P'd off I didn't take it for a fang or on the CBR drive (that and perhaps it saw the rain coming).

I'll have to do the 40km/hr limp into the MINI garage in the morning and hope they'll fit me in ( I might leave the car there as punishment until I get back from CBR).

If it winks at me when I walk in the garage in the morning and nothing's wrong I'll scream

ROTFLMAO!!!! Sorry, I am laughing with you, not at you!!! Sorry you are having such a terrible time, but damn you made me laugh explaining it all. I reckon your car is just a bit of a 'princess' and letting you know she is not happy by having a little 'tanty'!

Maybe your car and Richard's car could go into 'counselling' or 'behaviour modification' while at Canterbury

Cheers
Avril...still giggling at your post

[swamos]

Maybe you should get one of those battery fighter trickle chargers made especially for car's that don't see much use. That will keep the electricals up and running I recon

[KPKalle]

Guys I've removed the unnecessary squabbling posts. Keep it calm

[poki]

PMSL at Logues42. There has to be some way to harness all of that crankiness your car is exuding for good!

Good luck with getting it sorted.

[swamos]

All... I have further cleaned out irrelevent stuff in here. Any suggestions for logues42 would be appreciated.

[Logues42]

Unfortunately, my car's personality disorder did not improve overnight ... I struggled into the MINI Garage in limp mode this morning and things got progressively worse along the trip. I started out with bugger all power but in 4th I could manage just under 60k's. Then the DSC light came back on and I lost nearly all of my power (back to about 1200 RPM). With some very careful driving I manged not to stall and limp into the garage 30 mins before opening. I switched off and waited thinking well at least if it won't start I can push it in. Patience not being my strong point at about 15mins into the wait I started it and that sweet MCS sound burbled from the exhaust ... no warning lights, not rev limiting nothing. Of course after the embarrassment of struggling through the centre of Sydney in an MCS doing approx 25km/hr I smacked the steering wheel and called the car a B#$ch. Just like it to put me through all of the pain and then turn around and pretend nothing was wrong.

Anyway I shut down and thought about how the hell I was going to explain all this to a service guy when I wasn't booked in and there was apparently nothing wrong.

Apparently my car didn't like being called names because when the service bay opened and I started up to drive in the EML was glowing again ... temperamental little *****.

It's now parked up in there for the next few days in the hope they can find something wrong --- I think an exorcism might be my next bet (or maybe just a polish to smooth over its feelings

[PPE]

I'm sure we all can have a look around for an appropriate exorcist
But seriously, it doesn't sound too good, I hope that they find what has gone wrong and fix it for you promptly. Even better, I hope that they have a loan car for you so that you don't have to walk from the dealership.

["Megan"]

There is nothing worse than trying to diagnose an intermittent fault - ask any computer techie - it sucks. At least your car exhibited some of the behaviour when the dealership opened. You may have to be patient while they try and have the scenario that you reported, repeated. I really hope they are able to find the problem and get you back on the road with your "princess" real soon.

Meanwhile, I am also waiting to hear how "Megan" is, and what the diagnosis is there.

Cheers
Avril...(who knows how you feel at the moment)