My MINI Cooper was finally delivered to the dealer yesterday afternoon and driven a few miles. The car was ready for me to pickup today but after they filled the tank with gas, they could not get it started. The engine turns over but absolutely no sign of ignition. The dealer said he had another car that, after filling it with gas, wouldn't start but couldn't remember what they did to fix it. The techs are gone until Tuesday.
Has anybody had this same problem? If so, what was required to get the car started?
Standing in front of the car, in the compartment behind the top of the RH suspension strut you should find a little black button (looks a little like a black can). If your car won't start you push this button and it resets the ECU.
My dealer went to great pains to explain this to me, as a few cars here have hit roo's and although driveable, couldn't be started as the ECU decided the impact was sufficient to shut down the ignition system. This can also happen if you hit a large enough pothole. Strange but true.
That switch on the left side by the firewall does not reset the ECU, nor will resetting the ECU likely solve this problem. That switch is a fuel cutoff, used for cutting off the fuel in case of an accident. It is there because switches like that are mandated in some other countries to prevent fuel related fires, etc. in case of an accident. Some fords used to have these as well.
There are many reasons why your car doesn't start. The most recent one I've seen is the fuel line from the fuel pump inside the gas tank coming off. That may or may not be your problem. Unfortunately you won't know until Tuesday.
Monday is our Labor Day holiday and the dealer is closed.
I received a suggestion on the MINI Cooper Online forum that if the gas cap was not tight it would cause the ignition system to be shut down. I am going to see if I can get to my car at the dealer lot and give it a try.
Well, so much for the gas cap theory. I was able to get to my car but the cap was tight. I took the cap off and put it on real tight, but still no ignition.
Guess I'll just have to wait until Tuesday and have a dealer mechanic take a look at it.
My chili red MINI Cooper is fixed and in my garage.
The fuel line disconnected from the fuel pump in the fuel tank. The mechanic at MAG in Columbus, OH did an outstanding job fixing it. This MINI dealer has been the best through the entire buying process.
The pump is accessed through a panel under the rear seat. Once he determined there was no fuel pressure at the engine, he knew what to do and did it with precision.
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Cooper won't start! 
and all around good-guy 
