[baskers]

Well... going to the dealership.

He's pretty poorly at the moment:

-Rattly glovebox
-Clicking when driving away, reversing from stationary
-Rattling engine (engine mount??)
-Awful fuel economy - now down to 24mpg and I'm not ragging it at all
-Seeming slight loss of power, just feels a bit gutless, cannot place my finger on it
-A really horrid metallic sound (only heard a few times), coming from the engine bay
-When the car was idling, some odd noises were coming from the exhaust, felt like it was surging... really can't place my finger on it.
-Popping from the exhaust - I know that this is normal, but this is all the time... ALL THE TIME (result of lack of power/fuel consumpion??)


Really gutted it's like this, my Cooper was fine, and nothing was wrong. When I bought this S (an April 2006) build it was perfect. It's only done 14,800 miles...

Dropping PigBat off on Saturday, they're going to see to him on Tuesday


Wish me luck

Jay

[minicabrio]

Hi jay,

The clicking when pulling away from stationary will more than likely be a driveshaft, had the same thing on my Cooper, easy fix for the dealer as they just fit a new part.

Point three on your list could also explain point six, engine mounts are quite common things to go it seems....

Popping from the exhaust is actually caused by overfueling - they will pop every time you lift off the throttle, but if happening all the time this could explain your poor fuel consumption also.

Anyway, upshot is it should all be simple fixes, just give them as much info as possible....

Jon

[baskers]

Jon,


Thanks for your post - really reassured me... I know these things can and will be fixed, it's just nice to hear what it could be (clearly the guy in service is not a mechanic, so cannot diagnose over the pone!)

Maybe they need to reflash the ECU with an up-to-date map, re the overfuelling... It's gutting when this happens to your pride and joy.

Will keep you updated


Jay

[Snowie]

Hi Jay

Good luck with the dealer

Drive shaft is a simple one - does it do it only when on lock or even in a straight line?
Engine mount is common and easy fix - you should get the latest type, ask them to check all of them.
Fuel economy and down on power could be a simple case of the T map sensor failing

It is all under warranty so there so be no issue

Alan

[baskers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Snowie (original)

Hi Jay

Good luck with the dealer

Drive shaft is a simple one - does it do it only when on lock or even in a straight line?
Engine mount is common and easy fix - you should get the latest type, ask them to check all of them.
Fuel economy and down on power could be a simple case of the T map sensor failing

It is all under warranty so there so be no issue

Alan

Alan,

The clicking is more audiable when driving away (forward/reverse), however I have heard it when going round a few corners, and in a straight line. I thought it might be the xenon light adjusting... cannot be sure.

T Map sensor = temperature map sensor? I hope their diagnostic equipment can pick this stuff up...

The engine mount has gone twice before, so am going to go bananas if it's the mount again...

The only solice is that it's still in warranty...

Jay

[minicabrio]

You can even detirmine pretty easily which drive shaft it is that's gone before you take it in.... the click will either come from the front drivers side wheel arch, or the passenger side. Park in a quiet car park, wind the windows down and have a listen whilst edging forward

Barons diagnosed mine and which side it was with me just moving the car within a parking bay at the service centre within a few minutes

Obviously which ever side the noise comes from is the side where the driveshaft has failed.

[baskers]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicabrio (original)

You can even detirmine pretty easily which drive shaft it is that's gone before you take it in.... the click will either come from the front drivers side wheel arch, or the passenger side. Park in a quiet car park, wind the windows down and have a listen whilst edging forward

Barons diagnosed mine and which side it was with me just moving the car within a parking bay at the service centre within a few minutes

Obviously which ever side the noise comes from is the side where the driveshaft has failed.

Jon - it's coming from the drivers side! Thank goodness I'm not going mad!


Just need the mounts and the overfuelling sorted.

Bit shocked that the drive shaft can go on a car which is less than two years old. Very worrying.

[minicabrio]

The shaft won't have gone - its just got a loose part inside.

Mine started clicking after a couple of years - not suprising though given how i drove it I drove around with it like it for months before getting it done though.

[baskers]

Afternoon,

Dropped PigBat at the dealership today to get fixed.

Must say the technician, Ian, at Barons of Hindhead is truly a gent - loves MINIs and seems keen to get them fixed too! Which is a good thing.

He agrees that the driveshaft needs to be sorted, and also the engine mounts.

However - something interesting he said is that the excessive consumption, weak feeling/sounding engine, and problems when idling after a good rev could be down to the K&N panel filter.

He said that the stock map cannot cope with the part, and thus puts too much air through, and the cylinders then try to overcompensate by putting more fuel through... however it's not combusting (I'm not great with cars, so sorry if this doesn't make sense!)

He also said he feels that there's a fuel problem with the car. He's going to put the stock filter in, and go from there, but was very confident that everything is indeed fixable


Will keep you all posted.

PS - highly recommend Barons of Hindhead - courteous, flexible and a damn good dealership.

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Hope PigBat is well again soon!

Were your previous engine mounts done under warrenty?

[uncle albert]

Quote: Originally Posted by baskers (original)

He said that the stock map cannot cope with the part, and thus puts too much air through, and the cylinders then try to overcompensate by putting more fuel through... however it's not combusting (I'm not great with cars, so sorry if this doesn't make sense!)

Glad to hear you found a helpful technician, but, assuming the part is fitted correctly, blaming it on the filter is a load of tosh.

James

[Jaw_F430]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicabrio (original)

The shaft won't have gone - its just got a loose part inside.

Mine started clicking after a couple of years - not suprising though given how i drove it I drove around with it like it for months before getting it done though.

I have noticed this clicking on mine when pulling away, car is in on Wednesday for front wishbone bushes doing so if I mention it they should be able to find out which drive shaft it is and fix it? Do they just replace the driveshaft?What actually happens to the driveshaft?


Regards


James

[MINIMANIAUK]

Filter???????
I would take a look at the catalytic converter in the manifold - seems to me you might find it missing/bits blocking the exhaust




Awful fuel economy - now down to 24mpg and I'm not ragging it at all
-Seeming slight loss of power, just feels a bit gutless, cannot place my finger on it
-A really horrid metallic sound (only heard a few times), coming from the engine bay
-When the car was idling, some odd noises were coming from the exhaust, felt like it was surging... really can't place my finger on it.
-Popping from the exhaust - I know that this is normal, but this is all the time... ALL THE TIME (result of lack of power/fuel consumpion??)

you seemed to have narrowed it down- hence cat suggestion

[minicabrio]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jaw_F430 (original)

I have noticed this clicking on mine when pulling away, car is in on Wednesday for front wishbone bushes doing so if I mention it they should be able to find out which drive shaft it is and fix it? Do they just replace the driveshaft?What actually happens to the driveshaft?


Regards


James

Hi there, yes it's just a straight part replacement - takes less than a day so is a normal service visit.

I'm not sure what was wrong with mine, but it had the clicking noise. The dealer is just paid to replace the part, so they don't strip them down to investigate. My faulty shaft was returned to BMW at their request, which the dealer said was unusual as they usually are just told to dispose of faulty parts.

[baskers]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINIMANIAUK (original)

Filter???????
I would take a look at the catalytic converter in the manifold - seems to me you might find it missing/bits blocking the exhaust




Awful fuel economy - now down to 24mpg and I'm not ragging it at all
-Seeming slight loss of power, just feels a bit gutless, cannot place my finger on it
-A really horrid metallic sound (only heard a few times), coming from the engine bay
-When the car was idling, some odd noises were coming from the exhaust, felt like it was surging... really can't place my finger on it.
-Popping from the exhaust - I know that this is normal, but this is all the time... ALL THE TIME (result of lack of power/fuel consumpion??)

you seemed to have narrowed it down- hence cat suggestion

Thanks for this - again surprised that the cat could go on such a young car. How confident would you be of them finding this fault?


The Service Workshop Manager said that the filter would void the warranty, but he'll let me off this time - I said that this is a little odd as everyone would need to replace their filter at one stage or another... it's not like I've got some huge blue cone sticking out!

Should I call my dealership..?

Jay

[Jaw_F430]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicabrio (original)

Hi there, yes it's just a straight part replacement - takes less than a day so is a normal service visit.

I'm not sure what was wrong with mine, but it had the clicking noise. The dealer is just paid to replace the part, so they don't strip them down to investigate. My faulty shaft was returned to BMW at their request, which the dealer said was unusual as they usually are just told to dispose of faulty parts.

Cheers

I will just mention it when me car goes in on Wednesday hopefully will be sorted


Regards


James

[MINIMANIAUK]

"Thanks for this - again surprised that the cat could go on such a young car. How confident would you be of them finding this fault?"


It is only 2 bolts to undo and look inside with a torch, it would be obvious if the cat was damaged/missing
the cat is located under the car and they get very hot, if the car is driven through deep water for example it cools the cat very very fast ,causing shrinkage and cat failure .
just a suggestion for a quick check,
JCW exhaust baffles have a habit of falling out and rattling around in the exhaust for example another hot/cold problem I suspect

[Jaw_F430]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jaw_F430 (original)

Cheers

I will just mention it when me car goes in on Wednesday hopefully will be sorted


Regards


James

Just got back from dealers now, got my lower wishbone bushes done and they have fitted a new header tank+cap as cap was leaking but they said they have never done the driveshaft before on a mini and they thought it was the pads moving in the caliper so they have stripped and cleaned that. I know its not that and just proved it by reversing and the click is still clicking. Anyone know of a dealer in the North West that has done this and will know what I am on about. Will that place at Blackpool the supporting vendor on here know about it?

Regards

James

[baskers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jaw_F430 (original)

Just got back from dealers now, got my lower wishbone bushes done and they have fitted a new header tank+cap as cap was leaking but they said they have never done the driveshaft before on a mini and they thought it was the pads moving in the caliper so they have stripped and cleaned that. I know its not that and just proved it by reversing and the click is still clicking. Anyone know of a dealer in the North West that has done this and will know what I am on about. Will that place at Blackpool the supporting vendor on here know about it?

Regards

James

James,

Please take it back to your dealership, forward them to this thread and ask them kindly to fix it. You have paid good money for your car, and therefore deserve for it to be in good working order.

I was told by my dealership today that it is completely normal for the air to flow out of the top of the dash when you select for it to point at your feet. I told them politely that this is not the case, it never did this on my Cooper, and it most certainly did not do this on my S until a few weeks ago.

Dealerships will try and fob you off - keep persisting! I told my dealership that I will not pick the vehicle up until that's fixed - they're clear on what to do.

Hopefully I'll pick mine up this weekend now...

Jay

[baskers]

Hello MINI-guys,

Got my MINI back on Friday... all seemed fine, however:

-Rattly Glove Box
-Rattly Sun Roof
-Clicking when driving away still
-Huge dent on the trim on driver's door - made by them

I've called the dealership this morning and they'll get the technican manager to call me. Are they taking the mick?? Did they actually do ANYTHING??

I've now got to take another trip to Hindhead - in my choc-a-block week - to get this fixed.

Any ideas how I can make myself heard to this dealership and get some kind of better customer service/compensation?


Thanks,

Jay