[ALX]

Hey Folks,

At the weekend, I was driving along, and all of a sudden, revs fell to 1000rpm and the EML and engine lights came on. I pulled over and turned off. Waited a moment and restarted. It seemed OK but the engine light stayed on.

A little scary for that to happen (esp. at speed). Fortunately I wasn't being followed / tailgated.

Same thing happened again (I was only about 1 mile from home so I got home). I called Mini Emercency Helpline who said this could be normal - possibly a bit of dirt on a sensor or something. They reckoned it would be OK, but that I'd need my dealer to reset the light.

Before I left for work Monday morning, I rang my dealer to double check what the helpline had said and they agreed. Still seemed a copout to me but there we go.

While on my way into work the same thing happened just seconds before I pulled out onto a busy road from a carpark. As I hadn't started to pull out it was OK. Again I stopped, restarted and then drove straight to the dealer. I called the dealer to let them know I was on my way.

When I arrived the dealer they took the car round to the service department. I was running a bit late for work but was told it would only take about 10-15 mins for it to be hooked up to an analyser to find out what caused the problem.

About 50 minutes later I was given the car back and told it would need to be booked in for its 'Throttle Casing' to be replaced, as this was causing erratic rev problems. I believe the casing is the throttle motor/sensor assembly. They said they had performed a reset on the engine management computer. The soonest I could get an appointment was in over a week's time. The upshot was I was being given back a car that could still go wrong at any moment (and if being followed, could easily cause an accident). I decided to accept the appointment then go away and think about it. The part was also not in stock, but I later discovered, available 'next day'.

I thought about it, and the prospect of driving around in a car I couldn't rely on and constantly caused me to be 'on my guard' was not an idea that appealed to me. So I rang the dealer to find out what they could do. The answer was basically nothing. I said I didn't feel safe driving a car that on a motorway could cause a pile up but was told that I could try ringing Mini Emergency Service again, explaining the situation and getting someone out to sort it.

I rang, and eventually spoke to a BMW technician who explained in more detail what the problem was and that it wasn't all that much trouble to solve. But that it definitely could let me down again if not sorted. Everyone I spoke to at Mini seemed surprised I had been given a car in that state back to drive on the public roads.

Final upshot : Technician talks to dealer. Also talks to car hire firm that Mini Emergency Service outsource their loan cars to. I drop my car off at dealer towards the end of the day and have a Micra to use for a couple of days while mine is in being sorted. More hassle than I would have liked (filling in forms with Enterprise - the hire company) and, I have to say I draw several conclusions :-

a) I am really disappointed that at 5600 miles something like this could go wrong ; and in the wrong circumstances, something that causes an effect so dangerous.

However, I work in IT and I know complex systems fail from time to time. It's just life.

b) I am incredibly disappointed with my dealer for not taking this fault more seriously. It was almost like they were waiting for an accident or total failure to happen before accepting the work needed to be done.

c) {incredibly minor, trivial point} BMW makes cars. Why oh why don't their loan cars have, oh, I don't know - a BMW or Mini badge on?

Wanted a MCS after this car. Had definite plans to replace when finance allows. Reconsidering.

Has anyone else had this specific problem with the throttle casing?

A.

[MiniFEB29]

No to the throttle casing but, sack you dealer mate that was **** treatment

[ALX]

Yah.. The more I think of it .. The more I "grrrrrrr"

The helpful lady at Mini Emercency Helpline basically said "Well if you'd pulled out on a busy junction and that had happened.... .... the consequences don't bear thinking about".

I tend to agree. Damn right.

A.

[antnich]

write to bmw and tell them of the service recieved bmw pride themselves on service after all thats why there cars are so expensive. Dis you get a form after you bought your mini where you give a mark out of 10 anything less than 10 is considered a failure and they get a right rollocking for it.

[Apial]

Sorry to hear of your trivial problem that could get you killed. Then you won't moan about it , will you?.

Ooops sorry that was Basil, you know the Fawlty one. Your problem is your dealer. What are they called, "Fawlty Garages" or something? Well just tell them its about time they handed over a loan MINI or a 318i like other dealers do, and if they want it back quicker they should get on the blower to BMW and raise Merry Hell. Failing that tell them you want your money back or its show time with Watchdog.

Trying to get customers killed with randomly stalling cars is not good for PR. Name them and shame them! Smug London horse dealers!

[ALX]

I did get a form ; I've had the car since November and overall I am really really pleased with it. I don't want to fall out with my dealer because with problems in the past they have persisted and solved (particularly annoying problems like rattles).

I might write to BMW. But since no accident actually occurred and they did provide me with a loan car while mine was in, it's hard to see what good it would do...

... I dunno. If I am bored next weekend I may knock out a letter..

A

[ALX]

LOL @ Basil Fawlty ...

Naming and shaming isn't really my thing. If I do do anything it will be directly with the dealer or straight to the top with BMW, not here in public. The reason I posted was to see what others thought and to find out if the throttle case was a common problem (i.e. should my dealer really have had one in stock for example).

Cheers though. Amusing comment after an annoying, telephone call filled, day. Bleh :|

I noticed the floor under the pedals in the Micra was slippery when I drove home, and I have just discovered the seats are damp.. Hmm it's been raining heavily here - Hmmm; Dog anyone? Woof.

A.

[Prowse]

Quote:

Originally posted by ALX
{incredibly minor, trivial point} BMW makes cars. Why oh why don't their loan cars have, oh, I don't know - a BMW or Mini badge on?

That's down to your dealer, I know that my local dealership provides its customers with BMW's or MINI's as loan cars. I'm reliably told that every customer that requests a loan car, gets one too. <-- Bit of a change from my last VW dealer!

[Andy_Aj]

My dealer also supplies BMW or MINI's as loaners. I've used them several times during services. Never had a problem getting one either though with the hassle of transferring insurance for the day (though MINI insurance don't charge me) I recently opted to get them to pick up and redeliver the car themselves. Again, no problem.

IMO, as you've concluded, the dealer was at fault here and shouldn't have let you drive the car away. I'm an electronics engineer and repair enough stuff to not let a dodgy throttle disuade me from buying another MINI. Things do go wrong, it's just a matter of when really.

Hope that everything is resolved to your satisfaction and you have many further miles of faultless MINI motoring

Andy

[stellablade]

Had exactly the same problem with the throttle housing. I broke down while on holiday in Wales with mountain bikes attached to the car

Quote:

Originally posted by ALX
Hey Folks,


Has anyone else had this specific problem with the throttle casing?

A.

[ALX]

Hah.. Well I guess I could have seen it coming.

Even though the fault was diagnosed at about 10am Monday morning, my dealer somehow did not order the part needed until it was too late for next day delivery, which means that today (Tuesday) I am still without *my* car. My guess is that at the point they fobbed me off, they decided not to order it till just before my appointment to have it replaced. Obviously later the appointment changed but not the part order was not put in.

This Micra, although lacking guts, is not as bad as perhaps I first thought it might be. Anyone know what Nissan service is like? Might have to be my next car (just kidding).

Apparently I will have my Mini back tomorrow some time around lunchtime.

A.

[johnnybebad2000]

Quote:

Originally posted by stellablade
Had exactly the same problem with the throttle housing. I broke down while on holiday in Wales with mountain bikes attached to the car

Seems you were lucky. At least you could cycle home!!!

[stellablade]

Haha! My girlfriend had to push the bikes back to her parent's while I escorted the car to the nearest dealer. A dirty job but someone had to do it.

Quote:

Originally posted by johnnybebad2000
Seems you were lucky. At least you could cycle home!!!

[ALX]

Final update to the thread.

The dealer did replace the throttle casing during the day today (Wednesday). Although they didn't actually make the move and call me, I got fed up and called them around lunch time. I was able to go and collect the car. Bye bye Micra, hello Mini.

I tell you what though ; they say you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. I agree but I would go further :

You don't know what you've got till it's gone, you have got used to the temporary replacement, and then you get the original back.

Of course that sentiment wouldn't have fitted quite so nicely into a Joni Mitchell song would it? But going back from the gutless micra, which I had started to get used to, to the Mini. So much difference!

Cheers.

Al.

[ALX]

Hello folks,

Well now disillusioned just isn't the word. I'm looking to get this car replaced or refunded. The dealer just fixing each problem as it occurs just isn't good enough; this time I felt 'in danger' as a result of a fault of the car and I've never had a car that's ever made me feel like that before.

This car is obviously a dog.. Probably around 4-5000 miles later (read up the thread if you don't have a clue what I'm talking about), possibly less exactly the same problem. This time in a dangerous place.

Events :-

Having just left a carpark from a night out I approached a roundabout and it stalled.. or rather it juts quietly died. i thought nothing of it - "oops silly me" restarted fine... Carried on driving; no engine lights or what have you.

Got possbly 5-7 miles fine and to literally *just* off the roundabout with buildings on the corners in (ie round a blind bend), just after pub chucking out time. It suddenly drops revs madly. EML light. Engine light. Nearly stalls. Adding revs seems to keep it going but only at 5mph. No use, still dangerous.

Turn off..Hazards one..Turn on... swear quietly and say to myself "oh bloody hell not this rubbish again". Engine coughs and splutters EML/engine lights again.. dies. Getting worried about moving it out the way.

Turn off, turn on, add lots of revs - manages to stay running ...Manage to move out of danger.. maybe 50 m ... stalls..

Try again.. this time seems a bit better managed to drop both people off and still EML light and engine light on and revs REALLY limited and hopeless - nothing like normal, only usable because of the general low levels of traffic at night.

Limp the half mile home (no alternative; you don't leave a car just anywhere in this area as you come back to find it minus lots of pieces). Manage to sum up enough revs to reverse the car onto my drive, but not running right. Turn off engine.

Just to see what would happen I tried to start it on my drive.

Failed, Went for a bit then died, Failed. Eventaully started but still EML/Engine lights and not running at all properly. Had to give revs to make it stay running at all.

I ring mini emergency line. I explain politely and reasonably (no sense in being rude to the guys on the phone; not their fault personally) that this is the second time and that last time it was something called a throttle casing, but that since the car has now tried to kill me twice, I am not sure repairing it again is going to make me feel any easier driving it. Withstanding this, I need to get to work tomorrow, and for this to happen I need a working car.

Seems no techies are available out of business hours. They could send out someone tonight, but that someone, apparently, would bring a low loader, pull the car up, and store it safely overnight.. Magic. Very helpful. Eventually agreed to get in touch with my dealer first thing tomorrow. I expect they will say the usual rubbish "oh drop it off to us and we will need to keep it for 2 days while the part comes in", this is assuming it's the same as last time.

However, I will also be making a second call to Bracknell; BMW's customer services department. This time I want something to happen. I'm convinced this car is a dog (aka lemon, aka pile of crap) and I no longer feel safe driving in it. I don't think this is unreasonable.

Thoughts - suggestions - opinions anyone? Am I expecting too much - a new car that doesn't break down every 4000 or so miles in a dangerous way? Bah. I should have gone with instinct and bought a mondeo; my last one did 83,000 miles without so much as a stutter. I know (from the guy I sold it to) it either has, or is about to go over the 100,000 mile mark still trouble free.

I guess some MINIs are rubbish and some dealers are rubbish. Perhaps I have both. (read the up thread for points about the dealer).

Very very angry.

Alex.

[ALX]

Always good when your car has to be taken off on a low-loader.... Sigh...... Just rang the dealer (rather than the other way round); it seems the car has arrived there :|

[Gavwad]

Should I be re-thinking the order that I have just placed for a brand new Mini One and stay with my reliable Renault Clio?!?!

[GOLDMINI]

ALX
That is a terrible story. So sorry that you have had this happen. It is one thing to have niggles with a car, but this is so dangerous.
Contact the dealer, contact BMW, contact the motoring press/newspapers but as for taking the car back again after this serious a fault twice? No chance

[Gavwad]

Certainly is a dreadful story - hope things get sorted out Alex.

By the way, did anyone catch Watchdog earlier this week about Peugeot's which caught fire due to a faulty starter switch? Perhaps your story could be aired here too... as well as the press, trade mags etc.

Like you say, what are they waiting for? Someone to die until they get off the backsides and fix the problem?

Renault aren't much better. Mind you Nissan were very good when I had my Micra. Although I wouldn't buy one ever again as they fall over if there's a breeze!

[richardsn]

I had a similiar problem with a LUPO GTI.The only way to get anything done is;
1. Find out who the chairman of the mini franchise is(Use the internet you'll find a name somewhere).
2. contact the manufacturer and get them to put pressure on the the dealer.I had the LUPO for 18 months, 6 of which the car was in the workshop. Every time I got the car back it broke down again with the same problem.Not only that, but the workshop boys managed to wreck an entire set of alloys and tyres,and dent the roof and scratch the body work. Yes these were replaced/repaired but it's not the point.
As I understand it,its very difficult to get your money back after a six month period-but not impossible.I found out who the chairman was of the dealer franchise then sent loads of email.Ditto to VW/Top Gear, Autoexpress- and anyone else I could think of.Forward the email you send to Top Gear and the like to both the franchise chairman and BMW.
Car companys certainly don't like bad publicity Eventually I got my money back.It may take a while, but perseverence is the key.Good Luck.