F56 Starter/Egnition Fault Code - Won’t Start

10840 Views 9 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Charlescarter, Apr 12, 2019

3gswish

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2019

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a 2014 F56 Cooper S Hardtop that is now out of warranty. Recently, I started getting an intermittent problem where the engine doesn’t spin over, accompanied by whooshing/whirring sound, followed by a starter/ignition fault. After a few attempts it starts. I’d say that it starts now about 3 times out of every 10! I suspect that the whooshing/whirring sound is the starter motor spinning but not engaged to the flywheel due to a sticking solenoid?

Does this diagnosis sound logical?

You can’t buy just a solenoid - and my Mini dealer wants $460 + $150 core charge for a complete starter.

Im finding used starters online that come with a 1 year warranty for $100 or less.

I’m seriously considering tearing apart my current solenoid and trying to fix it and if that doesn’t work, buying a used one.

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions?

Thanks!!!

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mike1967

· #2 · Mar 14, 2019

3gswish said:
Hi everyone,

I’ve got a 2014 F56 Cooper S Hardtop that is now out of warranty. Recently, I started getting an intermittent problem where the engine doesn’t spin over, accompanied by whooshing/whirring sound, followed by a starter/ignition fault. After a few attempts it starts. I’d say that it starts now about 3 times out of every 10! I suspect that the whooshing/whirring sound is the starter motor spinning but not engaged to the flywheel due to a sticking solenoid?

Does this diagnosis sound logical?

You can’t buy just a solenoid - and my Mini dealer wants $460 + $150 core charge for a complete starter.

Im finding used starters online that come with a 1 year warranty for $100 or less.

I’m seriously considering tearing apart my current solenoid and trying to fix it and if that doesn’t work, buying a used one.

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions?

Thanks!!!

how is the start stop function effected, if not effected i would lean more towards CAS unit as a common bmw fault link below
BMW Control module Car Access (CAS)
as for starter faulty sometimes the slider on solenoid runs dry and gets covered in clutch dust might clean and be fine, if car around 80-100k i would just fit a refurb starter and have done with it as a pain to replace ie one lot of labour that way, BBA REMEN do refurb units and repair CAS units link below. top company
Home (GB) | BBA Reman

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3gswish

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 15, 2019

Thanks @mike1967 - I’ll check out the links. It’s either a wish/whir/fault, or its a strong normal start. Still get the fault when jumpered to another car. I plan on doing most of my own work so will next start to plan an attack on the starter. CAS is going to be $$ i’m sure...

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3gswish

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 3, 2019

An update:

The problem was that the solenoid/starter housing was cracked, and eventually the solenoid fell completely off the starter. It must have happened when I bottomed out the car a few months ago on some unexpected road work beyond a familiar rise, which I usually take a a pretty decent speed...

When the solenoid doesn't push the starter gear to the flywheel, it the starter spins and makes the whooshing sound... It must have been slightly cracked, allowing intermittent starting. Eventually the pushing caused the crack to grow and eventually fail completely.

Sorry about starting a separate post about where to get a used starter...

Here is a pic of the broken solenoid/starter

Lesson learned, don't bottom out...

3gswish

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mike1967

· #5 · Apr 4, 2019

in one way lucky ie was not the CASS unit as so many are with that fault, not seen one do that before on mini might of been a weakness is the casting or maybe a design weakness depending if many more pop up like it, the trouble you will have now is cheapest way is a refurb unit on exchange but they wont take your broken one back as casting is broken off,
below in link for company who will post anywhere in the world bit you would need to contact them to confirm costs and prices and fitment,, i would guess a chassis number and engine number would be needed for them,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Min...=142927961121373cee153a394032a55258fb2492ea44

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3gswish

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 4, 2019

I think the casting started out fine, but the hard slam underneath did it in... There is a pretty big streak/tear in the engine bay cover underneath, perfectly inline with the starter. As my son put it - why the bleep did they put the starter so low? In any case, I pick up the new one today, I'll keep this thread updated.

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mike1967

· #7 · Apr 4, 2019

3gswish said:
I think the casting started out fine, but the hard slam underneath did it in... There is a pretty big streak/tear in the engine bay cover underneath, perfectly inline with the starter. As my son put it - why the bleep did they put the starter so low? In any case, I pick up the new one today, I'll keep this thread updated.

i would have sump checked before do many more miles, just for piece of mind as i have seen what happens when someone uses a jack to hold engine up on the sump it can bend sump enough to restrict engine oil flow from oil pick up and cause a new engine lack of oil feed,, ie just incase sump got bent upwards.
the CASS units are very common fault with what you were describing the problem to be $1000 dollar bill us i would guess if was that so starter is a lucky break sort of.

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3gswish

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 4, 2019

Good suggestion re: the sump - I'll check it carefully when I install the new "old" starter. Turns out that from ABC Auto in SF that it was $70 plus $15 shipping, and they took the broken one back to recycle so no core charge

I agree that from a cost perspective, less than $100 is much better than CAS replacement, also easier to DIY...

I'll let you know how it goes after I get back and install over the weekend...

Thanks,
3gswish

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3gswish

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 7, 2019

mike1967 said:
i would have sump checked before do many more miles, just for piece of mind as i have seen what happens when someone uses a jack to hold engine up on the sump it can bend sump enough to restrict engine oil flow from oil pick up and cause a new engine lack of oil feed,, ie just incase sump got bent upwards.
the CASS units are very common fault with what you were describing the problem to be $1000 dollar bill us i would guess if was that so starter is a lucky break sort of.

So the sump is fine, thank goodness! It appears from the undertray that the big tear happened behind the sump, and before the solenoid/starter. So lucky...

The part is shown in realoem dot com as 12417649090, while on the part itself it's just 7649090<space>XX, where XX is a revision number as far as I can tell.

My original starter was <space>02, and the used starter supplied by my new friends at ABC in SF was <space>04. It looks like the case nose around the actual starter gear is a bit different material, but in all other aspects was exactly the same.

Installed the new starter and viola - starts ever time.

Thanks for everyone on mini2 for listening and feedback - I'm sure there will be more to discuss on my mini as it's now out of warranty and I am going to be continuing with upgrades and doing repairs I am sure, going forward!

3gswish

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Charlescarter

· #11 · Apr 12, 2019

Is this the picture of the broken solenoid/starter?

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