Not sure how many people read my post about my car sputtering around the same time that I installed the Alta Boost and Turbo inlet tubes. Well I just spoke to my service advisor and he informed me that the sputtering and power loss are the result of a blown head gasket....at around 5k miles. This completely blows my mind as I have never over-revved the motor and I do not beat the hell out of my car.

The problem gets worse. he said that he would try and bat for me with Mini, but he's telling me that I might have a problem getting them to pay for the work because of the fact that there are aftermarket boost tubes on my car. Any advice on how to deal with this situation? He told me that a manufacturer rep might contact me directly.

 

I don't see how the pipes themselves would result in the head gasket blowing and if it's that big a problem couldn't you just stick the factory parts back on? Unless you somehow did something to raise the boost you are not at fault.

 

Not to be a pessimist, but you'll have an uphill battle ahead of you.

 

Makes me want to go JCW when I mod!

 

A blown headgasket ?
I would ask for the car back & inform them that you'll be having an independant shop verify their claims. I wrench at a dealership and have NEVER
seen a headgasket blown at 5k miles, not on turbocharged VW's, SAAB's, or Subaru's, and I've seen plenty of customer installed mods as well.
There is no way changing the hoses would do it, any expert witness would testify to that in court if they want to fight it out.
If you had messed with the wastegate, seriously over-revved the engine, or....

I have a really hard time believing the tech working on it has found your problem, unless there's a whole lot more to the story that hasn't been shared.

If you're sure there isn't anything else you might have done, talk to the service manager, let them know it's not acceptable and that you'll be getting a lawyer, if that doesn't clear things up, get the lawyer.


On a side note, when we do see blown head gaskets, it's usually from sludge buildup blocking the crankcase ventilation system, or just due to age & heat cycles.

 

The only other problem that the car had was a engine temp light that would light up at random times, usually when the engine was cold - after sitting all night I would start it on a cold morning and see the temp light in about 5 mins) but it was always the "drive moderately" warning, not the "overheat danger" warning.

The car had this problem for a few weeks before I noticed the car sputtering. I took the car in for the sputtering, the dealership said they couldn't duplicate the problem, but as I was taking the car home again it did it again.

When I took the tech out for a test drive to show him the problem, I got 2 CEL faults (increased emissions/reduced power) and the idle became erratic.

That's pretty much the story in a nutshell. The engine temp light problem happened before the Alta stuff was installed, the sputter happened after, but persisted even after I put the original stuff back on.

 

The problem is that the dealer and MINIUSA have been alterted to the fact that the car has aftermarket bits in the engine. That opens a huge can of worms. And before anyone comes in here and recites the Magnuson-Moss law be aware that it is a worthless legal recourse not worth the paper is written on.

I am not sure how hiring an attorney is going to help you in this instance without getting into a long and costly fight. Try to work with the dealer and the MINIUSA rep as much as you can and see if you can obtain an amicable resolution. If problems with the car have been recorded by the dealer BEFORE you installed the mods, you may have a leg to stand on. Be sure to have everything documented in writting.

Modding a car under factory warranty is the equivalent of playing deadly Russian Roulette.... If everything goes fine, then no problem, but if something fails, you are stuck with a huge repair bill as the manufacturer reserves the right to deny warranty service if the car has been tinkered with non-approved modification parts.

A lot of people don't like to hear any of this. Yes it is your car and you have the right to do with it as you please, but keep in mind that when you mess around with a new car under warranty you are taking a huge risk no matter how you cut it and slice it.

You play, you pay.

Good luck in solving this unfortunate issue.

 

changing the boost tubes is a primarily cosmetic external modification, it's about as unlikely to blow a headgasket as changing your tires.

Yes dragging a lawyer into it would make this an expensive mess, and yes, modifying your car while it's still under warranty can be risky, but it sounds like a load of BS from the service writer.

Point is, something doesn't add up and you shouldn't cower in fear. This might also be part of a larger manufacturer defect in the new engines, I'd check your build date against this one.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=122860

 

Wow, between your issue and this guy's, I'm really starting to reconsider future mods I have planned (and ever so slightly regret the couple I've done).

I never worried so much about having warranty issues with strictly bolt-on parts before, as I don't anticipate them causing any problems and figure worst cast I can switch back to stock parts. Now I don't know... At the very least I'm gonna give serious consideration to putting the stock parts back on before bringing my MINI in for any type of service.

Best of luck on getting this issue resolved. I truly feel for you. Keep us updated and have they at least given you an estimate on (God forbid) how much it would be for you to foot the repair out of pocket???

 

I will keep mine totally stock, other than wheels/tires, until the warranty runs out, precisely to avoid any dealer conflicts.

 

I would contact Adam at Alta and enlist his aide; I'm sure that winning an issue like this would be critical to Alta's continued success with R56 mods and it would be in his strategic interest to support you.
Like the others have said, those mods are very conservative. The MM Warranty Act stipulates that manufacturer needs to prove that the mods caused the failure, unless you roll over.
Your dealer might be much more willing to "go to bat" if they are aware that you want to avoid legal battles but are willing to do what it takes.

 

I do not think that there is any justification in requesting Alta's or any other aftermarket product manufacturer aid in battling an auto maker. When I purchased my Mini I discussed with the Sales rep what I intended to do. Several of the Reps in the showroom all said what I already know. Mini will cancel my warrenty the instant they find aftermarket products on the car. You can not reasonably expect an automobile manufacturer to accept liability for something beyond scope of their design. They have no control over what you have done to the engine, nor do they truly know what you have done. Once you modify their product, you have demonstrated that you are using it outside of the bounds of it's designed intent.

I was told if I put a intake on and suck a valve, I buy the engine, Period. So when I buy performance parts, I plan on paying to fix what breaks. This is the cost of ownership.

It is not up to however sold the parts to bear responsibility for your actions. Granted it is my opinion, but I would hope that anyone else who mods would share the understanding that they are responsible as well.

 

Wow I could not disagree more with someone. Doing mods and having an unrelated failure should not be covered? What are you smoking?

 

First, the OP admitted several steps in that there was warning lights prior to failure, why were they not addressed at that point?

Second: As I said, you tamper with the car, how do they know what you did and didn't do?

Wow? Why should anyone else be responsible for your actions? Really? how old are you?

 

If the mod and the driver's action didn't cause the failure, why should he eat the repair cost because he dressed-up the engine bay?
C'mon. Even chrome and wheels might cause some sort of failure using your argument.

 

By this logic, the manufacture should assume that everyone does things to
their cars,
as they can't easily prove that they haven't.
The new wheels and tires broke your sunroof mechanism.
Bad MINI owner, no warranty for you.

 

Those aren't Mini-approved driving lights; they interfered with your CANBUS and caused the MAP failure that caused your head gasket failure...

They can always try to deny warranty work. It is still incumbent upon them to prove that your mod caused the failure.

 

OK,

let me try spelling it out again:

First: I strongly object to anyone requesting an aftermarket manufacturer to help fight for them. Not in the realm of their responsibility, nor should they be held accountable for the customers actions.

Second: Once you change the car, YOU have demonstrated that you capable of changing the car, how do they know what you have, and have not done?

Seriously, accept responsibility for your actions, if you can't afford to fix it, don't monkey with it, what is sooo hard about that?


And, wow, you guys really need an engineering course or two.

Inlet, and boost tubes, ARE NOT cosmetic, they dramatically change the flow in the intake system.

Wheels and tires can seriously change the handling dynamics, and yes, they could firm up the ride enough, or if improperly balanced cause vibrational stress to components.

 

I'm sorry Sir but the bugs on your radiator cooling fins are not OEM. We cannot cover your head gasket failure as the bug caused overheating issues."

mcevok, I am old enough to know what I am responsible for and what I am not. Maybe you have a guilt complex or something but I surely dont (and apparently many others)

 

My god you are fighting a battle with Nerf bullets. I can adjust the seats and put gas in my car. OMG! Since I can do that I must be capable of putting in a manual boost controller and running at 30lbs of boost!!!!

Just because things dont look modified doesnt mean they havent been. People put nitrous kits in rental cars all the time and pull them out. By your train of logic there should be no such thing as a manufacturers warranty because at any point something MIGHT have been modified in some way as to increase performance. There is no way to win an argument with someone like you. You're an idiot.

 

Ok, calling me an idiot demonstrates what here?

Your level of maturity?

 

 

Depends on whether they're oem insects or aftermarket ones, though.
The "MINI" bugs are, by definition, smaller than the non-MINI ones, and cause less restriction through the radiator than, say, M7 or Alta bugs.

 

I believe it was a VW bug that went into my radiator. *shrug*

 

I'm not saying that Alta should hire him a lawyer or represent him at the dealership.
I'm saying that Alta could and should provide him with adequate data to support his position that the mods are safe, acceptable, and did not cause this particular failure.

If anybody thinks that this case isn't important to the Mini aftermarket in general has their head in the sand. The industry would like to to eliminate the aftermarket --- and shadetree mechanics as well.