Juliet, did you check to see if you were low on coolant? It's a common problem in our cars where the radiator caps leak under pressure and eventually enough fluid leaks out where it can cause your temperature gauge to rise to redline while idling, or your high speed fan to stay on for a few minutes after you've turned the car off.

However, if its not low on coolant, it could be a bad thermostat since I assume your car is probably 3-6 years old now and those things eventually go bad.

It doesn't sound like it's a bad fuse or anything too difficult or expensive to fix.

 

I think you are right. A few weeks ago this happened and my husband put in antifreeze (at least I think that's what it was!) It stopped and we thought it was fixed. Then in the last couple of days, I've had three episodes in which the engine light quickly heats up, but then it cools back down in several minutes. Today my husband put in more coolant, so I'll check this out tomorrow and perhaps this is the problem. Our car is about four years old. Thanks so much for the info--I feel somewhat relieved knowing this is a common problem and perhaps it won't be too difficult to fix!

 

If you are losing coolant than that problem has to be addressed first. On early Minis the place to look is the thermostat housing and/or the coolant tank. The tank is easy to see, the housing requires more effort. Many times the fan running is low coolant.

That said I have been chasing this problem for over a year now. Occasionally the fan stays on. There are no leaks. I used to pull the power plug for a few days and then miraculously it would cure itself. I read all the post but saw one that said to tap the reply which is on the passengers side of the fan about 8 inches down. One slight tap turns my fan off every time. And on my 2003 that relay is available separately from the fan but I am not fixing it until I have to as it is a big job and for now I keep a metal rod under the seat for a simple tap now and then.

But what you are describing my not be solved by a tap on a relay. You should find that leak and repair it as our Minis should not consume antifreeze under normal circumstances. Particularly since your temp spikes now and then.

Rich

PS-Have you checked your Power Steering fan? It is easy to seen under the front of the car. With AC on the fan should be working. If not, add that to the list.

 

Thanks so much for the tips. I'm going to give this to my husband to check out. Appreciate your taking the time to provide some good advice! I think I said in an earlier post about his putting in more antifreeze, which has seemed to temporarily solve the problem. However, since this is not something that should be happening, we're going to check things out in more detail and possibly take the vehicle in to the Mini Dealership! Happy Motoring!

 

Check your radiator endcaps/tanks. They are plastic and if there is a slight leak, you won't notice it because the coolant ends up on top of the plastic undertray and not on the ground. That's how my car was overheating...that and the stupid power steering fan.

 

I have this same problem. The fan won't shut off at all, until you disconnect the battery. Coolant is good, PS fluid is good, oil is good, I replaced the radiator fan, and the thing still won't shut off. I'm at my wits end.
-------------------------
04 MCS

 

At some point in 2004 they moved the fan relay off the fan assembly to a relay block. It could be a simple relay swap if you are lucky.

I am not so lucky. My relay is bad and when the fan stays on (about 2-3 times a month) I simply tap the relay and the fan stops. I really don't want to replace the assembly again and my relay can't be replaced without removing the entire assembly. But I think my low speed is out too so eventually....

Rich

 

I pulled all the relays in the fuse box, and all the fuses, and the PS fan kept right on running. Is there somewhere else I should look for another relay?

 

disconnect the big connector by the hood latch yellow handle.

 

Great! I'll try that. Judging from what I've read on other threads, the PS is soon to be shot, since it goes out intermittently.

 

Standing in front of the car, on the left side of the radiator straight down you will see a small box on the fan assembly. Try tapping that with a long screwdriver. Save that there is a large connector on the driver's side that if disconnected will stop the fan.

Rich

 

This is the exact samething that happened to my 02 MCS w/ 65k miles.
I had the dealer replace the whole fan assembly.
Labor and parts cost came up to about $1000.
Thank god I was under warranty.

 

pls. tell me this is under warranty. im currently on road trip. i noticed heat is coming off under my car and i hear a sound when the valet has given my car back to me. it was only when i park my car that i noticed it was the fan that keeps running! i left my car in valet for 2 days! so it means the fan was running the whole time! my solution was also to turn ignition/engine on/off. the only dealer i find in vegas is desert MINI. im scared of what they will charge me. i also dunno if they have good service. anyone who had their MINI serviced in vegas? i have an 06 base and has 20k miles. i hope they give me warranty even if im from IL.

 

Relax

A couple of things. If your fans were on for two days, the battery would be totally depleted. It would happen overnight. Then if your fans go off when you shut off the ignition then it is likely that your system is working fine and it clearly wouldn't be having this problem where the fans run even after the car is turned off. And if you did have the problem yours is still covered under the 50,000 mile warranty.

So again, relax. Unless your fans continually run after the ignition is shut off your biggest problem would be how many miles the valets put on your car in two days.

Rich

PS-The fans occasionally run on after the ignition is turned off for good reason. Come east to Mini's on Top and you'll hear all the Minis run when we get to the to the top of the Mountain because of the load that was placed on the engine getting up into the clouds. They eventually go off. But again, your problem (or non-problem) is different. Particularly if you are not overheating you could drive it home with no problem. Even through the desert. And if it were bad with only 20K miles, it would be covered.

 

i doubt tbe valet used my car. my gas was almost empty when i gave it for valet park. altho i'l check my odo to be sure. i will be in vegas til end of Oct. so i want it checked up ASAP. i hope the only dealer in vegas is good. could the reason be the sands that might have entered the engine? i buried my MINI in the sand by accident... meaning my front wheel got stuck and burrowed into the sand on one of my trips. and yes sands were all over front and under my car...

(I WANNA THANK THE 2 GOOD SAMARITAN FAMILIES THAT HELPED ME GET MY MINI unstucked in the sands that day! THEY'RE MY HEROS! THANK YOU GUYS!)

i think i have to wait til i go back to IL to have my MINI serviced it seems DMLV is unanimously voted as worst service based on reviews i find online. it's sad since they're the ONLY dealer in vegas.

 

just an update: i drove my car today and many weird thing happen. the temp gauge shoots up and it stays on high with the red light stayed on. i have to turn the A/C on so it goes down to normal. then in one instance the air coming out is hot! and yes the fan continued to run even if i turn the engine on/off. so i drove immediately to DMLV even without appointment. at first i was told i have to leave my car there. then fortunately they decided i can wait on it. they did an MPI. and the reason why my car overheat is coz the coolant was leaking. they fix under warranty. im lucky i dont have a horror story to share on my service experience.

 

I had a similar situation happen on a particularly hot day when I had been driving around town with the air conditioner running. I parked my car at home and the fan kept running. I checked back every so often and even after over an hour it was still running. I disengaged the battery cable to keep it from draining my battery and left it alone overnight. The next day when I reingaged the battery cable, the fan started immediately even before I started the engine. I drove the car to a local repair shop where the service manager said he couldn't get to my car until the following week. I drove home and continued to go about my daily routine for the next couple of days, disengaging and re-engaging the battery connection every time I parked to stop the fan (Driving as little as possible, of course). By the third day, when I re-engaged the battery cable the fan did not come on. It started operating normally on its own and I have not had any trouble with it sense. That was July of 2009.

 

TOUCHDOWN!!!

Got home from doing the groceries this afternoon, turned the car off and the radiator fan was on high speed and would not shut off.

Pulled the 50A fuse so it wouldn't kill the battery.

Just tried your tip and the fan shut itself off after a few solid taps.

Thanks for the tip. Guys like you who take the time to post are the best

Now, what I'm wondering is this: should I look at replacing my fan assembly? Is this a warning that it may completely go soon?

 

Music to my ears. Thanks

The forum is a community. Everyone should participate and learn from each other. I have learned a LOT since Artoo arrived in November 2002.

It is unlikely to completely go any time soon but it will stick on more frequently over time. And it always seems to know when it is raining.

I went through the tapping routine for 6 months before I got the time to replace the fan. Remember that relay is replaceable but there is no way to get at it without removing the fan. So one of the new Dorman fans with an upgraded resister is what I'll do next time. But if you are worried, I have yet to see a case where tapping didn't shut it off. And in the event that you are the first, you can always unplug the connector to the fan which will also shut it off. Before I learned about the tap, I could undo that connector completely in the dark.

And in the event that something unusual happens, the forum never sleeps.

Rich

 

My mini cooper 2003 broke down while I was riding on it. Stoped in the midle of the road. Didnt take any gear, would start but all the wheels are locked. All 4 wheels are locked, tried to push it to the side of the road but, obviously,didnt move at all. Friends is there any body can help me understant whats going on. Have no money to tow it to boston from Plymouth just to find out what it has. Bought it for 8thousan. Please, thank u guys 774-269-2023

 

Hey all,

Aussie MINI owner here. Old post but an update, Ive just purchased a 2012 MINI Coupe R58. I bought it with 20,000kms on the clock. Its also doing this.

I inserted the fob into the ignition and played around with the service info that the fan just came on. The car was cold......it hadnt been started that day. It wouldnt turn off, so I just decided to take it for a spin for 5mins and come back. When I shut it off the fan did too. Few days later it happened again but after a 30deg warm Aussie day I went into town and came back. When I start up the car the fan goes off. Turned the car off but the fan stayed on again.

Sounds very similar to what you guys are noticing. Im not looking forward to taking it anywhere near a dealership. Will be trying that black box trick, I think I found its location. If the fan is suppose to stay on (in some cases) Im going to hook the battery up to a trickle charger and see how long it takes for the fan to go off.

 

You've posted in a thread for 1st generation MINI R53, which has a completely different engine from your 2nd generation R58.

You might want to look at these threads which are more relevant to your model:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-shutdown.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...he-engine.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...g-off-car.html

 

Thanx man Ill check those sites out, appreciate it

 

my car runs around 227+/- degrees, assuming thats normal? I get the info from my Scangauge2. Every single time Im about to shut her down I let her idle for at least 1 minute and I can hear the fan cranking at full speed (no matter how she was driven) so after i shut her down it still runs for about another minute but always shuts off, no 30 minute craziness. It does worry me a little but I figure better safe than sorry! lol..