I finished changing my starter today after people here suggested that was the cause of a startup noise I was getting. You were right! She now cranks just fine without any strange sounds.

But now I'm getting this and no power steering:


What did I do and how do I fix it?

 

Found the issue. There are 3 wires that connect to the starter. I had only reconnected 2 - the 3rd was caught behind the heat shield and out of sight. It had been a week since i disconnected the old starter, and I forgot there were 3. Just connected what I saw.

Now that everything's back together, there's no more battery light. However, I'm now getting a whine from the power steering pump. I also managed to break off the bolt that connects the heat shield to the oil filter housing. This simple task is becoming more difficult by the minute

 

Good job! Glad the noise is gone and you figured out they issue. You will quickly learn that if any type of wire, ground, battery connection, etc. is loose or not connected, your MINI will have all sorts of issues. For the whine, check the level of your power steering fluid. If it's low, fill it up with CHF 11S HERE and inspect for leaks. The power steering pump on the MINI is one of those items that seems to have a bad reputation. In talking to many MINI owners, it seems that this is one of the more common items to fail on the car.

 

Thank you for the recommendation! That did the trick!

 

You're very welcome. Just keep your eye on the level and if you need anything just give me a shout.

 

Do you have a PS leak ?