So a few weeks ago, my CM started throwing errors up on the Connected screen. They'd only last about ten seconds. One said "Brake fluid level is too low. Reduced braking efficiency. Stop vehicle carefully." The other said "Braking/Chassis stability. ABS and braking force distribution malfunction. Drive moderately. Avoid hard braking."

The brakes were behaving absolutely normally, and the messages typically came on when I didn't have a foot on the brakes at all.

Given that I also had the sunroof rattle, I took it in. I'm currently driving a 2011 black Clubman S with all kinds of decals on it and a vanity plate that says "HUGHIE." Hughie is a nice loaner, but I miss mine already.

Anyway, the concierge calls today and says that the brake fluid reservoir sensor is malfunctioning and that it requires the whole reservoir be replaced. Except that they don't have that part on hand, and they don't know how long it'll take to get it. Yikes. I'm a little worried that it'll be one of those mystery German parts that nobody has and nobody can get easily.

As far as the rattle, they said there are some bulletins on rattles in the rear of the car, so they're going to fix those and see if that's the rattle I'm hearing.

As far as the ABS message, they think there might be an electrical connection loose somewhere. I guess that's plausible, but I don't quite understand why those messages would appear at exactly the same time and disappear together a few seconds later if they weren't directly related. I guess there were a bunch of error codes stored in the computer that they could see, so maybe they know what they're talking about.

Anybody have any thoughts? Or just want to commiserate?

 

I hope you have better luck than I'm having getting a RF halfshaft from Germany to get my CM4 out of the shop (about 5 weeks so far).

 

Eek! I like this Clubman, but I'm not supposed to put my dogs in it, so it's not ideal.

Fortunately, if there really is a long delay on this part, I can just take my car back. The broken sensor will continue to throw errors, but the fluid levels were fine, so there's nothing unsafe or potentially damaging about driving with a bad sensor.

The ABS error (which they don't think is connected) is a little scarier, but hopefully they find whatever bad connection is making that happen.

 

Why does everything seem to require shipping from Germany? How hard would it be to stock the less frequently replaced parts somewhere in North America? I get that stocking unused extra parts may hurt their bottom line, but it would go a looong way to making their customers happy.

 

can there be a possibility that the parts are just stored in Germany but actually made somewhere else...such as Japan? still kinda sad it takes this long

 

"HUGHIE" was a pretty decent loaner, but yeah all the british decals and such made from some interesting looks at the grocery store.

I wish you luck, but I think the first run of the CM has a bunch of electrical bugs in the line to work out. From radio popping, dead batteries, random codes being thrown... I would say to keep your paper work, ask for the codes to be printed for your records, and then call MINI USA to make sure they have a record of whats going on.

 

@J: Thanks for the tip. That's probably smart.

Hughie is growling a little. I'm not sure if it's just the difference between the Clubman and the Countryman in terms of the sound isolation in the cabin or whether he's actually rattling a bit. I'm going to check the oil today to make sure he's not burning it.

As far as the time it takes to get the part, it could end up being quick. I'm supposed to get an update on it this afternoon. I like Hughie, but I'm still hoping it's not a six week kind of deal.

 

The best silver lining about HUGHIE, it will make you appreciate the CM more when you get it back. I still think the CM has a smoother ride, better fit and finish, and though HUGHIE did seem to have just a little more pep, its an easy trade off as the CM isn't exactly a slouch either.

 

I think I'll be blogging a Clubman/Countryman comparison sometime soon for precisely this reason. The Countryman is definitely a quieter, more comfy ride.

I've also learned that I get exactly the same amount of bump steer from Hughie as I do from my Countryman, so there's that.

Oh, and I really feel the need for a name for my car, since it's weird to talk about "Hughie" and "my Countryman."

 

I got a call this afternoon that they actually did have the reservoir in stock. They replaced it, cleared the codes, and took it for a drive. They now think the ABS code was because of the bad brake fluid level sensor, not a separate problem (which was my guess, since the errors always appeared together). They also pulled out those drain flaps that cause the rattle in the sunroof. Apparently that's now a bulletin, and removing the flaps is the official fix.

I had to get back to work for a nighttime event, so I left a message saying I'd have to run in and run out. Sure enough, when I got there, Marissa had all my paperwork ready and my key, so I signed, grabbed my copies and my key, threw Hughie's key at her, and ran.

So +1 for New Country MINI for good communication (I had quick followups when I scheduled the appointment and when we discussed rescheduling, and I received a call yesterday with an update and today about picking up the car), and for making a great effort to meet my needs.

I know they don't have the best rep on here, but I had a really good experience over the last few days, aside from not having my beloved car, of course.