I have a 2012 Mini Cooper S Clubman. A few years ago I went in for a coolant sensor issue which they took care of because I mentioned a recall. Now my car developed an antifreeze leak. I located the leak. It is from the coolant sensor but what I see disturbs me. The sensor has no plug on it nor any type of clip holding in place. The sensor has two small tabs that if you squeeze them the sensor can be puled out. Is something missing? Could they have bypassed the sensor
and left nothing holding in the sensor?

 

picture?


you are in the COUNTRYMAN R60 section. is that what you have, or is it a Clubman (the small one with barn doors trunk?)

 

Yes this is very common to bypass the sensor. There is a production range that the temp sensor is in an aluminum elbow. When the thermostat is updated the sensor is moved to be in the thermostat housing. There is actually a new hose that should have been installed that didn't have that elbow at all, but techs usually just do the thermostat and move on.

So now if that is the one you are talking about leaking you just need the hose.

If you select N18 in this link you can see the hose
https://www.waymotorworks.com/thermo...5-r56-r57.html

 

Just go to home depot and get a plastic elbow, they use them in the irragation section. I just fixed the 2012 countryman I have the same way. The dealer here told me to take off the elbow and just stretch my hose over, I don't know how that could be done. They upgraded the thermostat housing and it has the coolant sensors in there that is why your sensor has no plug.

 

Hi MiniToBe,

Yes, I do have a Clubman and posted in the wrong section. I found the answer today from the dealer.
Thanks.

 

Hey Way,

You are absolutely correct. I spoke with a tech at the Mini dealer. He informed me the coolant sensor was actually added in on a recall and then it was bypassed later on when they did a second recall for the thermostat last year.
There is a hose to eliminate this whole mess. When they showed me the replacement it didn't look right on one end...so I chickened out and opted to just take the existing sensor out and replace the O ring only. Mini doesn't show the ring separately but I found some video of a person doing just that ring and got the exact part at the Mini dealer....cost $2.54 😁. Easy fix and if I have to do it again I got a second O ring now in my tool box.