>>I'm just kind of wondering if maybe superiorsound runs
>>a stereo installation business, and wants to scare the bejeezus
>>out of people who want to install their own stereo so that they
>>will pay him to install it.
>>
>>No accusations, just me thinking out-loud.
>>
>>Sure would be nice to get the dealers side of the story huh?

But my Trippy, you are quite the conspiracy theorist, aren't you?

 

I know it's the weekend, but I'm twiddling my fingers
waiting for Peter from M7 to get us an update?

M7 is a sponsor of NAM I see. I assume he reads
the site quite frequently.

 

I had an incident where my car was running very rough, EML would come on and could not go over 10 miles per hour. Felt like it was running on three cylinders. I say that not because it lost power do to the EML, but because it was very rough and sounded horrible. I took it to Mini of S.F. and it turned out they had to replace the wiring harness. Apparently it is a costly repair, not $12 freakin grand, but still expensive. Car runs great now.

Motor on

 

I'm sorry guys, but I'm with Trippy on this one.... True, it's NOT his car and quite frankly none of his business. However, as members of the MINI community, is it not a good thing to help each other out and try to get to the bottom of things? If the truth is that a MINI dealer is ripping MINI owners off, is it not in our best interest to identify the offending dealer and try to fight as consumers (i.e. boycott, protest, write complaint letters to BMW/MINI, etc.)?

As Trippy mentioned, it is also beneficial to us to find out all of the technical reason behind the failure so those of us who have the same modifications (or are considering similar modifications) can make sure it does not happen.

Sure Trippy may sometimes be jumping to conclusions and thinking out loud, but I think it's the right thing to find out the truth behind the whole affair instead of lifting our hands and say it's not our problem. Heck, just because we have a brain, doesn't mean we shouldn't use it.

 

Two weeks so far.

If you go to a stereo-installer to have something installed.
even just a head-unit, make sure you refuse to sign a
waiver for damages to the car's electrical system so that
you can hold them liable if it blows out all the computers.

I would ask them to give you something IN WRITING
saying that they will pay for damages if the dealer says
that the stereo install blew up your computers. If they refuse
to do that, I would go to another installer.

This sounds like a serious issue, and I for one would certianly
not update any audio equipment in a MINI before this is resolved.

Sounds like the stereo installers are going to be losing some
cash if this keeps up.

 

He had a remote start kit installed, not a stereo.

 

I understand, it's just that if a remote-start kit can cause all this damage,
can a stereo install do so also?

No word from Peter at M7 or the owner yet.

I'm just concerned about causing $12,000 of damage to my MINI
if this owner is correct.

 

Those are very different mods. Different enough that I don't think stereo installs are relevant to his problem or this thread. Go ahead and get your stereo installed by a reputable shop and more than likely you will be fine. Plenty of people have done stereo installs with no problems.

I would like to see more details/updates on the poster's issue.

 

good morning all, sorry i haven't followed lately but here is the scoop, picked up the car last saturday,my advisor told me again of the total melt down of my wireing, all computers and main harness. after review of the estimate it showed that the labor for the harness was going to run over 5000 alone.
on another side issue, i want this trippy fellow to know that the plasma booster on the car has performed above all expectations, and that m7 has been nothing but a true gentleman in helping me with his guideance and expert knowledge of the mini.
now for the up date, my mini was towed 550 miles to a expert mechanic that has since tracked all the electronics back and the conclusion was that my ecu has bad, this is currently under review and there is a good possibility that warranty will cover it. if not the part retails for 1300 dollars.
thank all of you, well most of you for all the advise and concern, but for some of you don't take all this personal, i was not lieing or trying to decieve any one, i just wanted advise on how best to fix my mini.
also i wanted to thank randy at webb motor for all his help as well. if any one wants to talk further pleade contact me.

 

Thank you SuperiorSound for your reply.

I'm glad to hear that you don't have $12,000 worth of damage.

Please let us know if they cover the ECU damage under warranty.

It sounds like your dealer is a huge rip off artist.

MINIUSA, please look into this for us. Dealers like this
ripping off customers can do great damage to your brand.

(Aside to SS: Since the PB doesn;t actually do anything, I'm glad
you have acceptable results. )

 

Isn't the plasma booster (which is hacked into your ignition harness) more likely to be related to the damage you incurred than the stereo/alarm shop's hookup?

 

>>Isn't the plasma booster (which is hacked into your ignition harness) more likely to be related to the damage you incurred than the stereo/alarm shop's hookup?
not from what i understand, i was told that the ecu was bad and it was sending a direct current to the coil pack thus burning out the two i tried to replace.

 

It seems more likely that the dealer would deny the warranty claim based on the plasma booster than a remote starter...

 

the only thing i can reason in all this is that the plasma has been used in numerous minis with no problems and that the ecu has a poor track history, food for thought?

 

>>not from what i understand, i was told that the ecu was bad and it was sending a direct current to the coil pack thus burning out the two i tried to replace.

Oh man, I missed that possibility.

Since the PB hooks DIRECTLY up to the ECU output going to
the coil pack, I would suspect that it shorted the output transistors
in the ECU.

I would think M7 could get you a new ECU under warranty. :smile:

And I think this is a warning to anyone with a PB.

 

what is your problem with m7, this is bordering on personal. the pb was checked and all internals are fine, can't you do anything but have harsh feelings about peter, you act as if he ran over your dog!

 

How could this possibly be "bordering on personal?"

1) Your ECU got damaged and proceeded to damage your coil packs.
2) The PB attaches to the part of the ECU that was damaged.
3) Andy questioned the PBs effect on the ECU.
4) I supported that line of questioning.

And somehow we are getting personal?
I don't think there is any evidence of that.

This is a technical discussion about possibilities.
If it points in the direction of the PB, that's the way it goes.

 

>>>>Isn't the plasma booster (which is hacked into your ignition harness) more likely to be related to the damage you incurred than the stereo/alarm shop's hookup?
>>not from what i understand, i was told that the ecu was bad and it was sending a direct current to the coil pack thus burning out the two i tried to replace.

So, what damaged the ECU?

 

I wonder if the dealership is familiar with Occam's Razor?

 

I prefer BIC myself.

 

Anything new on this? I'm curious if everything was covered by warranty or what the final fix cost was.

Also, who was the original dealer, and was there ever any follow-up with them about the final diagnosis?

Looking forward to reading the final word.

 

>>It matters to me, and it should matter to you for a few reasons.
>>
>>1) If an aftermarket remote starter can destroy three computers and
>>an ignition system without any warning and void the warantee, I want
>>to know how so I can be sure it doesn;t happen to me.
>>
>>2) If a car can run with a stumble with three destroyed computers
>>and a burned-up wiring harness, I want to know just what these
>>computers do to help the car.
>>
>>3) If a dealer is lying and trying to rip this guy off for $12,000
>>I sure as hell want to know.
>>
>>Aren't you in the least bit curious and skeptical that all this can
>>happen from an aftermarker remote starter that worked fine?
>>
>>Sheesh, I like using my brain. It's fun. Try it sometime.

 

>>It matters to me, and it should matter to you for a few reasons.
>>
>>1) If an aftermarket remote starter can destroy three computers and
>>an ignition system without any warning and void the warantee, I want
>>to know how so I can be sure it doesn;t happen to me.
>>
>>2) If a car can run with a stumble with three destroyed computers
>>and a burned-up wiring harness, I want to know just what these
>>computers do to help the car.
>>
>>3) If a dealer is lying and trying to rip this guy off for $12,000
>>I sure as hell want to know.
>>
>>Aren't you in the least bit curious and skeptical that all this can
>>happen from an aftermarker remote starter that worked fine?
>>
>>Sheesh, I like using my brain. It's fun. Try it sometime.

 

Someone sent me a PM asking a question about this thread that I can't answer.

Peter from M7, Can you verify that the ECU outputs were putting out +12 Volts DC,
but that the car only ran rough?

What do you think caused the outputs on the ECU to fail (If that's what you verify for us)

 

Can Peter from M7 verify that the ECU was putting out +12 Volts into the coil
but the car ran with only a stumble?