Hi everyone...MINI down and need your help/experience/expertise (because Prestige MINI in Mahwah apprently can do none of the three)

I recently parked my MINI on my inclined driveway and the next morning (after a night of rain), found water had leaked from under the dash close to the left of the clutch. There were a few cups of water caught by my mat.

I drove off thinking nothing of it, but after about 1 minute EML and DSC turned on and Winston (my mini's name) went into limp.

Long story shorter, I just spoke with Prestige MINI, my home dealership I had Winston towed to, and they said they couldnt touch it, too much aftermarket.

I asked the SA what fault/problem they found and they said it was the Manifold Absolute Pressure (sensor?).

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? Throttle body (unmodified/original) or any of my mods listed in my sig below? Could it have something to do with any electrical getting wet? I know the OBD II socket is near the leak - I thought EML had something to do with electrical fault.

If anyone has any input or experience with this, I'd really appreciate it. I hope you're all doing well and motoring along Brian

 

There seems to be two likely culprits. Water getting into wiring, or an actual sensor or something going bad.

did you scan the car with a scan tool? The Mini dealer can do this (and get more info than ann OBD-II fault code reader), and clear the codes as well.

1) Id see if they come back with the car dried out.

2) Look to see if any water is around the electronics stuff. If it came in via the firewall, there's an electrical panal in the driver footwell. Maybe issues there.

3) The car uses a lot of info busses. All hell can brake loose if they get wet.

4) Isn't the GIAC a piggyback? Any chance you got water in there? If it is a piggy back, yank it for troubleshooting. And check the connectors, and blow them with compressed air to dry them out.

5) Are you near a Mini tuner? They may be able to help, but it will cost.

6) For Mini to walk away, they haveto prove that your mods caused the problem. It may be worth the fight.

Good luck!

Matt

 

GIAC is not a piggy back, but an actual ECU remap.

 

oh wow, thanks for the quick response...lets see what i can narrow down from what you suggested (thanks sooo much by the way)...

1) Id see if they come back with the car dried out.

*****(gave it a day or so to dry out, no luck)

2) Look to see if any water is around the electronics stuff. If it came in via the firewall, there's an electrical panal in the driver footwell. Maybe issues there.

*****yep, there's a leak through the firewall from a subpar install of an aftermarket alarm/remote start i had installed over a year ago

3) The car uses a lot of info busses. All hell can brake loose if they get wet.

***** where would i be able to find the busses?

4) Isn't the GIAC a piggyback? Any chance you got water in there? If it is a piggy back, yank it for troubleshooting. And check the connectors, and blow them with compressed air to dry them out.

*****i think its just a straight up remap

5) Are you near a Mini tuner? They may be able to help, but it will cost.

***** the only person/tuner I would trust is Eric down at Helix in Philly and I'm not so much worried about cost - eric is always very fair - but I dont know that he would have time, he's probably super busy. That and I'd have trouble bringing it down there and going back to get it, i'm about an hour and a half away.

6) For Mini to walk away, they haveto prove that your mods caused the problem. It may be worth the fight.

***** They said they would have to set the car back to stock to figure out the problem and that the hole that cause the leak in the firewall was caused by an improper seal when my aftermarket alarm was put in. do i have a case? I just wanna know whats causing it at least so i can at least do something about it.

Thanks Matt for the help...Im hoping the additional information might help narrow down what i need to do to get back on the road.
Sincerely, bri

 

Since a mod got the water in there. The info busses run all around the car, pretty much everywhere. I think two are at the OBD-II diagnostic port. 3-4 go to the unit behind the speedo in the center of the dash, the tach runs off of a bus as well.

Does it still go into limp mode? If it doesn't get out of that, I'd say call Helix and make an appointment.

If it doesn't go into limp mode, but the lights are still on, go to an Autozone or equivalent and use the loaner scanner or buy one, they start at about $60 and are a must have for computer controlled cars.

Don't know if I can be much more help.....

Matt

 

Find out the exact fault code. It could be something as simple as a disconnected sensor, frayed wire, etc.

 

There you go, being all reasonable like....

Matt

 

Or the sky could indeed be falling.

BriNYU, definitely get in touch with Eric at Helix.

 

THANKS MATT & ANDY. I just got back from having 'Winston' flat-bedded from Prestige MINI.

I was able to get in touch with Eric @ Helix, who has been really helpful all day both in terms of trying to help figure out what to do and more importantly, calming me down and reminding me that its 'just a car' and that there are worse things in life.

So I'm having AAA flatbed the car down to Philly - Eric is busy with a whole lot of work so not sure when he'll be able to get to it, but even if it means the car being down there for a while, at least I know its in good hands. (supposed to be back at work in Chicago on Monday, so i guess i might have to fly and rent a car)

If anyone else has any ideas that havent been brought up, please post if you can.

 

Oh no, Prestige MINI wouldnt even touch it, I asked for a fault code,etc, and according to the work slip it says "found multiple codes relating to intake manifold pressure. Vehicle cannot be properly diagnosed with vast amount of engine modifications."

I had to start the car and move it for the AAA flatbed at Prestige...and as it idled, it went from 0-1500, over and over again. Just tried idling it in my driveway, and it just sputters from 500-1500 in idle.

This is sad. I brought it to a shop before i brought it to Prestige and the only thing they got was the catalytic coverter right before i brought it to MINI.

 

Did the light come back on after you cleared it? If the engine runs, and the hazard lights,windows, and climate control all work then your busses are up and running.

What were the driving conditions at the time?

"what could cause it?"
pulley/overboost, map sensor, bypass valve, air leak..

 

Sounds like how THDUKE was running last Friday, turned out to be a $43.50 defective MAP sensor.

 

Oh wow, really? dang, i wish i had heard from you earlier, maybe thats it (pray pray pray pray pray) Is a map sensor something i can run to the dealer for and put in myself? I just went through the trouble of having to drive the hour to Prestige for AAA pickup

If thats something I can put in myself or even bring to a local performance shop or something, i'd definitely give it a shot for $43.

 

Hi there. I just recently purchased an ACtron OBD-II scanner. Given that I'm in Brooklyn, I'd be willing to offer to scan your car to grab the codes.

Let me know!