Does anyone know how to reset your ecu on the mini?

 

one method .. Disconnect the battery for a few minutes (~5 mins)...

Question is why do you want to??

 

oh cool, i thaught their was a really hard method. Cool thanks.

 

I can't speak for him, but I am having problems with my '05 MCSC. We left it at the airport for two weeks while on vacation. Got back and on the way home I went to accelerate while going uphill (something I have done countless times before) and I got the dreaded cutout. Since then I have had to drive a considerably long distance and realized that no matter what gear I was in, if I accelerated hard enough to kick in the SC, it would go into cutout mode.

I can't take it to the dealer because they don't have any appointments before we have to ship it back to the States at the end of August (yes, you read that right...no appts for a month and a half) but I want to DRIVE. I am going to go try this, just in case it works. IF anyone else has any thoughts, I am all ears.

PS-I'm almost certain it is the shitty gas we get here in Sardegna.

 

Don't think disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes or 5 months is going to do anything.

 

Correct.
5 months, maybe.

 

It probably won't but sitting here isn't doing **** either.

By the way...it is an '05 with less than 3K miles on it. This **** shouldn't be happening.


edit: so any ideas on what it might be?

 

PS-I'm almost certain it is the shitty gas we get here in Sardegna

How about this?

 

depends on how bad the gas could be..
but if you are trying to accelerate and it happens.. could be the fuel filter is jammed up with crud... I think the filter is in the gas tank area under the rear passenger seat.. Not sure..


The other things to check
1- IC boots. are they loose and leaking pressure??
- which would cause the bypass valve to act up..

2-Intake hose to the throttle body is lose..???

3- Spark plug wires connected


Just offering suggestions..

 

Thanks. I will check all of those tomorrow when it gets light out. And when I figure out what an IC boot is.

 

opps sorry .. IC Boot is the Intercooler boot..

You will have to remove the intercooler cover (4 - size 30 torx screws) to see the IC boots. See the first 2 post in this thread for pictures of a what you don't want..

While you are in ther follow the hose from the air box down to the dirver's side of the engine. It will guide you to the throttle body. Check that hose connect too.. you should not see "shinny" aluminum.. that would say the intake hose has slipped off..

Good luck . hope that helps.

 

That helps a lot. I'm not very smart when it comes to the under the hood stuff. It makes sense that something got jarred loose. Stupid Coblestone roads...

 

I was under the impression that disconnecting the battery would reset the ECU's learned driving optimization process - is that wrong? If so why do they say that after installing mods (pulley, header, etc) that it will take about a 100 miles for the car to adjust to them? I think even the MINI manual mentions that.

 

That is my feeling.. You are right.. I usually tell those that mod to get it a tank of gas to really see the impact of the mod..

 

Well crap...everything appears to be in place. Normally that would be a good thing, but in this case it isn't. When I had the hood open I started it up and gave it some gas and it was still a little hesitant to really rev up, but it didn't die. Today while I was driving I tried again and it is still doing it. Oh well :( less than a month until it ships and then we will find a good dealership in the Norfolk, VA area to take it to :(

 

One of the guys from a local club suggests this method, he own a 2005 MCS:


This is an easy way to reset the ECU (after an MTH upgrade for instance) without disconnecting the battery and losing radio and clock programming.

I found a good set of directions so here they are:

1. With the key in the ignition, but in the off position, press and hold down the odometer reset button, while holding the button down, switch the key in the ignition to position 1.

2. The screen will say 'Test' and a number.

3. Scroll through, (pressing & releasing the reset button) through to test 19 and wait a moment.

4. Wait and the message will say "log i-off" then "log i-on" and back to "log i-off" again. When "log i-off" appears, press again. You are now in the system. (Woooo)

5. You can (if you wish) start the ignition any time from now.

6. Scroll through to test 21 (press, release, press, release, etc.) Some numbers are skipped so watch closely. When you get to test 21, the message will say "reset"

7. Press the odometer reset button again while "reset" is displayed. The dash lights will go out and you'll hear a buzzing sound (I think it's the fuel pump but I'm not sure.) Wait a few seconds and the dash lights will come back on.

8. Switch off the ignition to exit the system.


Try at your own risk, your luck may vary, never tried it myself, just passing it on.

 

I noticed that lately my car has seemed to take longer to crank up and also seemed a little sluggish. I decided to try this in my '02.

I'm at work so I cannot just go drive around, but I did notice it cranks up faster. Is this something that would be a result of an ECU reset?

 

Norfolk? Well then, you'll be visiting Checkered Flag MINI in Virginia Beach. I've only been there for buying my MINI, a door seal leak and 1st oil change but they've treated me well so far.

 

Well if this isn't odd...the car works fine now. We had it shipped to San diego and I picked it up last week. Just out of curiousity a couple days later I floored it when no one was around and it didn't die, it took off. And it continues to do so. Now, either whatever was loose magically re-attached itself or unhooking it from the battery for 5 weeks did the trick. Either way it appears to be fixed.

I am now in Point Loma, San Diego for a few months and need to find a Mini Dealership to get oil changed, etc. Then have to find a good body shop for cosmetic repairs :( Any suggestions for either in San Diego would be appreciated. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

The "local" MINI dealership is Brecht MINI.. web site
Phone number listed on the site is 760-291-2890
But I have 760-745-3000
One of those should get you connected.

Not sure what kind of cosmetic repairs that you are looking for.. Brecht has a few companies they can call to help out.. There is also "The Detail Shop" near Brecht that several in my MINI club go to...
They are at 1400 Auto Park Way.. Phone 760-745 3977 probably call first..
He also has windshield and paintless dent removal services on call too..

Hope that helps...