Did everyone else survive the rain on the east coast yesterday? Jeez...

On my commute home, I was on a two-lane surface road at about 5:15 and I could barely see the lines, much less the dark road in front of me. Then, all of the sudden, my diver-side wheel hit a bump or a pothole or something in the road with a "thwack" and Napoleon threw a bunch of warning lights.

I thought at first I had blown a tire, but then I realized I was looking at the DTC malfunction light, which poped up along with a ABS malfunction light and a check engine light.

I pulled over to check my tire and just have a look around the car... the body looked fine, and then when I restarted the car only the check engine light remained. I actually passed my MINI dealer, so I stoped in and my MA showed me where to plug in a OBC II reader I have from my days of owning a 10+ year-old car.

I plugged the reader in and got code 1775. I went back in and asked the service guys what I it was and they told me it was a generic code and that I should clear and wait to see if it pops again. Which I was kind of thinking anyway; I figure the CE light poped because the sudden vertical movement of the engine caused a misfire or something -and that there wasn't longterm damage.

What I am worried about is the left front tie rod and anything else in the wheel area. I think he was driving fine this morning, but you know how if you suspect something is wrong every little things feels like a confirmation of the fear?

What do you guys think? To worry or no?

 

Poor thing got shook up! I drove from Baltimore to NYC and back yesterday, and luckily only hit a minor pothole.
I'd listen to the dealer and drive the car, and see how it feels- no one knows better than you what the suspension baseline is, and if anything is out of whack. If anything, check the strut mount for mushrooming? I need to get that M7 strut brace with the anti-mushroom plates, but I have to wait until after the holidays.

 

You may want to consider getting the M7 anti-mushroom plates, they are supposed to really help damage. I put them on my car after reading that this is a weak point on our cars. If your front end feels like it tracking the same I would not worry about it. If it would make you feel better get an alignment. You should be fine, there not as fragile as you think.

 

The rain in Boston was also quite amazing over the last two days. It's snowing in the South and raining up North! I've gone over bumps with the JCW suspension that have made the glove-box open with no noticeable repercussions! As others have stated, check the strut-towers and possibly alignment, but I'd also check the inside circumference of the wheel. I slightly bent a stock 16" R84 on my first 2003 MCS which I didn't think was possible, but it happened. You have to be careful in the wet as you don't know what's under the next puddle. In the spring, some of those can swallow MINIs!

 

I just took him for a drive during my lunch break, and he appears to handle just fine.

When I take him in for his next service, I'll ask about checking out the strut-towers and alignment, but if everything feels okay, no need to worry immediately, right?

 

Don't worry about you will be fine

 

Yeah, wicked brutal weather. We just got power back about an hour ago and we just now had a crew by to come get lines out from across the road. Fun.

 

whew good thing im in NM for the weekend. but i hear that my house in VT got about 10 inches of snow. FYI you dont have to wait to go to the dealer to check the towers, just open the bonnet and see if there is any major mushrooming where the shocks come through.

 

First off there is no "generic" OBDII code...

The P1775 code indicates a Gearbox Malfunction.

While I guess their advice to clear and wait is reasonable, it's entirely annoying when a tech suggests that any code is "generic". Kinda like car dealers that say the light is on "because of no big deal...happens all the time". BS.

At any rate, if the light comes on again you know you have damage. I do think it's unlikely.

 

Hm. Misinformation. Lovely.

Gearbox, eh? Well, I guess a jolt like I took probably interfered with the auto changing gears. I was probably in the middle of a gear change when I hit the bump...

No return CE light, so I'm still in wait and cross fingers mode... thanks for the info NS!