As I am driving through my neighborhood at 20 mph, a CEL pops up. So I pull up to Discount Auto Parts to read what code was being thrown and it turned out to be the MAF. Because of this CEL, I took my car to Lauderdale MINI to get the CEL fixed. This dealer always cracks me up because they never do ANYTHING. This is just an example of why I always go to Braman instead of Lauderdale MINI, they ALWAYS give me problems there. I just thought I'd share this.


The funny thing is I've had the intake on the car since the first 5k miles and never mentioned my intake for past CEL problems.

 

I guess if you take off the CAI and take it back to them, they MIGHT be able to figure it out for you.

 

At least they did not say anything about the rest of your aftermarket parts. Thanks for the info. Very similar to my Mini Dealer, Keeler.

Did you figure out what the problem?

 

cold are intakes are a confusing thing they are

 

especially when they have filters and does stuff

 

what a bunch of retards

 

They first have to prove that the MAF issue is directly related to having an intake. Which they can not prove until they diagnose it correctly.

Also if you put it back to stock and bring it back in they will fix the issue.

 

This is an example of how systematic and universal stupidity has become. Those mechanics are not even embarrased by this (and, God knows, they should be).

richi, thanks for sharing that document with us.

 

I'm not a fan of Lauderdale MINI. Hell, I went up there just to look at a car for purchase and they all but pushed me off the lot! I went to vista and bought CHOMPER in the same week. On top of that they give you a rental car instead of a loaner, ew.
_d

 

It looks like they are simply blaming the intake system for the CEL issue. I would suggest putting it back to stock, taking it back to get a correct diagnosis of the issue. There is really nothing more they can say once the stock intake is back on. Doesn't look like they talked about any other mods. Did you just get the downpipes installed?

 

Lauderdale has ALWAYS given me problems, I've had the downpope installed for 5k+ miles and the code being thrown is not the common DP CEL, my OBD scangauge is showing p12a2 and p0100.

 

In theory. However, I believe what the pic captures is an overall reluctance to touch, and thus assume responsiblity for, a non-stock component. I'm not sure I'd want the dealership guys touching my mods. When they strip a thread or clamp they may not have the correct replacement part. Then what? After all, we've all read the threads of bungled services at the dealership. And that's on parts, equipment, and procedures they've been trained on. These aren't always the most savvy 'mechanics'.

 

Yea, glad you said this. When they get a CEL related to the MAF and look and see you have a CAI attached, I would completely have expected them NOT to touch it. Why should they be responsible and waste their labor hours trying to find an issue that might very well infact be caused by thing the customer has done to their car, especially when its in plain sight?

Sure, maybe richi knew it wasn't the CAI, but you have to look at it from their perspective. They see so much crap that people put on their cars, they cannot waste their resources to find problems which may be closely related to what the parts the customer has changed. In my opinion, the dealer did the right thing here. It might be very frustrating to you as a modder/enthusiast owner., but keep in mind that the vast majority of their customers are NOT. Its a good idea to find a skilled local mechanic, who is familiar with modding MINI's, when you have problems.

And, I will have to disagree with that last statement in the quote above...you'd be surprised how many truly qualified and extremely knowledgeable technicians there are...especially at a BMW/MINI dealer. There are always exceptions of course...

 

That's fair. I would point out, however, I didn't intend my comment to be all inclusive. Y'know?

 

Oh, I'm sure you didn't....just wanted to give the techs the credit that most deserve

 

The CEL states that the MAF sensor is faulty/malfunctional. This has nothing to do with touching the intake to diagnose the car. A knowledgeable mechanic wouldn't state that the car "cannot be diagnosed due to an aftermarket intake" nor spend hours looking for the problem when codes can be read through the obd. BTW the CEL is on with limp mode.

 

I could understand if they said we can fix it B"UT it will not be covered by warranty, because a faulty MAF can be related directly to the intake.

When i spoke to my dealer about getting an intake, they said that it wouldn't **** with the warranty of other components of the car, but if the MAF were to be damaged they would not cover it.

In the case that you do have a bad MAF, don't you just replace it? don't see why they didn't do that...

 

they shouldn't have said they can't diagnose the problem

they could easily blame ur intake for the MAF problem

especially oil based filters are known to damage MAF's over time

they could of tried to charge u for replacing it..

but it's silly they can't diagnose it.. unless they don't want to "touch" something aftermarket inorder to Get to the MAF to visually inspect it

 

Richi0207,

P12A2: Turbocharger/Supercharger Boost Pressure, Maximum Pressure Front Of Throttle Valve Implausible

P0100: Mass or Volume Air Flow 'A' Circuit

This information is from MiniTis website, I know that you have a DP from Hector, I have same DP but with a different code, on my case the problem is with the Second sensor, bottom part of DP, as per this web site, when the ECU received same number from those two sensor, a CEL light up

 

I don't blame the dealer at all on this. Aftermarket intakes are known to mess with the MAF in a number of different ways from different airflow pattern to oil coating it. The intake directly affects the MAF.

Put your stock intake back on and take it back.

If you get a cel dealing with the exhaust don't expect them to do warranty work while you have the DP either.

 

After 27,000 miles on the intake?

 

Well, in the mean time you could try cleaning your MAF sensor yourself. I have to do this on my wife's Celica from time to time. You can buy the spray cleaner at Advanced Auto and it works like a charm. Good luck.

 

Yes, especially with the foam filter Alta sends out that is in a bag with a gallon of oil.

I had the Alta CAI and the oil caused serious problems with my MINI. I got rid of the oily foam and installed a dry filter.
After cleaning the oil off the MAF and 2 other sensors along the intake track it was all good.

Heck, clean your MAF really well and the light may go away. I'd do that before taking it back to the dealer with the stock intake. If you don't and they find oil on the MAF, you can expect to pay for the repair out of your own pocket at $100+ per hour for labor and the dealership will be fully justified.

edit: Just noticed you also have the unichip. CELS are a way of life with that thing. Do not let the dealership see it or they could really give you grief then.

Many of us are into performance and do things to make our cars faster. You just have to remember you are possibly voiding your warranty when you do something to the car. You have a pretty big mod list that screams "customer pay". And I'm not just talking about the engine. Your electrical system is in danger too from the boost gauge (you cut into the factory wiring harness to install that didn't you?). Break an axle, blow a clutch, grenade your transmission? Your engine is producing much more power than the factory certified it for.

Mod to your hearts content, just don't cry and try to blame a dealership when something goes wrong that probably would not have gone wrong had you left well enough alone.

 

Like others have said, it has everything to do with the fact that the intake directly relates to the MAF. If the CEL states MAF sensor is faulty/malfuncting, they look for what might have CAUSED that to happen. They don't have to look far at all, other than opening your hood and seeing an CAI bolted on right there before the MAF. Thus the quick and easy "unable to diagnose due to aftermarket" statement you got on your RO. Hell, I too have gotten that statement, even when me and other family members were employees of the dealership itself!

Look at it from their view, as a dealership. They are paid by BMW/MINI to work on and fix problems that are related to BMW/MINI's parts and assmebly...not people's aftermarket crap, that may or may not be the root cause of a simple CEL light. Sucks, but that's the case.

^^^Wonderful and accurate words of wisdom

 

They need to include a big @ss can of MAF spray and a filter oil catch can.