Well have my first problem. Here's what happened today...came home from about a 300 mile trip. Sounded like the fan was running very loudly when I turned the car off. Didn't think much of it at the time. Drove out a few hours later...no problems. Went to dinner for a few hours, and when I came out and started the car, I hit the start button and the car sort of stuttered...sounded like when you crank an old car up trying to get it to turn over. I hit the stop button, then hit it again to start and it started up normally. A half mile later, the warning lights went off and said the car was overheated and to pullover and turn it off. Should point out the temp was barely above freezing out. Roadside assistance sent a tow truck and hauled the poor little guy off to mini...any guesses what's going on?

 

First, did you check your coolant level?

Second thing that comes to mind would be the thermostat.

Less likely (because you'd have had a warning in the form of a squealing noise) is waterpump failure.

Hopefully a straightforward repair unless you've damaged the engine by overheating it. To confirm, you pulled the car over while it was still running and shut it off yourself, yes? By that I mean, the engine didn't seize up and stall or anything, I hope.

 

Oh no, poor PIP, I hope you find out what's wrong!

 

DeLux...thanks for the reply! I did not check the coolant...the spot where I pulled over was pretty dark and I didn't have a flashlight on me so I couldn't see to do it. I did pull over while it was still running and shut it off. Talked to the dealership this morning and they think that its probably just a bad sensor that made the car THINK it was overheating. That makes sense, because I don't see how it could have gotten hot enough just going that half mile.
Jen...fingers are crossed that it's nothing big, I don't think it is.

 

As of recently there have been a number of threads regarding bad thermostats causing the symptoms you've described. I'm sure it'll be a quick fix and you'll be back motoring like nothing happened.

 

I feel better about the whole situation this morning. As aggravating as it is to be "broke down on the side of the road" in a car that isn't even two months old, I feel pretty confident that its minor and have been very pleased with how MINI Roadside, Concierge, and the dealership have handled it.

 

Sorry for your troubles and hopefully you'll be back on the road again very soon. Good luck!

 

Same thing happened to my MINI last week. Called road side assitance to get it towed in and the service department replaced the thermostat. Back on the road again with no more problems...so far.

 

So, it really wasn't overheating right? Just a faulty thermostat....would it be safe enough to just drive to the dealership or better to have it towed?

 

If I understood correctly, no, it wasn't really overheating, just a faulty thermostat sensor. I guess would have been OK to drive on to the dealership, but better safe than sorry. (My 2008 Honda Civic lost all of its coolant and I ended up with a blown engine, so I dont take chances!)

 

Same here my car was not actually overheating it was just the faulty themostat. My service manager suggested I have MINI RA come pick it up because that's what it's for and because YES it's better safe than sorry.

 

What year is your car?
My service advisor indicated he'd seen several 2012s with this issue already.

 

I see, and true....better to be safe than sorry

 

2011; built November 2010.