Hello Motoring friends,

It has been a couple days now that my new MINI makes a noise I can't really explain. It's brand new, has 607 miles on the odometer.

The other day as I was parking in my garage with the window down, I heard some sort of squeak or rattling coming from the engine compartment. I am no mechanic but I don't think it sounds right. It doesn't occur when I press on the accelerator, it's usually when the engine runs and the car is in Park or when I crawl in and out of my parking space only using the break pedal. It makes this bizarre squeak from time to time - sort of hummingbird particularly annoying especially when I come back from my drive.

I know the best thing would be to drop it off at the dealer and have them inspect the whole thing but I have read so many horror stories about belts (cause it kinda sounds like a belt that needs to be lubricated to me?) and engine defects that I need an opinion before I go so I can sleep at night.

I finally decided to take my camera and shoot a video so you can hear what it's all about. The squeak is REALLY pronounced when I turn the engine off. Have a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAi1bshODKQ

Has anyone encountered that before? Ugh, I feel like there are gonna tell me at the dealer I need to leave my baby for a week and they are gonna take everything apart and end up telling me all is fine when I feel like it's not.

It runs perfectly fine though. :(

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks guys!

 

Wow, no response! I will try and video mine as well. I have a 2008 with 28k that just started this same thing.

 

Looks like the OP double-posted, although the other thread doesn't have the video clip (might explain the lack of replies here). There are a few reply posts in that other thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...xperience.html

Interesting that others were speculating that it was the water pump, as that would have been my best guess. The shut-down noise in particular has that all-too-common failing water pump sound.

I don't see that the OP ever came back with a final diagnosis and resolution.

 

I have the same squeal when I turn off my car and this was before and after the aux water pump recall.

 

Thus confirming that the failing pumps that squeak are almost exclusively the primary cooling water pump, and NOT the aux water pump (which didn't squeal, just caught on fire ).