Tuesday night I had the fun experience of getting an engine malfunction. (see picture of associated error attached). Of course it happened in heavy traffic going up hill. The result of the error is MUCH reduced power. I pulled off at the next opportunity and called my dealer here in Denver. They were able to get me in the next morning. Turned out when I started the car back up the error was gone, but thanks to other peoples comments on this site I took their advice and snapped a picture before I shut the car off.

They had to keep my car overnight to reprogram it. It seems that I'm not the first person with the issue. In fact the mechanic stated that they had so many of them that MINI provided them with a computer patch to install. The error is a result of warm temps and driving at 8000 feet. As I live at 8700 feet I was surprised I hadn't had the issue before, but they say it has to be the altitude and the right warm temp (mid 80s). As this is my first summer with my Countryman I hadn't experienced those temps yet till Tuesday.

I just thought that if anyone is headed up into the rockies this summer they may want to ask their dealer to install this patch that Schomp MINI was provided before heading up. Just note that the programming takes over night.

 

You have me worried now! I live at about 5000 with temps well into the 90s and have not had a problem. However I have not had my countryman for a full summer yet. Also, I have not driven it over donner pass (7000 ft) in the summer yet. Do you know if it can be a problem with a one time trip at high altitude or is it a result of the car mainly residing at that altitude? I guess I can ask our dealer if they have seen any issues with this on local cars.

 

FWIW, I had a CM for 18 months and this particular problem never came up. I go over Donner almost weekly and Geiger every once in a while. You might actually be OK.
I assume your local dealer is Bill Pearce. Having dealt with them for several years now, their answer is going to be that they have never seen that problem. It's their standard answer, and it might be true in this case.

 

Okay, good to know, thanks!

 

I talked to the mechanic and he said he could make any of the cars fail. It however had to be the right circumstances to make it fail. Over 8000', over 80 degrees and going up hill, so putting it under a strain. Since there aren't a lot o places around the country where you drive over 8000', I'm sure it doesn't apply to many of us MINI owners. I live at 8700 feet, so if it happened every time you got to 8000 feet I would have experienced it back in November when I bought the car. This is the first time it actually got warm enough and I was in traffic going up hill.

As Donner Pass is just over 7000' you will be fine....but bring a friend just in case you have problems and get hungry!