Good Evening All.

New poster with a question (sorry). I bought a 2012 Mini Cooper with 30,000 miles. N18 engine, thermostat fixed. I heard this noise and it sounds like an external rattle coming from the head shield area. This video is just after my wife revved the engine. The noise then goes away. I also hear it for a short time when I pull into the parking garage at work just for a second when I slow down and the slowly accelerate. I bought the car two weeks ago. Any help or insight would be appreciated. Its a small clip of just the noise. Sorry its dark out.


Thanks. Love the car but after all my research Ive become paranoid.

 

do you have any check engine light? is the oil an antifreeze to proper level?

 

The oil is full and I get no warning lights at all. I will check the antifreeze. I bought it from a dealer and they said "everything was taken care of" regarding fluids etc. The oil was pretty clear. I listened when I drove into work and it seems to rattle seems to occur when there is engine movement such as slowing down and revving.


Thanks for the response


Ive checked pretty much every MINI video on YouTube and cannot find anything similar.

 

does it do that ONLY when you start the car for every start or only the first start of the day and when you leave it sitting for few hours lets say?

 

It seems to happen at various times. This was taken after we returned from dinner. I heard it when I got out of the car to let wife and kid in the house (let engine run so the oil can cool). At first I assumed it was the exhaust when decelerating . It seems to happen when there is any physical movement to the motor itself (?). The car runs well and there doesn't seem to be any performance changes associated with noise. Thanks

 

the only thing other suggestion i might have is, when the car is cooler to touch, feel if there is any loose parts near that area. if nothing, then start the car and lessen carefully as to where the noise is coming from. pay attention to the turbo area, the VANOS area, and Vacuum pump area. The N18 engine much better and solid compared to the N14 engine.

 

Thanks I will try that.

 

Another interesting thing.... It also makes this noise while idling in the drive way when I press the brake. Taking it to the dealer in the morning.

 

Hummm....try to take the abs fuses out amd see if the noise is still there....could it be the abs pump? Do you have brake fluid?

 

Ill check. My appt is at 0930hrs and ill update this thread. Thanks again

 

Took it to the dealer. The issue has been resolved. It was a heat shield rattle at the catalytic converter. Fixed at no charge

 

Thanks for the update. I have the same exact rattle-thanks to your attached file. Will be checking the heat shield latter.

 

Here is the exact wording on the work order:

"Traced rattle to the heat shields at cat and over turbo".

Hope your fix goes as smooth as mine