Hi kind folk,

Another Q for my fellow Mini owners. Mines a 2014 F56 MCS manual.
Long story short, I had white vapor coming from AC Vents. Diagnosed as OFH leak.
Replaced the OFH using DIY's I found online which said to unbolt and swing the secondary coolant water pump out of the way to remove intake manifold which provides access to the OFH.
Once reinstalling the new OFH, I did the following:
1. I replaced engine oil and primed the oil circuit (need to pull fuel system/pump fuse to do this)
2. I replaced coolant and bled the system using BMW TIS process (See attached pdf)
3. Got a new AGM battery installed (took it to walmart to charge up, they just gave me a new one)
3. I started the car yesterday and it started right up, ran strong. It also ran strong during the coolant bleed process.
4. Today, I went to finally take the car for a test drive and while the starter cranks just fine, the engine never fires up. Battery is strong (12.2v on test) as its new, so I guess its not the case of a low battery.

At this point, not knowing what it could be, I popped the hood and saw that I forgot to plug in the MAF sensor cable. So I plugged it back into the side of the Air Intake and tried again. Still, cranks for like 10 seconds but never fires up. Checked battery, it held at 12.2 v still. What the heck happened while it was parked overnight? NOTE: I did have to unplug ECU cables and plug them back in. Could that have done it?
I scanned the car and got 9 codes:
1. P0118 - Engine coolant temp sensor circuit high
2. P169F
3. P110D
4. P0122 - Throttle position sensor/switch "A" circuit low input
5. P0222 - Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "B" Circuit low
6. P0237 - Turbo Boost Sensor "A" Circuit Low
7. P0108 - Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Sensor Circuit High
8. P0444 - Evaporative Emission Control System Purge Control Valve Circuit Open
9. P0100 - Mas Air Sensor Signal

Any ideas for me??

 

I really have no idea but............. with all those codes pertaining to many different items could it be a wire or ground that is common to all those items ?? Or a still disconnected connector ??

 

I just replaced my OFH this weekend. A lot of those codes are related to the sensors that are disconnected during the procedure. Did you disconnect the battery during the entire job? If not, then maybe the car "woke up" at some point, and stored those faults because of all the disconnected items? Have you tried clearing the faults, and seeing if they return?

Oh wait, that doesn't explain why the car refuses to start now...

 

I assume you tried clearing all codes to see if that gets the car to play nice again?

Also, I concur that the code stack reeks of either:

(a) disconnected the feeds from all those sensors,AND/OR;

(b) disconnected a ground that provides circuit completion for all those sensors.

 

OFH? meaning?

 

Oil Filter housing?

 

Thats my guess also, the oil filter housing and something is not connected right, Oil filter housing DIY https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...s-done-it.html

 

Yep Oil Filter Housing, he's been using that acronym for a little bit on us

 

Hi folks, just got back in town after several months on the West Coast (without my Mini).
Heres an update on the situation.

As soon as I arrived I scanned with this shitty $50 Amazon Creator or something and got generic codes without any descriptions. I cleared them with the device and got the same generic codes. So, I downloaded BimmerUtility as well as Bimmerlink as I decided I needed more detail and am not brave enough just yet to learn to use ESYS/ISTA just yet.
I tried googling every code for hours and I posted comments below on whatever info I could find.
Currently, full power not available along with rough idle. Also, Passenger window button not working consistently and car occasionally flashes a "no key" error even though the key is right there in the car. And yes, the key fob also has a new-ish battery from about 6mo ago.

Moving along, this is the current information I received from the new software:

2/6/2025 Current Error Messages In the Mini itself:

• Drivetrain Malfunction
• Chassis stabilization

2/6/2025 DTC Codes from Bimmerlink/BimmerUtility Scans:

0300A0: Front passenger door power windows: system not normalized

• perhaps I need to
  reinitialize
  passenger window it seems? The window does not respond to the button immediately anymore. Takes like 7-10 tries. Additionally, the car doesnt respond to the keyfob anymore on first try, need to press it like 10+ times and eventually the car unlocks. Also, the car didnt even recognize the key until about after 10minutes of it sitting right on top of the steering column. Some weirdly electrical happening here!!

8040BD: Terminal 30F reset or deactivated

• I googled this, apparently its an error when battery too low to start car, not a big deal I gather. Probably from the dead battery I had returned to. So I went to Walmart, they replaced the 7mo old battery. After several successful starts, I scanned the battery condition and Bimmerlink shows proper voltage as well as 80% charge. I then proceed to register battery using BimmerCode.

213601: Power management: Standby current violation <-- no idea

E71448: Signal (data of AUC sensor, 0x2D0) invalid, transmitter FEM/BDC <-- no idea

804399: AUC sensor: invalid PWM signal <-- no idea

804398: AUC sensor: Line disconnection or short circuit to B+ <-- no idea

107A50: Consequent reaction: Throttle valve: Emergency operation mode active <-- no idea

20A504: Turbocharger coolant pump, activation: Open circuit <-- no idea

D36D58: Signal (powertrain 1 wheel torque, 41.3.4) invalid, transmitter DME / DDE / EDME <-- ABS wheel speed sensor?

102A01: Air mass meter, signal: electrical fault (from Bimmerlink) <-- Mass Air (MAF) Sensor died on me?

Im suspecting the following issues, PLEASE let me know your thoughst!!

1. I replaced the grounding strap (battery to chassis) with a $10 new one from Napa Auto just to see if that could be it. Didnt help at all, still got the codes posted above.
2. On reddit, a BMW tech suggested maybe IBS unit on the black battery terminal cable somehow got damaged. He said it wasnt a common but also not entirely uncommon issue. Im debating if to replace (because they're $140, not so cheap!) to see if thats part of the problem.
3. AUC Sensor is mentioned in 3 DTC's above. Is that just related to other issues or does this sensor fail often on Mini's? Maybe I damaged it during the OFH repair or it was just on its way out anyhow? Or, perhaps it got damaged by the sweet smelling vapor was coming through AC Vents on my last major drive (when this all started)?
4. Maybe I damaged the DME (car computer) when unplugging and re-plugging in the cables multiple times?
5. Last but not least (and DEFINITELY hope this isnt it!), maybe the sweet smelling vapor from AC vents was NOT the common Oil Filter Housing issue but a leaking Heater Core? How would I even know? I will add, as soon as I replaced the OFH there's no more vapor from AC vents when I took a quick lil test drive around the neighborhood. That said, the car refused to let me go above like 20mph too.

Im not sure where to begin.
Do I just order: new AUC Sensor & new black battery terminal cable, and start there?
What would you guys suggest?
Im about to remove Air intake system and other items to have a better look at whats going on underneath.
I may also remove my battery, check all DME Cables (AGAIN!), the ground strap, AUC Sensor and whatever else you guys suggest I look at.
I'll post an update shortly!!

Thanks very much to everyone here too. Honestly couldnt own an older Mini if it wasnt for this community.

 

If your battery is dead or has a corroded/lousy ground, etc. lots of codes will throw. Suggest you make sure 100% battery is fully charged and connected well - including ground. Rather than chase random codes, check that. I had that happen once when care was on the lift for a week with old battery.

 

Battery could show just fine while sitting there, but when you crank your voltage could drastically drop and create havoc in the monitoring circuits. What voltage is your battery showing when cranking?? You may need to ditch the DVOM and use an old-skool analog sweep meter to see the voltage variation.

 

Short circuit will cause codes like that 804398. I would not buy an AUC sensor. I bought an unnecessary replacement AUC sensor because of exactly this sort of thing. Find the cause of and resolve the short circuit code first.

Same for all the other stack of codes. Short circuit will cause low/insufficient/out of spec voltage in various places, and additionally causes comm issues between modules as side-effect, and that in turn causes all sorts of codes as things flame out trying to yap at each other. Find the cause of and resolve the short circuit code first.

Short circuit + starting problem = ... you know what I'm going to say,

The good news is all the above makes it pretty simple in terms of approach. The bad news is that figuring out where to apply the approach in the system... that's a deductive exercise.

Can I assume you cleared codes after the battery replacement? If not, clear them all and see what returns. Might be / hopefully would be a smaller set.

 

Man, you've always been so helpful!! Thank you for that.
I found some useful videos on Youtube showing how to check your car for shorts. I'll probably get on it tomorrow and report back!

FYI: regarding electronics, this is all I've done to the car

1. replaced with brand new battery (registered with bimmerlink)
2. replaced OEM original grounding strap with generic from NAPA Auto Parts (could this be the culprit? Car starts up just fine, so thinking prob not)
3. Installed Viofo Dashcam wired through fusebox port (so parking monitoring remains powered until the low battery voltage sensor shuts it off)
   1. im thinking this might be the culprit!
4. I broke a tab on a connector for the auxiliary water pump (the small one that I believe cools the turbo).
   1. It plugs in fine, just doesnt "click" and hold in place like it used to. I dont think this would cause a short, but may throw other codes if not seated well even though i taped it down really firmly in place with duct tape. I just ordered a new connector replacement, but now I have to learn how to "de-pin" and "re-pin" a connector!
5. I disconnected and reconnected the main ECU/DME multiple times while doing repairs over the years.
   1. Wonder if that can cause a short or damage? Hope not, those DME boxes are expensive!
   2. I've never coded anything on this Mini so I dont think I ever "bricked" DME or anything.

Thanks again!

 

My guess would be the dashcam wiring/draw.

In my case, a BMW factory accessory was wired (as per BMW instruction) to pull +12v from the feed to the BDC and have its ground connected to, of all random things, an HVAC wire connected to the BDC itself. So it sort of ran parallel to the BDC, but sort of not exactly, and...

...if that sounds screwy, well, it was, and it screwed up so much for so long... yeah I don't want to remember. But among the things it screwed up was the EPS, and it threw that same AUC code, and a few other things.

BMW finally figured out it had screwed up its wiring instructions about 2 years after I sorted mine out on my own. Put out a TSB that explicitly noted the increased draw was depriving other electrical customers (modules, etc) and screwing up, well, a lot of stuff.

Tapping something to have an always-on accessory or almost-always on... match it to a power feed that is expected to be on all the time (or whatever almost-always on). Do otherwise and you can make the electrical balancing act unhappy. Heck, even if you do it right you may make everything unhappy... but you get the idea.

PS quick diag technique for this scenario:

(1) disconnect the new accessory COMPLETELY from the car's wiring.
(2) clear codes.
(3) test, see what comes back and doesn't, etc.

Won't be much "maybe" to guess about if the test comes up clean.

 

Truly appreciate the added insights. Im going to work on the Mini and then update here on whatever happens.

 

UPDATE ON THE LATEST.

WHAT I'VE DONE RECENTLY:

1. I've replaced the negative battery terminal cable (black cable) in case there was a faulty IBS (intelligent battery sensor) issue, as recommended on reddit by an actual BMW Tech.
2. I replaced damaged connector with new BMW OEM connector, for the Turbo Coolant Pump
3. I checked the replacement ground strap I installed (metal cable, goes from chassis to transmission?) and it looked fine
4. I double checked all DME connectors to ensure properly seated and locked in place (they are)
5. I glanced at MAF sensor and it looks pristine but I dont think you can judge these by looks alone
6. I disconnected Viofo DashCam that was hardwired into fuse box and replaced the fuses

RESULTS:

1. Car started right up! Thats always somewhat of a relief. I let it warm up but didnt test drive it, too worried something still not right.
2. I connected BIMMERLINK, scanned and cleared all DTC's. I should say, i TRIED to clear all DTC's. BIMMERLNK said, "some errors could not be cleared". Whats this about, why cant I clear them all?
3. I scanned the car once again and....plenty more DTC's!! :( :( FML. Its been a month now that I have no car.

QUESTIONS for the community:

1. Why cant all DTC codes be cleared?
2. Regarding BIMMLINK, it offeres 3 scanning options as buttons you can press on the app. Each will then proceed to scan the car and then provide some detailed information. These 3 buttons are each called, respectively: "Error Memory", "Info Memory", and "Permanent Errors". So, dumb question here, but which one am I supposed to use to scan the car?
   1. some more googling and I found a comment from 2020 stating: "Error Memory contains critical errors. Info Error Memory contains uncritical error for information purposes only, dont worry about this one. Permanent Error contains errors that can not be cleared manually, but will be cleared automatically by the car." <-- can anyone confirm if this explanation is indeed accurate?
3. The new codes as shown by Bimmerlink:
   1. 
      
      

WHAT THE HECK??! Sorry, but this is getting exasperating. Does anybody have any ideas what wrong with my Mini?
The last two under the heading of "Digital Motor Electronics", does that indicate a bad MAF sensor and perhaps a bad throttle position sensor or something?

And yes, I'd go to the dealer but I cant get the car there without a very expensive tow. Then the dealer wants $400 just to scan the car. Then, likely another tow home because I know the repairs will exceed the value of my lowly, 2014 MCS. So its just me and my kind folks on this forum. Thanks to everyone that comments, you have no idea how much it helps!

 

@2014MCS_Miami - a few things in no particular order.

I scan my car with BimmerLink routinely, at minimum every time I change the oil and probably more often than that. Been doing so for a good while now, a couple of years easy.

- "info" codes are pretty much the kitchen sink of everything that something in the car glitched ever.

- "error" codes are real but do not cause the Check Engine light to illuminate. This is arguably the most important batch of codes of all, barring the permanent ones.

- "permanent" codes are absolutely real, and overlap with generic OBD-II conditions. Whether BMW code or OBD-II code (or both), permanent codes will cause the check engine light to come on. From here you can see the intersect with the business of "cleared automatically by the car." That's not true 100% of the time, but for lots of codes to land here in the first place the car has to detect the problem at least 3 times -- again, see OBD-II generic code stuff.

The particulars of the codes being clearable or not clearable or self-clearing or blah blah blah actually isn't crucial. What matters is that if you try to clear a code and the clear fails, either (a) the trouble condition still exists or (b) it's a code that can't be cleared using BimmerLink. Scenario (b) is not common and probably is not in play for you right now. But for an example, if a lighting circuit develops a short and stays shorted for too many self-test cycles, the car will disable the circuit and put an "error" code in place that you can't clear without a different tool. I had one of those and had to throw ISTA at it to get rid of it. Anyway, you get the idea. Your non-clearables are almost certainly there because of (a), the trouble condition still exists.

Permanent codes are the most critical for obvious reasons. So on to yours, I can see throttle valve handling being tossed into some kind of safe mode if the car can't figure out what intake air mass is. Your 102A01 code points straight to the MAF... or to the wiring to the MAF. Given how much you have been under the hood and dealing with "stuff" I am a bit more suspicious of the wiring. But some ideas. If you use a reusable air filter that requires oiling, that can end up soiling the MAF. Also, whether you use an oiled filter or not, the MAF can get dirty over time and that's not great either way. MAF cleaner is available at the auto parts shops. I suspect that all it is is electrical contact cleaner, but to avoid experimenting on that not-cheap piece of electronica, I would probably stick with a can that explicitly says it's for MAF cleaning. I would also take electronic contact cleaner to the electrical socket on the MAF as well as to the contacts on the cable that plugs into it.

You've likely already noticed that a good amount of this underhood wiring is flimsy and fragile. So I would definitely, if the easy-clean-it stuff yields nothing, be eyeballing the wires and the connector to the MAF.

After any correction attempt, the only way you'll know if it worked and the scope of impact (or lack thereof) is to clear all codes. If the codes reappear (meaning they "won't clear"), something is still up and move on to the next troubleshooting step.

Finally, back to "info" codes being a kitchen sink, I wouldn't chase those around until you have cleared both the permanent and error codes. And even then, it's more about observing how they move and change than it is about "doing anything about them" (IMO).

Notably, I also have a Foxwell scanner, and even though I can read what Bimmerlink refers to as "permanent" and "error" codes, I have found the "info" codes nowhere in the Foxwell.

Hope this is helpful! For what it's worth, I think your situation is solvable. It's a bit of a maze of a troubleshoot, but everything here says "simple electrical problem, just have to find where it is" and the permanent code pointing at the MAF is a big clue.

 

PS the site https://bmwfault.codes is your best friend for deciphering codes. Check it out.

 

Your insights have been beyond helpful! So huge thanks again!
Your earlier comments about a possible electrical (short) issue got me thinking about whatever electrical I had touched.

• So, I unplugged and very carefully re-seated every connector into the DME. <-- did nothing, so these were fine I guess
• I replaced the damaged connector to the turbo auxiliary water pump. <-- this got rid of a few error codes!
• I inspected the replacement Grounding Strap I had installed to check for good, flat connection to chassis. <-- Looked fine, left it alone.

Then it occured to me, it HAS to be the darn Viofo DashCam I had hardwired into an accessory fuse using the supplied kit in order to get the parking security feature working. Weirdly, its been installed 2.5 years ago and I never had an issue other than the "low voltage battery" warning on occassion. Anyhow, I yanked it out of the 2 fuses it plugged into (accessory fuse & permanent power fuse) and holy crap, all the codes were gone! The "Chassis Stabilization" that was on the Infotainment screen also cleared on its own!
I took the car for a careful test drive and wouldnt you know it, full power was back!!

So, it seems I now have a fully functional Mini Cooper S once again, in no small part to this amazing forum and members like yourself looking out for others on here!
Kind thanks for the guidance. Hopefully I get a decent run with the latest maintenance and repairs before my next set of questions get posted here! Lol.
All the best!!
-M