I picked up my daughter yesterday several blocks from my house, and left the car running as I went to the door. When I returned, the temp guage was at the top and the red light was on. I thought it was odd that the last few days, the battery-operated fan was staying on as I shut off my car at work.

I noticed that as I drove home, the temp would go down to normal. Stopping for a short time (30-seconds or so), and the guage would go back to the top.

Called the dealer, and he said I could have it towed. I said that as long as I can keep moving, it's fine... decided to drive it the 90 miles. Turned off the car at red lights, as idling with the car running caused over-heating. I made it just fine... no traffic issues, thank goodness, except for some bad luck at traffic lights.

The end result was a bad thermostat... apparently, it was leaking, too. If you have similar symptoms (temp rising during idling, not moving), get it over to your dealer.

I asked them to set my computer for the "lock doors at 10mph," but they couldn't find the setting for "unlock all doors at first keyfob press." They told me that function wasn't available on he 2008. I didn't want to argue.

Good experience, all-in-all. Nice Starbucks coffee, free bottled water, and free snacks were at the dealer, along with free wireless Internet (so I could work on my laptop while I waited). I could have had a loaner-car, but I had too much work to do. They washed my car (yikes!) but it looks like they knew what they were doing.

 

It's a leaking thermostat housing. From what I understand it is made of plastic & a leaking one is quite common. It's happened to me & several other MINI owners that I know.

Everyone should be checking the coolant in the reservoir once in a while.

 

I'm glad it happened to me in my first month of ownership, and on a day that I could ditch work pretty easily. Hopefully, I won't see the issue again.

 

Mine didn't act up until 35,000 miles. Yep you were lucky, things rarely go wrong at good times.

 

This happened to me as well on my 05 MCS. Temp would go all the way up and the Friday right before my track weekend no less!!!

I changed the thermostat and all is well now. Glad your experience was not too bad.

 

I wonder if I did it to my car when I took it to 110 mph on the backroads blacktop a few weeks ago?

 

OK, just a few weeks later and it's doing the same thing. Worked great after changing the thermostat, and now the same thing is back. Is it possible that the thermostat went bad AGAIN or that I got a bad one?

I take it in tomorrow, but it's very disappointing.

 

Mine never got hot - I just found a green puddle under my car in the garage. Cracked thermostat housing replaced, no problem since.

 

Not likely. It is more likely a bad (cracked?) thermostat housing than a bad thermostat. Or it is a coolant leak elsewhere. Did you check your coolant level? If it is only a bad thermostat you should not be low on coolant. They probably got it wrong the first time.

 

many people have had the problem w/ the housing, i'm a bit surprised that no vendors have come up w/ a better housing. i think for the same reason morristown only sells the t-stat w/ new housing as a unit. it's a pretty good deal, too

 

Was the water pump. They missed it the first time, and it may have been related to the thermostat. Oh, well... all better now.