I've love my MCSC to death...naturally with a month left on the warranty a weird symptom appears. Cars sits in the sun with the top up. Go to put the top down...windows roll down, top rolls back to sunroof mode, then unlocks header clips ~ and freezes! Red, flashing light on control button. The header is fully released and up a 1/2 inch!

Luckily, I got it over to the Mini dealer who was literally around the corner. The MINI Rep happened to be there and first sited that the motor was overheating (after only one partial opening?!?!). They got it working again...but the didn't really know how.

Second time identical scenario. Got it back to the Mini dealer -- Rep is there once again (lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?), now they've determined that the sun load on my black top is allowing it to expand, which is playing havoc with the lowering mechanizm. "They're working on a fix" is what my most recent paperwork says.

Hmmm. 30 days to end of warranty. Vision of top unlatched and partially open suddenly pealed back like a tin can.

Anyone have similar experiences?!?!?

 

I had the same exact thing happen to me. It would only happen on hot days. Turns out my Hydraulic pump was bad. They ended up replacing all the lines and the pump on my car. This was 3 months before my warranty runs out lol.

Oh and it took them a bunch of tries to replicate it, they were about to return the car to me with no problem found when the Service manager gave it one more try and VOILA! It did it for him. The lead tech originally thought it was the switch (to which I replied BS) But in the end it was all fixed nicely. They can call my service tech Mark Huber at Towne Mini in Buffalo, NY if they want.

 

SPD,
You're a life saver! I'll run this past my rep, as it was really getting frustrated about the "on again/off again" nature! I mean, if you can't put the top down in warm weather, why have a convertible!?!?

 

np, I hope they take care of it for you! Make sure that on a hot day they park it in the sun with the sun on the drivers side of the car. When mine would stop working I could hear a click right behind the driver's seat in the rear. That is where the hydraulic pump is.

 

any update?

 

Your advise was perfect...to the point I printed out this post and handed it to them. They did finally get it to fail (exactly the way you noted) and have replaced both the pump and lines. I've only had it back a day...but it promises to get plenty hot for a real world test.

Thank you VERY much for your help!!! It was truely a life-saver!

I guess now I need to decide if I go for the extended warranty...I'm afraid of what something like would have cost me.

 

no problem, glad it worked out for you