I have a 2011 Cooper S that I have owned for about a year. As a rule I try to do all my own maintenance on my cars but my mini is trying to put that to the test. Got a check engine light and found out I had a cylinder 3 misfire. Found out from this forum that was most likely carbon build up. Pulled the manifold and found sure enough there was a ton of crud built up. Walnut blasted it and got it all cleaned up and put back together. The check engine light wouldn't go off and the car won't rev past 4000 RPM. It's not coughing and sputtering but like its hitting a rev limiter. I tried to pull the battery cable to reset to check engine light and after I reconnected it the check engine light is still on and now I have a warning light on my tach that is a red mini on a lift. According to the owners manual my lighting system is now messed up.....HELP PLEASE!!!!!!

 

R53's didn't come to the US til 2002.

 

Sorry, I meant 2011

 

I'm really confused...this is R56 thread? If you're is 2002, it's either R50 or R53...

 

Yes I have a 2011 cooper s

 

The first thing you should do is buy an OBD2 code reader, then you can read the error codes and the car will tell you what's wrong with it. You will also be able to clear any codes, sometimes disconnecting the battery isn't enough.

A code reader is an important tool in the shadetree mechanic's tool box, just as important as a socket set.

 

I went to AutoZone today to get the cylinder 3 misfire code erased (how I initially figured out I had the build up problem) and they couldn't clear the check engine light or mini on the lift symbol.

 

Why didn't you buy a code reader while you were at Autozone? They're cheap!

Now you have to go back to Autozone to find out if what codes you have after your repair.

 

You're getting good advice. Without knowing what the code is, it's a crap shoot..

 

The code was p0303 and it was listed 3 times.

 

What was the code after your repairs?

 

Same codes and nothing about the mini on a lift symbol

 

I think next payday I will definitely be investing in a code reader

 

That's a start, misfire on cylinder 3. Might be a coil, swap it with an adjoining cylinder and see if the code changes. If it doesn't change, might be the plugs. How many miles? Next consider a compression/leak down test..

 

If you have already checked the plugs gaps.....
Get a silver Sharpee or use something similar like your wife's nail polish.
Us it to put an "X" on the coil pack for cylinder #3 so you don't mix them up.
Move that coil to another location, doesn't matter where.
Run the car, see if code shifts to new location of that coil.
If so, replace that coil.

 

I swapped the coil with the number 1 cylinder at the beginning of this ordeal. I don't know how but it never occurred to me to swap/change out the plug though.

 

It's always nice to see someone rolling up their sleeves. English cars have traditionally been maintenance intensive and our lovely Mini's appear to be traditionalist at heart. As noted swap coils and check plugs first. If the plugs haven't been replaced in 30,000 miles replace them. Definitely invest in a BMW specific code reader and a Bentley Manual. There are three different BMW hex fault codes that will display as a DTC P0303 code. Two of those codes indicate a certain number of misfires within 1000 crank revolutions. Of those two one is during the start sequence (2EEC) and the other is not (2EEB). The third code (2EEA) indicates the same number of misfires within 200 revolutions resulting in temporary fuel injector deactivation and usually triggers reduced power and the service indicator light.

 

Awesome! I knew there had to be a real use for that stuff.

 

+1. Quirky little buggers.

 

I bought the car a year ago with about 45,000 miles and have put another 10,000 on it. I know it had an aftermarket battery just from looking at it but that is all I know about it's history. That 2EEA code sounds exactly like what is going on. It will rev up to 4000rpm's just fine and then it will sit there even if I have my foot floored. It doesn't cough or sputter but it won't rev past that point.

Minor update: I just got home from work, disconnected the battery and hooked up my trickle charger to charge overnight. It didn't give me a voltage but said it was at 92% when I hooked it up.

 

For guys like us w/o diagnostic tools, sometimes we have to shotgun parts at problem.. So start with the least expensive parts first.

 

So I bought a code reader this morning and it is showing me the same p0303 code but it won't let me erase it. It keeps coming back saying error when i try it. Also disconnecting the battery and putting it in a trickle charger all night did nothing to get rid of the mini on a lift symbol.

 

Haven't tried it lately, but there is a rev limiter of sorts --- something to do with launch RPM's. Just sitting at a stop sign or in the garage, max RPM's are limited to about 3500, at least my '07S was. Custom tuning can raise it to whatever you want.

 

This is happening while driving

 

Update to the update: figured out how to use the code reader and actually got the check engine light to clear. After a test drive it would appear as though that got the car out of limp mode. I have the full power band back. Unfortunately I still have the "electrical malfunction" mini on a lift symbol and everything that goes along with that.