Hi all, I brought in my Countryman for service ahead of schedule on Thursday and, long story short, just managed to get ahold of my service advisor to find out what was going on and why it was taking so long for my car to get serviced.

Apparently I have "a major oil leak" that's requiring extensive work to fix. I park in my garage and the floor is clean. The oil light has never popped on. I check the oil level regularly and it's been between the two marks.

Is it possible to have a major oil leak with absolutely no indications? I ask because I've had issues with this dealership in the past and I find it difficult now to fully trust them at face value.

 

A major oil leak... it would be dripping all over your drive way. Have you looked into you engine bay? From top and bottom? If you have and it's dry your dealer is a bunch of phonies. I mean if you were saying your oil was low according to your dipstick then I would say your car is burning oil. I suspect you got your car back from the oil change, they should've provided you with a diagnosis!

 

Sounds fishy. If your oil level isn't dropping, you don't have a leak. End of story.

 

There is a common oil leak issue with the 11-12 CMS. (Oil Pump Solenoid) It's not a major leak, but it does require having a part replaced. I have had it done three times now. The third time, they told me it was with a new redesigned part. My only indication was the constant burning oil smell after each drive I took. There were reports of the oil leaking onto a wiring harness and causing even more damage.

 

You'll definitely see oil on the ground with these cars if its major. I agree. "Phonies". Take it somebody else for a second opinion. Can't hurt.

 

So what exactly what repair did they end up doing to your car? What does it say on your receipt from the service department?

 

I had a dealer try to tell me I had an oil leak coming from the wire harness in the transmission and it was causing a short. I asked , well wouldn't the oil short out inside the Trans if its using the fluid as a conductor ? They wanted 3600 to replace the valve body. Went to another shop and asked to specifically check those plugs about 2 weeks later and they were dry as a bone.
GOTTA WATCH SOME DEALERS, they think people are totally stupid.

 

I took my '12 Countryman All4 in for regular service yesterday and received a call in the afternoon that my oil pump solenoid had failed and that oil had migrated to and through the wiring harness and to the engine computer. She told me that there have been some issues with the solenoid in this model, but that the oil doesn't typically make it as far as the computer. Long story short, my car is there for another couple of days while all of the above are replaced (under warranty)...

 

Mine is at the dealer for the same thing, what I don't get is that mine is a 2013 and it should have the newest and latest parts????

 

Wrong.some early 2013's still had the old solenoids in the pump.It was only half way or late 2013 productions when they finally put the updated part in through the factory. To everyone else who is confused when their dealer tells them there's an oil leak, what happens is the oil leaks through the solenoid wire and up into the engine harness and eventually can get into the DME. Once it's in the DME, much more problems can occur, so what the dealers are doing is actually fixing your cars your cars before the big problems occur. That's why your dealers are saying its a "major oil leak" but not necessarily leaking onto the ground. Some of them on the other hand leak onto the ground. Mini should have made a recall on this but they have been keeping this quit as much as they possibly can.

 

I brought my mini CMS 2011 in for service covered items and they just pop this issue on me, they took me into the shop to show me and now it being service for this as well. Not a cheap fix- the labor is what gets you.

 

Funny this came up again. Mine is going back in a 2nd time for the fix. My neighbors 2013 Clubman went in on Saturday for it also....

 

75000 miles. It's in for a service at the dealer. I have 2 oil leaks
1. Valve cover- $753 repair
2. solenoid and harness - $1923

It's a 2012 countryman S Fwd auto

I am gonna take it to another shop as the dealer states there is no recall on this and I am out of warranty...

 

If the valve cover is anything like replacing it on my MCS hardtop... then its very easy to do. Even myself was able to do it... and trust me I've had some blunders before working on cars. Dont ever buy something from the dealer unless you absolutely have to. That jacks the price up 3-4 times as much. The solenoid and harness thing... I have no clue on but a independent may still be able to do it for ya for a lot less than the dealer.