Hello Everyone,
So I have a bit of a problem here and I'd like to see what you guys suggest might be up...
This morning I turned the vehicle on and drove about 20 feet and then the 'Service Engine Soon' light popped up along with the 'loose gas cap' light. So, I stopped, adjusted my gas cap, got back in and the light went off. However, the Service Engine light was still illuminated in Yellow.

My thought, and hope, is that the gas cap triggered the S.E.S. light and that is the only problem. I called MINI Roadside ***. and the lady said that having the light in Yellow meant it wasn't a huge problem immediately.

I'd take it to the dealer but I live 8.5 hrs away from the nearest one!

Does anyone have assistance or information for me regarding this please?

Thanks!
-Andy

 

Go to any major chain auto parts store (AutoZone, PepBoys) and have them read the code the computer is sending which is activating the light....they may be able to clear it.....for free..... They can tel you what the computer thinks is wrong....

 

Autozone actually "rents" their code readers. You will be able to read the code and reset it afterwards. You pay $130 or so upfront, use the code reader (keep it if you like for 4 weeks) and return it to get your money back (credit back to your card). This IS their rental program

 

Good ideas. Thanks everyone. Next chance I get I'll pay a visit to one of these places.

-Andy

 

At minimania.com you can buy the MINI code reader for about $150 and keep it forever and this will clear most codes. AutoXray sells several levels of code readers starting about $200 that have free software updates.

 

Your SES light should go out after X number of on/off engine cycles. IIRC, it may go off in as few as 3 cycles if the only issue was your gas cap.

 

Just an update for everyone.... :-)
I just took it to Checker where they loaned a unit to me and I checked it out...sure enough it was the gas cap that triggered it. An easy erase and no more light. :-)
Eric, I had driven it 6 or 7 times and it still didn't turn off on its own. :( I was hoping that would be the case, too, that it would turn off on its own. Oh well, at least it's all taken care of now and Argyll is happy again.

On another note: today in an empty parking lot, a Pontiac Solstice parked next to me. I felt bad for Argyll for having to sit next to a Pontiac. :-P I wanna go take that Solstice on at a track though. :-)

 

It's to the point where a code reader is like a wrench. Everyone needs one in the tool box. I'd recommend going out and buying a cheapie at Autozone to keep in the back of the toolbox. I bought mine for $80 and have used it many times and all my vehicles are still under warranty.
I'd rather spend the $80 and be able to clear my own gas filler code, or the classic "tranny too cold" code that my truck throws when it's -20degrees and it sat out all night. My time is worth more than a trip to the dealer. My rule is clear it once, Aok, comes up again, time to bring it in. Hey that rhymes!

 

My turn for the SES light.

Climbing a slight hill in 5th, light comes on. Tried 6 on/off cycles, no love.

Guess I'll see if Kragen loans a scanner, or just buy one.
Any recommendations, or are they all pretty much the same?

Bugger.

 

I throw SES almost every day while engine braking at 2,800-3,000 rpm for more than 5 seconds or so. It is driving me, and my service manager, nuts.

 

-So I went out and bought an OBD code reader (Innova 3100a), checked the code (P0326), knock sensor 1 circuit (bank 1)

-Went back inside to read about how to actually use the code reader to clear the code

-Plugged in code reader, turned on car, SES is off and reader says 'No DTCs presently stored in vehicle's memory'

I believe this was the 7th start cycle since it threw the code (I tried several cycles last night hoping it would go away...)
So did I inadvertantly use the code reader to delete the code/SES, or did it go away on it's own due to the number of start cycles as it was just a knock sensor warning??

Any input would be appreciated. I'm an OBDII newbie.

FWIW, here are the details (luckily I wrote it down before it went away - now to read the manual and see if the code is actually stored, or if I can save future codes):
P0326
Knock sensor 1 circuit (bank 1)
Fuel Sys 1 CL
Fuel Sys 2 CL-Fault
Calc load % 92.55
ECT 150
STFT B1 (%) -6.25
LTFT B1 (%) 4.69
MAP (inHg) 23.92
Eng RPM 3490
Veh Speed 45

Now I've gone up this particular road in this particular gear (5th) many a time, but as there was slow traffic, maybe I lugged it a bit (I'd swear I wasn't at 3500 rpm though )

 

Usually clearing it with the code reader is a pretty specific process. On mine it asks "are you sure?".

Sounds like you might have lugged it and caused a knock. Just leave it cleared and see if it comes back. At least you wrote it all down. If it does come back it will be interesting if the same codes are there.

BTW, looks like a nice scanner. Lots of data. I should move up to a good one one of these days.

 

The Innova 3100 series will always ask "Sure?" before clearing codes. Random happenstance says that the 7th on/off was what self-cleared your issue. Lugging an engine can definitely cause knock, and if it went on long enough, it would throw a code.

 

Thanks for the info - I swear I've done the same drive dozens of time with no issues, but I think I hear some knock during an earlier aggressive manuever - maybe a bad tank of gas.
A bit aggravating that it cleared itself just as I checked it.:impatient

Wondering if I misread something though, as I checked the RPMs today, and 5th at 45mph is mid 2K, not mid 3K.

 

my mini does the same. i live on the top of a big hill, and use third gear to engine brake at 2,800-3,000 rpm and a usually it's around 5-7 seconds later the light comes on and stays on for a couple days. i hate it.

 

I had the exact same problem with "Check Filler cap" light coming on and then the SES light. The filler cap light goes off at some point only to come back on later but the SES light does not go away. Dinan has had a go at it 2 times with the car in their shop for over a week and changing a charcoal canister pump to no success.

I subsequently changed my filler cap to see if the SES light would go off and that didn't work.

I am not sure what else I can do at this time since out of options. There was a vacuum leak code that stated 0476 or 0456, both are vacuum leaks codes.

Does anyone have any input?

 

bump,

anyone has an opinion for a fix?

 

Find the vacuum leak.

 

Let's see, that's just what 2 different shops, including Dinan, have been trying to do for the past 3 weeks, FIND THE LEAK!!

But hey, your response was the revelation, thanks for the insight.

 

Sorry about the smart a$$ comment.

You can take some carb/throttle body cleaner and spray it near where you think the leak is coming from. The engine must be running for this. If the rpm goes up, you've found the leak. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. The heat from the engine will probably set that cleaner on fire. Just be careful.

 

The bentley manual says that is an Evaporative Emission System Leak Detected (very small leak). So my previous post won't help you. I'm reading some more in the manual so I'll get back to you.

 

Couldn't find anything for the 0476 code, that number isn't even listed.

There's about 3 or 4 hoses coming off that charcoal canister assembly, did they check all the hoses or just replaced the assembly? This is mounted on the right rear of the car and there's two hoses that would have to go to the engine. Could be a loose clamp or small hole. The manual says to do a pressure test of the fuel system with a chemical leak detector. Not sure why Dinan can't or didn't do that in the first place before replacing components.

 

I've been getting the P0455 (large leak) on and off for months, and still can't find the problem. Pulled and capped the canister and applied vacuum to it... it held 10 inches for 8 hours -not the problem. Doing some searching leads me to think that the valve that ports to the intake may be failing. If it doesn't close properly, it will not allow the pump in the canister to pull vacuum for the system check. The dealer wants to do the smoke test, but from my experience that is a hit-and-miss propisition -and darned expensive to boot. I'll pull the valve off and do some testing with the vac pump and 12 volts of "work, dammit!".
-skip-

 

Dinan unmounted the top front end of the car to check for any leaks and tightened all the hoses along with having changed the canister pump 2 weeks ago. The problem is still there.

I am now in limbo status. Dinan can't do anything. A local shop is looking in to the code to see if they can override it somehow. Not sure f that will resolve the problem. My codes read something in the line of p0455 or so. A small vacuum leak is the description.

I just need to fix this problem in order to be able to smog the car.

Thanks again
Sharo

 

For what it's worth, I've tested the tank vent valve under the hood, and it wouldn't hold vacuum. Soooo... with nothing to lose, I deconstructed it(Danger, Will Robinson!!) with a dremel tool and a diamond bit. I gotta say, I'm not too impressed with the construction of the thing. Where the prongs come out of the valve for the plug, there's an 'O' ring that's supposed to seal it -same as the charcoal canister/vacuum pump in the rear. Cheesy design.
I cleaned everything up with denatured alcohol, used some sealant on the 'O' ring (what a pain) and reassembled the whole thing with some plastic epoxy. Waiting for everything to set up, then out on the road for some testing after I energize the solenoid/valve to make sure it works and holds vacuum.
If not, well, I was gonna buy a new one, anyway. ($73.75 @ Pelican Parts, but it looks like a $10.00 part. Oh, well, free enterprise at it's finest).

-skip-