Anyone experience this trouble code before? Just got it today before my trip home from work.

 

No experience with the P1515 code, but curious how you determined the text description of the trouble code. Did you use a tool that's Mini specific, or did you find that text "Electric Current Circuit Malfunction" online somewhere?

Jeff

 

Googling that code turns up a bunch of sites with that code on Peugeot/Citrogen cars. Must be something to do with the engine since it's made by them.

 

I googled it for about half an hour. Different manufacturers were claiming that same description, and more specifically OBDII powertrain code P1515 is defined in the broad standard, right? I got the code from my Scangauge II.

I realized that my lights had been switched to park where they're normally always on (daylight running lights for me normally). While switching car off and removing the key and closing the door shuts off all lights in that mode, having switch in parking lights position does not allow light shutoff (I think). Left the car that way for several hours, and I'm theorizing that the car threw this code to complain about an unexpected power drain from lights on while car was off for an extended period of time?

 

Yes and no. The OBDII powertrain codes < 1000 are the same for all manufacturers ... 1000-1FFF are manufacturer specific. I did some research as well and it looks like nearly all OEMs use that description for P1515.

So if you clear the codes, does the code come right back? It might be related to your lights being on, but I doubt it. My suggestion is clear the codes and see if the code comes back. If it does, it's a real problem and needs to be addressed. Oh, are there pending codes as well? Pending codes won't force the light on, but active codes will. If there's any pending codes, they may help you pinpoint the problem.

Have you done any electrical mods? If so, you may want to temporarily defeat those, clear the codes, and see if the code comes back. Just a thought ...

Cheers,
Jeff

 

Sorry I didn't followup sooner. Cleared the code and it never recurred. I'm still pretty sure I somehow was draining the battery with lights that day and MINI was tattling on it's apparent drain.

 

I agree.

If the R56 is like the E90, and for the most part the electrical/ bus system is, the DME (engine controller) is the master of electrical power management.

Does your Mini have Navigation (CCC)? If so it is equipped with a IBS (Intelligent Battery sensor (the big square negative battery terminal)) that monitors closed circuit current and is connected to the BSD (Bit Serial Data) bus which reports back to the DME vehicle electrical current use, thus the fault in the DME.

If you could check the FRM (Footwell Module, in charge of exterior lighting) fault memory you would probably find a corresponding fault stored for parking lights left on and that the FRM had turned them off to prevent draining the battery.

No worries though, this is just the electrical system doing its job and setting a fault in the case of a customer concern giving a technician a likely cause to look into.