Would appreciate some help. My Mini seems to be leaking. The fluid is light green in color and oily. I don't think it's motor oil, but perhaps power steering fluid? Can anyone confirm? Is there any common places this would leak from that may be easy to fix? It's an O5 Cabrio S, and is still under warranty, but the dealer is an hour and a half away.

Thanks,
Lee

 

Sounds like a coolant leak to me. I'd check your overfill tank (big white tank behind the engine) for any leaks.

 

How full is the big white tank supposed to be? It looks almost empty. Is this special coolant or is there something standard I can put in to keep me going till I get to the dealer?

Thanks,
Lee

 

Same thing happened to my 06 convertible. It was the thermostat that needed to be replaced. Fairly common, I believe.

 

Lee,

+1 witth the tank and/or thermostat suggestions, two good places that are trouble spots. Also, not just the thermostat, but sometimes the thermostat housing can leak also (it's plastic and is known to leak over time).

I just had mine fixed two month ago, the first time they replaced the tank (still leaking), and the second time they replaced the thermostat and housing. I've been watching mine like a hawk since, and it seems to be fixed. I am aware this is a recurring issue which may happen again in 2-4 years. It's not an expensive fix however, thank goodness.

Oh, you can just keep adding a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water and watch your level every day until you get it fixed. Ideally, the level should be between the two marks on the tank (passenger side, in my non S).

Hope this helps.

 

If you can find this stuff (http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...asp?product=10) keep adding until the repairs can be made (as previously mentioned).

 

Thanks folks, that seems to be it. The little white tank is near empty. It wasn't leaking a couple days ago, and I didn't notice any overheating on the guages, so I hope I'm OK. Will have to keep an eyeball on it. Guess I have to make a trip to West Chester.

Do any of the national chains handle the Zerex G05 stuff?

 

Checker/Kragen if I recall.

 

West Chester, PA? Please report back with their findings (or yours).

Valvoline Zerex G-05 antifreeze/coolant can apparently be purchased at Pep Boys. Or if you have a local Valvoline Instant Oil Change station near you, I'm sure they can point you in the right direction.

 

Exact same thing happened to me. Its the coolant and it was caused by my thermostat which had seized up.

 

Yep, West Chester PA, Ottos. I added some distilled water and warmed it up. Didn't take much, so I should be OK to get to the dealers. It's just a long trip. I live in the Lehigh Valley. Wish Daniel's BMW would get a Mini dealership. Mini is forcing them to get a entirely new building. They have a great new facility. I don't see the reason for a separate building. Just more overhead to pass on to the consumer. :-(

Oh well. We were considering a Clubman for my wife, but because of service issues, we are going with a Jetta TDI for her. I love the Mini, but service and little problems have made it a bit of a hassle.

I'll let you know what Otto's has to say.

Regards,
Lee

 

On the trip to the dealer just be sure to keep an eye on the temp. make sure the car doesnt overheat. I had a problem with leaking coolant before as well. turns out one of my hoses had a crack in it. I doubt that is your problem though because your Mini is a lot newer then mine. Best of Luck with everything though.

 

Yeah, only 15K miles, but they did change the coolant last service. It only took a quart of water or so, and I ran it till it was hot. It's leaking, but very slowly. I always monitor my guages, so I don't think it's a big problem, just one that needs to be addressed ASAP.

Regards,
Lee

 

Just a follow up folks. It was the thermostat and the problem was taken care of under warranty.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Lee

 

MINI + warranty go hand in hand.

 

This has been my concern for the MINI. With such high temp with supercharging and tight compartment with limited ventilation, all rubber hoses will deteriorate fast. What's the recommended change interval on radiator hoses?