Engine check light came on:
=> Engine now takes longer time to start (~4 seconds crank) and runs rough, stumbles for first 45 seconds:

Codes read are:
P0016: Crank Position -Correlation Bank 1 Sensor A
P0012: Cam Shaft Overetarded Bank 1
P0011: Camshaft position overadvanced System timing Bank 1
P0017: Crankshaft -Camshaft position correlation Bank 1

Car does start hard, i.e. retarded timing, light did stay off (after reset) for ~30 minutes driving, came on when restarted.
-One dealer says -maybe bad gas (i did fill up 20 minutes before this happened
-One dealer says - car still has catalitic concertor recall - could be restricting flow, causing valve response
-Tech at repair shop says: Varnish deposits in oil cavities/holes for variable valve

 

Oops, sorry for posting before completing:

spelling correction "catalytic convertor"

Thoughts:
I cannot see a 62k mile timing Chain having trouble, i can see a sensor screwed up and i do like the notion that the oil deposits are causing trouble with variable valve timing and therefore triggering these codes (the car was on lease from new to 61k (i bought it 3 weeks ago) and oil was dirty, no known records of oil change beyond 22k. (although oil change indicator had been reset??)

Ideas, what do you think?

 

Oh oh... mine just did the same thing. Yesterday (for the 1st time ever) it didn't start with the 1st push (stalled right away). After the 2nd try it barely ran for the 1st few seconds, then was fine. Today, it did the same thing, but after 10 seconds it still wasn't running smoothly and then the engine light came on. I shut it down at that point.
I will take it to the dealer on Monday.

 

Check the production date of your vehicle
N12, N14 engines - Camshaft Sensor Fault Codes 2968, 296B, 2982, 2983 https://wiki.bentleypublishers.com/x/EID4Aw

Only problem is I can't cross reference yours or the fault codes in the above article. It seems you can get 4 diifferent fault code numbers for the same problem from a MINI these days.

 

I've had this: P0012: Cam Shaft Overetarded Bank 1. Car was running normally, then suddenly it had no power under 3500 rpms.

My car has been at the dealer for over a week, they can't find what's wrong with it. They will have to pull the head to check the valves. I will let you all know.

But as a recommendations, bring in the car to your dealer ASAP! I might bee looking at a hefty repair

 

Whoa! That's a big deal.

Low power with an over-retarded code sounds right. You would lose power. However, check mechanical timing is easy. They can monitor it with a scan tool or even both camshaft sensors with a labscope.

If the cam is not where desired one would think the VANOS unit is faulty.

 

Exactly what I thought as well (VANOS related)!!

He said they reset the cam timing. After that the car was running better, but not good enough. So they want to pull the head to make sure the valves are ok.

One big problem for me is that this happened in the south of germany (roughly 1000 miles from home, I live in Sweden). I had to fly home last night, couldn't wait any longer for the car. Thank you very much for insurance, saves me big time since my warranty is out by two months.

 

Now after six weeks in the shop apparently they found the solution.

The head is shot because of carbon build up. Apparently a valve has broken a valve seal and they have to replace the whole head.

 

6 weeks? A whole new head? YIKES!!!

 

Why can't they just get the head rebuilt, it would be much cheaper?

 

Apparently a (or perhaps several) valve seats were shot. They need to replace the head.

We are soon up to eight weeks, and there will be at least two more weeks before they are starting the repairs.

BMW and MINI are handling this issue really bad, I've lost alot of confidence in them. Basically I don't have a car for the whole summer.

 

13 weeks later they have started working on the car

Now they are waiting for parts, the wait goes on.

The only good news is that my insurance/warranty will cover this.

Well, it seems like MINI/BMW doesn't really care about their customers. This whole thing have been terrible, I am the one who have had to press the dealers for results (the car has been at two different dealers in this time). I'm really disappointed to say the least in MINI. I will write MINI Sweden a letter and see what they have to say about it.