You need to re-read this ENTIRE thread. Then you will understand.

Look at the fan harness above the radiator on the driver side - there should be one thick red wire and one thinner red wire going to the fan. The thick wire is the high speed - the thinner one is the low speed.

What year is your car again?

When my high speed fan was on I could also see the power steering fan start but it would immediately stop when the high speed fan stopped.

Therefore, I think you might need a new power steering fan as well. Like I said I found one for $85 shipped from an oem manufacturer (Dorman). Click on this Amazon link below:



Buy the resistor and do the mod. Buy a new power steering fan. You will be all set.

 

my Mini is an 06 ragtop. The wirung harness that gies to my engine fan gas obe brown wire, one red/green wire and one red/blue wire. My low speed fan operation is working. I haven't had it hot enough to see if my high speed fan operation is working. My PS pump fan is not working. As much as I hate throwing oarts at a problem rather fhan effectively troubleshooting, I'm buying a PS PUMP FAN and draining and refilling the PS hoping I don't have to buy a new PS pump. It takes a few minutes to develop assist after starting.

 

If your fan is coming on and off when the ac is on and the temp is low and fan control at 1, then your low speed fan is NOT working properly.

It should stay on. Understand? You seem to have an issue with understanding.

The THICKER red wire is the high speed. The THINNER red wire is the low speed.

Understand? You seem to have an issue with understanding.

 

Take the (2) 13 mm nuts off the power steering fan and try to spin the fan with your finger. If it is hard to turn then you need a new fan.

 

The brown wire is your ground.

 

Flies, I beg to differ. Of the two of us I'M not the one doesn't understand. I've told you at least TWICE that I have THREE wires, not two. They are ALL the same thickness, and the colors are brown, red/green, and red/black.

 

Your PS pump motor is dying and will eventually go out completely. This is a common and well known problem in the 1st gen MINI. There was a safety recall for 2002-2005 PS pump failures (link). They revised the PS pump in 2005 but the newer pump fails as well and not covered by the recall. The problem is that it isn't a brushless motor and the brush contacts simply wear out. I had a 2006 R52 and it failed at about 70K miles.

 

RKW, I suspected as much, and at 133,000 miles, this may well be the second pump that's failing.

 

By the way, the starting problem is solved. When I tried to start the Mini and the starter wouldn't attempt to crank, I had the guts out of my key fob to replace the dead battery. Once I stuck the guts back in, even WITH the dead battery, it started right up.

 

OK, I bit the bullet: ordered new ZF power steering pump, one quart of PS fluid, five quarts of Redline synthetic CVT fluid, new fan, new PS pump fan, and went by Wally World and got oil and filter. Next - tires.

 

​​​​​​
Hopeless case.

 

Gen 1's usually have an issue with the power steering hoses leaking. Sometimes they can be fixed by replacing the oem clamps with standard screw clamps, but often times not. If you haven't checked or replaced your PS hoses recently, it might be a good time since you are already replacing the pump and fluid.

Also, does your car have parking distance sensors and did you check the fuse for the PS fan? The same fuse is used for both and when a sensor malfunctions, some people pull the fuse instead of fixing the problem, or pebbles get caught in the fan seizing it up which can also blow the fuse.

 

Hopeless? Hopeless is patching electrical components with 133,000 miles on them. With what I've just ordered I'll still have less than $6000 in an 06 vert with a perfect body, top, and interior. With over 60 60 years of car, mororcycle, and boat building experience, I consider it a smart decision.

 

Fuse was good and thanks for the hose advice. Not leaking but good tine to change. I use Oeteger clamps.

 

Most of the issues are pretty normal and once you get through them, the car will be solid again. I went through this a few years ago on my '03.

The one exception (and why he might have said hopeless): that CVT transmission. They're notoriously unreliable. Mine went out at around 120k miles. Some folks get a few more miles out of it, some a lot less. Replacement cost is $6k or more. I swapped in a 6-speed manual when my CVT died, which was significantly cheaper than putting in another CVT, but still very costly. At 133k miles, if your CVT hasn't been replaced, it really is just a matter of time.

If you do change the CVT fluid, make sure you reset the adaptations. The CVT fluid change is actually one of the few things I would recommend having a dealer do because of the adaptations procedure and needing BMW software to do it. This thread is about the radiator fan, so PM me if you have questions about the CVT rather than posting in this thread.

 

Thanks, I'm going to be going through the setup steps when I change the fluid. Surely I can do it better than the used car dealer who did it before I bought it. I suspect he also used regular transmission fluid, so even though it functions perfectly, I'm replacing it with Redline synthetic CVT fluid.

 

I said hopeless because thumper decided to buy an entire fan instead of doing the resistor mod. Go ahead and waste your money instead of using your eyes to read buddy.

In a short time the stock resistor is going to do the same exact thing and blow again.

Good luck with that.

 

Every reputable company like DT and Pelican Parts all have instructions saying to remove the fan assembly and basically replace the old resistor.

What the hell vendors? Let's get together some new DIY info. And, how about stocking a few kits for this fix.

I mean over 1,000 post and no clear DIY/PN... C'mon now.

[/Rant]

 

I used the picture above and when completed, put the plug back in place which pushes the splices behind the radiator so you cannot see them. The only way somebody can tell I did the "fix" is that you can see the resistor. You can buy two of the resistors on Amazon for $4.98. I have a spare resistor with the wires already soldered in place in the rear compartment tool kit. If the resistor on the motor mount burns out, I can replace it with my spare in about 5 minutes.

If you do be sure to get some good heat sink material. Radio Shack sells for a couple of dollars.

 

Good thing you have a spare. Seems Mouser has them backordered for MONTHS! I searched around and found a Chinese made resistor, cheap, think it was on EEEbay? Same ohm's, resistance, etc. Should arrive soon. Hitting up Best Buy tomorrow for the heat sink (never used the stuff before), but hopefully I'll get the lower speed working before the weekend. Damn 90°F days are pretty much here in SC.

Edit: Car intake temp hit 250°F while I was in line to pick my daughter up from school!

 

You may have more then a low speed fan issue as at that temp you high speed should have been on. Yes, about the only resistors you can get now are the green Chinese type that is why I have a spare made up.

 

Radio Shake has heat sink paste. I'm thinking it is zinc oxide based. A real thick suntan type ointment but the base will not run when subjected to water. Aluminum oxide is better so in a pinch anti-seize that has allot of aluminum will work.

 

Other problems huh? Well, when I turn on the AC it cycles on and off. I rarely use my AC, so I'm unsure how long the fan will run during the cycles or if it ever runs constantly. However, it has run for about 10 minutes after the car is shut off, rare though (only when driven hard).

Hopefully this resistor will fix the low speed fan.

What other problems could possibly cause that? I just replaced my coolant reservoir, so I just flushed the coolant system... Radiator dying? Leaking gasket at the manifold? Hmm...

 

Are you aware of the OBC Menu and what you are able to see? The link below describes how to see lots of info including the temperature of your coolant. Next the low speed fan should come on at 221 F or when the AC is turned on and reaches 114 PSI. It should cycle off at 214 F. The high speed should come on at 234 F and cycle off when a drop of 7 F is reached. Celsius numbers are 105/101, 112/108. If your high speed fan is not coming on at a coolant temperature of 234 F/112 C, you have an issue.


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-obc-menu.html

 

Hi Guys,
My low speed fan resistor mod has been installed successfully and it is working as planned, low speed starts working at 105 c. My design was to cut out old failed resistor and solder new wiring there, so I placed new resistor on passenger side (shorter wires).