We just bought a 2007 MINI Cooper S today, 57k miles. We drove it around for about a half an hour and fell in love. We ended up buying it and trading in the trusty old 2003 Jetta.

Tonight we went by Wal-Mart to pick up a cable to connect the iPod, and the CEL came on when we pulled into the parking lot. My wife was almost crying on the way into the store. Talk about putting a damper on your "WE JUST GOT A NEW CAR!!!!" euphoria. I went by Advance Auto and they checked the code. It was P1497. He said it was something to do with the EGR Valve.

Are we doomed? This is the first car I've ever went out and bought without any input or help from the parents and I've got to admit I'm kind of freaking out right now. The CEL is on solid and won't go away. I told my wife not to fret because the CEL on her Jetta had been on for the last 2 or 3 years with no problems. We eventually just decided to ignore it.

What should I do?

 

Light went away. I checked the gas cap, wires under the hood, made sure I didn't see anything loose under there, said a little prayer and drove it today. The light turned off on the way home. We're happy now.

 

It sounds like it was a private sale, otherwise I think I would have read "we will bring it back to the dealer." If that is correct, the good news is that this may be why they sold it...so...once it is corrected, all is well.

Just wait to see if it comes up again. I couldn't find anything about that code, so maybe you wrote it wrong, but egr is cheap, so don't worry just yet.

 

We bought it used at a Nissan dealership. I was going to go back over there tomorrow and get them to check it but I guess for now I'm OK.

They do offer a 48k warranty that I can purchase for $1600 that covers basically everything imagineable with a $100 deductible. I'm going to ask them what they do if the Nissan techs can't solve the problem and it needs a MINI mechanic. If they can really fix everything I'm thinking it is worth the $1600. What do you think?

 

A Nissan dealership is not going to be well versed on a MINI. Save the $1,600 and get any fixes at a MINI dealer or good MINI specialized repair shop. Seems like you could have bought new with the deals out there right now, that way you have a warranty.

 

I just had P1497 this week.

It is a BMW/MINI specific code for an "unmetered air leak." Just because the light went off, the code is probably still stored in the fault memory. If I were you I'd take it to a MINI dealer have them check for leaks.

 

I had this and it is from a cracked valve cover, or as Mini calls it a Cylindar head cover. The new one i received in the mail has a new design. Now they have an excess pressure release valve in them that they did not used to have. The good news, they are only $299. and easy to install. The bad news .... They are on national back order..... But as it worked out I have 2 one still new in the box. I will sell it if anyone is interested. Otherwise I will just return it to the dealer.

 

I got mine fixed already: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...g-at-idle.html

 

What does the new one look like? My new one looks different. There's something on the 'back' of it (toward the windshield) that wasn't on the old one from what I can tell. I wonder if that is the pressure release valve?

 

Thats it, the valve is sticking off the back towards the wind shield. They should have made a recall for this, there are a lot of cracked valve covers out there and people dont even know it.

 

yep, that's what mine looks like now.

 

Just had mine replaced with the statement It was a vacum leak. Mini starting to see this in extreme cold - something breaking in the cyclone separator (which is part of the valve cover, thus needed a new valve cover). Warehouse in pittsburgh down and that there was short supply of replacements (chakraj is sitting on gold). Long story short...1 week later I have my car back.

Find out what your issue is and fix it and/or return the car if you can. Hopefully this will be your only issue (I'm sure a mini dealership will sell you a Mini extended warranty plan, even if you did not buy it at a mini dealership). Goodluck.

 

Yes, you should see me on the weekends sitting in a locked room counting my "Cylindar Head Covers" like Scrooge Mc Duck.

 

Got the dreaded P1497 code . . . Need to try the repair myself.

Does anyone have the part number of the valve cylinder cover, and a place online to order to make sure I get the "new" version of the cover?

I have an 08 Mini S hatchback with the N14 engine . . . Pretty sure it is a leaky/cracked cylinder cover causing my idle and acceleration problems and the P1497 and P1115 codes staying on.

Figured I would try repair myself to save some change since I am out of warranty.

Thanks.

 

Here's a URL you might find useful. There are lots of good independent shops who generally give their customers a little more confidence than they get from dealerships.
http://soopercooperinfo.com/