So I'm going to start off by describing the "issue" to save my typing it over and over. The "issue" is the CEL comes on and the car gets a rough idle where it will lope between 650-900rpm and surge on the hwy a bit. A intermittent start issue would also happen where I would shut the car off to get gas and when I restart it the car would start then stall, I hit the start button again and it just cranks for 15 seconds, button again and it will crank for 6-7 seconds then start to sputter and then start with a puff of smoke then run nice. So now I will just refer to the "issue"

Wife bought her 2010 Cooper R56 about 8 months ago new. Since then we have put 25000km on it. No issues at all in the warm summer. Now couple months ago it starts getting chilly, the wife and I are out and we get our first taste of the "issue"

The car goes into Mini and they reflashed the computer because although the CEL light was on there was no code showing! We got the car back.

26km later the "issue" comes back and we take he car back to Mini. This time it was a lean condition and they replaced the O2 sensor.

Couple weeks later the "issue" again! Car goes to Mini and again a lean condition, this time they replace the Mass airflow meter and we get the car back.

3 weeks after that just before Christmas the "issue" again!!!! Wife calls Mini and tells them she will bring the car in Jan 3rd cause it's not likely that much work will be done over the holidays anyways. Driving the car dec 27th the CEL goes out and everything is normal! So we decide the car will still go in on he 3rd for them to check out and for its first service. Well as luck would have it the "issue" came back as the wife pulled into Mini's lot.

His time they replaced the valve cover!!!!!!!!!! She will be getting the car back today.

For the last 2 trips to the dealer techs from Mini Canada have been on the case

The weather here has been very mild lately but when it drops I fully expect to see our friend the "issue" again.

Why does such a fun car gotta be such a pain to own?

On the plus side we had a 2012 Countryman All4 while the car was getting fixed and it's a really nice unit. Maybe we should get one of those instead lol.

 

One of the Mini Coupe owners had sort of the same issue, might want to check out the Coupe area to get some ideas... Good luck.

 

Here is the link to the thread that Benibiker is referring to.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ort-lived.html

 

and your right is is similar except that I think in that instance the car ran fine and did not have the drivability issues that the OP's car is showing.

But you never know it may help him.

I find it odd that they changed the valve cover for the problem. They can't really believe that it will fix the problem? But I suppose stranger things have happened.

 

Find another dealer.

 

Thanks for the replies.

Yea I can't really see what the valve cover would have to do with it either but hey, if it's not my dime they can do what they want.

Cant and don't really want another dealer. I think the next closest one is around 7 hours away. The dealer is doing everything they can and is very sympathetic and always makes sure we have another vehicle to drive. The wife jokes that this could be a good thing, every day the dealer has the car it's 130km that we are not putting on the car lol.

 

If cracked, it can pull in unmetered air into the engine.
There have been other threads talking about valve cover replacements due to a fault code referring to lean fuel mixture conditions.

Jimbits, what were the exact fault codes that the dealer pulled that illuminated the CEL?

- Erik

 

The wife here and owner of the car...

I don't know the exact code, but it's a lean fuel mixture fault.

The dealer has been wonderful and they've had their most senior tech/shop foreman working on the car. The.valve cover was not cracked, but the last two times, the dealership has opened a case with BMW Canada and has been working hand in hand with their technicians. The resolution this time round was to replace the valve cover and it seems to have done the trick... CEL is out and the car is running nicely... At least for now.

When they flashed the computer to reset it, CEL was back on 20 minutes after i left the lot, took the car back the next day. After they replaced the o2 sensor, car ran nice for 3 days, when they replaced the mass airflow sensor, car ran beautifully for 3 weeks... So I'm a little skeptical to see how long this 'fix' will work. Feels like there's an underlying issue that replacing these parts just temporarily masks.

 

Could be Valve crud build up. Or I have also seen that when it gets cold condensation forms in the intake manifold which then gets sucked in upon startup. Supposedly there is a newly designed intake manifold out there for dealers.

 

Sounds similar to the high pressure fuel pump "issue" on my '09 S. It happened 6 months into ownership and I haven't had any "issues" since it was replaced...car has been trouble-free. Good luck to you...

 

2012 countryman

My engine light is on and it turns off after starting the car on ( 4 separate times)

The fan should not run after the car is turned off?

 

The fan will run after the motor is stopped. The time it runs varies.