I need opinions. I've been to the dealership 3 times in the last 3 weeks TRYING to get them to find this problem and fix it. Every time I bring it in they say can't reproduce problem and give it back to me. It's annoying as ef, and I'm about to go crazy.

Problem #1:
I've never had a problem with this car in 32k miles and past 2 years (besides a bad temp sensor) until now. A little back story. I went in for routine maintenance on 10/31/2012. They also had two recalls they needed to perform on my car. The recalls were replacing the chain tensioner sealing ring, and coolant temp. sensor. This is where my problems started. From that day on I had a weird noise coming from the passenger side that I could hear very prominently in the cabin. It was only there when the engine was cold; so my assumption is the noise is nothing other than the engine needing to be warmed up... but maybe not since I've never heard this noise before. To best describe it... it sounds like back the day when you would put a card on your bicycle rims and you can hear that clanking/plinking noise. It's easier to hear it in person, but hopefully you can tell from the video below that I've included. This happens in any gear when the engine is cold and when the car is 2,000 RPMs or higher. Maybe it's simply nothing and it's just engine being cold. I'm not as worried about this problem as I am the 2nd problem below.

Video 1 - Odd Engine Noise from 2k RPM and up when engine is cold (20mb) Give it time to load on slow connections.


Problem #2:
Now I had to take car back in on 11/23/2012 for an oil change. They also did a brake flush, micro filter replace, and inspected the odd noise I reported in problem #1 above. They said they didn't find anything wrong or hear any noise, and returned the vehicle to me after the maintenance. I got it back and immediately the next day and that weekend my car would struggle and choke on start up in the mornings. I figured it was something wrong with the fuel system or a vacuum line is off somewhere maybe? I called them took it in they didn't find anything and returned the vehicle to me. Then i thought maybe I was being picky and it was just in my head because there were no engine codes 'yet'... Well i got it back and the next day it struggled AGAIN to start up from a cold start. This time it was much worse than before. It was to the point of almost not even firing up. I got a check engine light this time and took it in immediately. They called me and said they were getting misfire codes, but they compression checked it and nothing seemed out of the ordinary (CYL1-210 CYL2-200, CYL3-210, CYL4-210). They cleared the codes and returned the vehicle to me the next day. It was fine for a few days then AGAIN it started the choking on start up, and has been ever since I got it back from them which was 12/3/2012. Yesterday I went to start it up and now it won't even run right at all. It's misfiring all over the place. I've included a video so you can see what I mean.

Video #2 - Cold Start choking/misfiring (20mb let it load on slow connections)

I don't understand how they can't encounter all these problems when I have them every damn time i start the car up. I even left my vehicle over night 2 times with them to check the cold start from sitting after awhile. STILL they tell me nothing is wrong. I'm going to call them tomorrow morning and I will have to have it towed to the dealership. It's completely un-drivable at this point; if they call me back and say they don't find anything wrong I'm not taking it back till they do. It's bull$hit and my warranty runs out soon because I'm almost at 36K miles.

 

For the first video, I was not able to hear anything out of the ordinary. Not sure how possible it may be to get the microphone closer to the source.

Second video sounds like a failing HPFP as I just went through that.

 

The first video is tough to hear; much different in person.

I told them last time I thought it was the fuel pump and they should check it. They clearly don't listen...

 

Confirmed today it was the fuel pump just like I thought it was.

Wish they had listened to me when I told them to check it...

 

good to know that dealership do listen... sometime

as for warranty, I think maintenance service is 3yrs 36k miles, and bumper bumper is 4yrs 50k miles.

I am having the same issue #2 will talk to my dealership about the HPFP

 

At least they have solved one of the problems.

On the first one, out of curiosity, have you ruled out the fan for A/C and heat? Mine will make a sound like something stuck in a fan during cold weather (like now) for the first few minutes when starting out. Seems unlikely, but since you said it was prominent in the cabin, maybe be something to double check if for no other reason than to rule it out.

You mentioned it had a bit of a metallic sound to it. If so, that would make me think timing chain. Virtually all of the ones I've read about needing to be replaced manifested themselves as a loud rattling sound, but something more subtle is not out of the question. When my tensioner was replaced the first time, my rattle only appeared when the engine was hot and only over 2,000 rpm. The second time (broken guide rail resulting in replacement of entire cartridge) there were no unusual noises to indicate an issue with the timing chain.

Of course, the challenge is getting the problem to surface while the dealer has the vehicle or otherwise getting them to agree to replace the chain.

 

Ya I dunno. I'm going to see if I can do some more work on getting better sound for the first problem. I'm supposed to be picking the mini back up tomorrow after work. They had to overnight the fuel pump; they don't keep it in stock. Maybe the first problem won't be there after this, but i doubt it. And like I said maybe it's just the engine being cold, because it never continues the loud vibration sound as soon as the engine warms up. Maybe it's turbo related? Does the turbo ever make sounds like that when something is wrong or even when it's cold? To me it just sounds like it comes from the chain/sprockets when the engine is cold because it comes from the passenger side of the compartment... well the noise seems to be louder in that general direction anyways.

 

I've experienced a similar sound before, I traced it to my CD player.
Maybe you already tried this but just for kicks, try removing the CD or turn off the radio to see if the sound is still present.

 

Thanks for suggestions, but I'm 100% sure it's not the radio or CD player. I haven't used the CD player ever (not even sure it works although I hope it does); I don't keep CDs anymore. I turned the radio off so I could hear the sound and record the video in the first place

It's definitely from the engine because I have to accelerate past 2k RPMs to hear it in any gear.

 

Can you hear it when you rev past 2k rpm when not in gear/motion?

 

No I can't. It only does it while in motion and in gear.

 

Timing Chain!! The timing chain has been found to cause the rattling cold start and that annoying noise in the dash. The sound happens when the tensioner piston doesnt extend and causes the chain to hit the guides on the engine cover. They will replace the part (number 11.31.7.598.956) under factory warranty however, its been "recalled" for 2007-2009 MINIs. Here are more details:

http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/05/...sue/#more-9099

 

Sim-11-02-07

http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/05/...fix/#more-9156