So now that it is warmer out I noticed that my fan has kept running for about 5 minutes after shutting the engine off. 2012 justa convertible with 10k miles bought used in February. I've read a bunch of threads about this, but can't tell from any of these how long is normal and how much is too long and time to take it in for service.

 

The fan is thermostat controlled, it is supposed to run after the engine is shut down, to help cool it down, when the temperature is high.

Dave

 

There was a thermostat service bulletin, I think, might check that out. Can't remember what years were covered. My 2011 had the work done when we went in for an oil change. The little solenoid gets hot and stays on if I recall correctly. You could probably call your dealer and ask.

 

I am a service advisor at a mini dealer and from what we see on a regular basis if the fan is constantly staying on it is most likely the coolant temperature sensor. There is a recall as a matter of fact on the coolant temperature sensors on 2012. Your dealer should be able to tell you right away when they pull your key data. If the recall is present then the coolant temp sensor will be replaced. Be prepared for a lengthy visit though as it can take 2-3 hours to do this because the vehicle must be cool for the techs to do the job. Even if you do not have the recall the vehicle may still need the sensor. The ecu may have a fault code stored for incorrect values being input by the sensor. Good luck !!

 

My 2011 has only had her fan run after turning off, once. After going up a mountain, following turboed MINIs, in the heat of Las Vegas. I live in San Diego, and she has never had the fan come on in normal driving.

 

I just reread your op. 5 minutes is pretty normal. When you start getting up to 10 mins or more then you should start worrying. I would still have the dealer check though

 

Mine stays on for about 30 seconds, just enough time to gather my stuff and get off the car. As I'm walking away it shuts down. 5 min seems like a long time to me...

 

Yes, coolant temperature sensor... thanks Weedeater (great name by the way)!

 

This is regarding a straight Cooper, so it isn't the turbo fan, it's that high speed one I think... that's what came on in mine, that one time. jpkramer203, does it sound really loud? You turbo guys have a fan just for your air pusher, right?

 

Yes you are right. 5 mins does sound like a long time but once those temps start to climb during the summer it can stay on for a little while longer. I am in fl and down here I think the humidity can take a toll on the cooling system so we do see them stay on for a little longer.

 

Thanks Joanieb. The fan that you usually hear that is very loud is the engine cooling fan, which is a 2 speed fan, and once that vehicle it a stop after being up to operating temperature it will come on. And that is regardless of turbo or n\a. The other fan you can hear at times is the one for the power steering pump. As far as the turbo goes it actually has an auxiliary water pump to help keep the temps down on the turbo.

 

Thank you for the clarification. I'm trying to learn. That loud fan did worry me when it came on.... but it was 104 degrees and we were going up a mountain, fast. That was last Spring and it hasn't come on since.

 

R56's (2nd Gen), don't have a power steering fan, those where the first gen, R53s.

 

You are absolutely right!!

 

Yes. The fan is pretty loud. And it is on a straight cooper.

 

My research indicates the coolant fan on the R16 Justa is a single speed and is much louder than the lower speed of the two speed fan of the 2007 MCS I owned. My coolant fan came on after I shutdown the motor no matter how hot the engine was when I was using the air conditioning. Since I had the coolant temperature switch replaced, I have not had the coolant fan run after shutting off the engine. If the temperature is very hot or the engine is run very hard, the coolant fan will stay on for a few minutes after shutting down.

Morris, 2011 MC, PW/B

 

Thanks for all the responses. The family and I took the car to Menards today. When I started the car in the garage, the fan kicked on immediately. About half way there after 10 mins of driving, the check engine light came on and has stated on since. I can't tell if the fan continued to run while I drove, but it has not stayed on after the car is shut down. Guess it is time to meet my mini service department.

Oh, and my wife mentions to me that she put regular 87 octane gas in on the last full up. I'd been putting premium in it otherwise since we bought the car. I'm going to make her take it in, but do any of you think the cheap gas made the check engine light come on?

 

There is a service bulletin on "some" of these cars. It is a faulty sensor. If you provide your vin number to the dealer they can tell you whether your car was made with a problem or not. My "Justa" was not on the list but had the issue described. The dealer verified it and replaced the sensor under warranty.

 

Oh, and my wife mentions to me that she put regular 87 octane gas in on the last full up. I'd been putting premium in it otherwise since we bought the car. I'm going to make her take it in, but do any of you think the cheap gas made the check engine light come on?

no ... should have no significant impact. The computers will detect lower octane and adjust for it with no harm to the engine (you may loose a wee bit of performance). No codes should be thrown for just this . . .

 

I live in Florida .... if my fan stayed on for 5 minutes I'd get concerned and the first thing I'd check would be my coolant level.

My fan usually runs for a bit when I park the car but 90 seconds is long for me. 5 minutes is not unheard of but at this time of the year in Illinois (I grew up 20 miles west of Windy City) should not be IMO.

BTW my 81 Rabbit had the same type of electric fan which would often run after the car was shut off . . . no biggie and nothing new.

Footnote: the fan running at shut down also has something to do with your last 5 minutes of driving. If I come off the interstate cruising 70 and almost immediately park, the fan runs for a time and I pay little attention to it...the engine is HOT. At home, I live over a mile inside a gated community with a 20 mph speed limit (and Sheriff patrols to enforce it) so most of the time when I park in the garage my car has run a few minutes at idle speed from the gate to the driveway - which is cool down time . . . . this is also where the fan run time is most noticeable and when it went up not long ago I checked my coolant which was a tad low. I topped off but this prompted further investigation and I found my thermostat housing just beginning to leak ... b4 it became an issue . . .

Lesson: learn your normals and when things deviate, investigate.

 

The fan running this long is not normal. There are other threads about this issue and as mentioned, confirmed by my service advisor is that there is a problem with the sensor in which Mini will fix. I am the owner of a 2008 and 2012 base Mini's.....my 2008 does no have the fan run at all like my 2012 did. Thats what tipped me of as to somethnig being wrong with 2012.

Also in the Mini owners manual its states that 91 octane is recommended with the minimum being 89 octane. Engine timing is self adjustiing,but, perhaps not for what is not recommended.

 

Just got the car back and it was a faulty coolant sensor.