I got tapped from behind by a SUV. No visible damage outside of a ding underneath the rear license plate not even worth mentioning. BUT, I get back in the car and it won't start. Nothing, not even a crank. The tow truck guy said something about a sensor needing to be reset. Any clues? The car is on it's way to the dealer. There is nothing in the manual about a "shock sensor" reset.

 

There is something about an automatic battery disconnect, though. I don't know exactly how this gets triggered or even where to repair/replace it, but that could be your problem.

 

"Crash-sensor system that, after an accident, will unlock the doors, turn on the hazard lights and cut off the fuel pump if the airbag has deployed."


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2004 MCS - PW/B w/Xenons

 

crash sensor seems to be it. I did notice the hazard flashers were on and did think it odd as I did not turn it on. However, the airbags were not deployed in this case. Will see tomorrow when the dealer opens.

 

Hope you got insurance info from the SUV driver. If you end up needing a rental, your dealer probably won't set you up with one for free.

What a weird problem! You must have gotten hit at just the right angle/speed etc. to trigger this; I've never heard of it happening to anyone else!

 

Just got off the phone with service.
Yep it's the shock sensor and it cannot be reset.
it has to be replaced at an estimated $600!!!
I guess it's time to call the insurance companies.

bummer

 

Yang, sorry to hear about your difficulty...but since you've uncovered yet another joy of MINI ownership maybe you can give us a few more details just to document this situation...

1) Was your car running when it was "tapped"?
2) Assuming the answer to #1 is "no"...what was the state of the ignition? Off, on in "ACC" mode, what???
3) Was anyone (you) sitting in the driver's seat at the time of the tapping?

Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is what is the condition under which the crash sensor can be tripped WITHOUT the airbags getting deployed. I'm thinking that just bumping a parked car (with the ignition off and locked) wouldn't cause this...but if the car was running with a driver in it, it seems strange that the sensor would be triggered without deploying the airbags.

Again, sorry for your pain...but it could have been a lot worse if the airbags had gone off. I've heard that replacing most or all of the units will run you well over 3 grand Looking at it in that way, you got off easy.

 

>>Again, sorry for your pain...but it could have been a lot worse if the airbags had gone off. I've heard that replacing most or all of the units will run you well over 3 grand :smile:

 

It makes sense that in a rear end crash, the front airbags would not deploy. They have seperate sensors for those.
Bummer that the crash-sensor can't be reset. IIRC, on olders cars the fuel pump cutoff can usually be reset just by pressing a button in the circuit. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense that it can't be reset. Towed for a tap (much less a fender bender)?

 

I was stopped waiting to merge onto a highway when I was tapped from behind. Minimal damage but a fairly good tap, knocked the car forward. Engine was running and all seats were occupied. The car would not start afterwards.

Interestingly, I did some research there is apparently another feature aside from the shock sensor that shuts off electrial power. This is in the cables of the battery hook-up and is a feature of BMW models also. The best I could figure out is that the cable "burns" itself out and subsequently cuts out power to the rest of the car. I don't think this was the case as all electric options were running except the car would not start.

 

I do know that an MCS has an explosive charge (!) in the battery cable that leads to the starter (there is a separate lead-in for the rest of the accessories). Since the battery is in the rear and there is a long cable running mostly underneath the vehicle to the front which connects to the starter, in the event of an accident this cable is 'forcibly' disconnected by the airbag system to prevent a fire or burns if this cable were to get damaged and short out. A fuse or circuit breaker would not be practical, since a starter motor draws so much current a fuse or breaker would be prone to nuisance tripping. Instead, a portion of the air bag system is set aside to 'pop' the charge in the cable to disconnect it, much in the same way that the system deploys the air bags themselves when needed. Unfortunately, this is a one-time only deal, just like an air bag, and pieces need to be replaced.

 

That's true...hpwever you can put it back in and secure it somehow and the car will function fine...but I had no idea that piece costs $600 us...

Mini is honestly one of the safest cars on the road.

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DISCLAIMER Onless otherwise stated, the views expressed in this post are those of the auther. Any concieved conspiracy is in the mind of the reader, however, the auther's mind is open and any attempt at open dialogue will be respected.

 

Just curious...any one read the owner's manual on the subject yet??

 

Hi all,
I had the misfortune to get into an accident in my '04 MCS in February. I was hit hard in the right rear (as I had turned left in front of unseen traffic). The hit was in the extreme rear, right at the wheel. Spun me 90 degrees.
16 year old son in right seat, both right side airbags deployed. Flashers on, doors unlocked, car off. I tried to start the car to get it out of the intersection a minute later. No luck. Then I remembered that there was some sort of cutoff in the system somewhere. After about 15 minutes, the policeman asked if I could move it, I said "I doubt it". But when I got in it, it started right up. I was able to pull it forward and out of the right-of-way. Then 1/2 hour later when the truck finally came, I was able to restart it and back out for him to load it.
I was puzzled by this also.
The mystery continues.....
Cheers!

 

>>I was stopped waiting to merge onto a highway when I was tapped from behind. Minimal damage but a fairly good tap, knocked the car forward. Engine was running and all seats were occupied. The car would not start afterwards.
>>
>>Interestingly, I did some research there is apparently another feature aside from the shock sensor that shuts off electrial power. This is in the cables of the battery hook-up and is a feature of BMW models also. The best I could figure out is that the cable "burns" itself out and subsequently cuts out power to the rest of the car. I don't think this was the case as all electric options were running except the car would not start.
>>
>> Why did the car stop running? On it's own ? Just one more thing.

 

yes the car just shut off on its own. doors unlocked and hazards went on.

 

at least yours did not blow up unlike this other... hatchback... a long time back that blows up when struct in the back...