Long time listener, first time caller. I've got a fun one for you guys.

I've got a problem with my 2009 Cooper S Clubman, and it's super sporadic - this might happen once every few weeks - but it's an issue, and where I come from, the only issues that don't get fixed are emotional ones! Anyone? Anyone?

So starting about five weeks ago, every now and again, with no rhyme, reason, or pattern to the madness, this clubman will 'shut off' for a split second, then turn right back on if she's moving, or stay off if she's not. Up til now I had no leads (on account of it being sporadic and short-lived), but I had an epiphany today... she turns off and back on exactly as if the ignition switch has been pressed. To compare, I toggled the ignition switch off while the car was running, then immediately toggled it back on - yup! The speedometer goes to zero, all the various 'I am on but not running' lights come on, no juice when I hit the gas... and when I toggle the switch back on, she cruises along like nothing had happened. Just like the problem!

There's no 'chugging' before it happens. There's nothing to warn me it's going to happen. It just goes out and comes back - like a lightswitch being flicked by an indecisive six-year-old.

As if that ain't enough, just today I recorded another, more reproducible symptom (and this is enough that I have something to work with). When the interior fan or A/C is on, the vents will sporadically spew a 'burning plastic' smell - much like if a spatula in a heated dishwasher falls off the rack and contacts the heating element at the bottom. Now, I mean, this could be COMPLETELY unrelated, but it started on the same day as one of the ignition switch occurrences... might be related?

Regrettably, when I went to open the engine compartment today, the hood latch seized... one thing after another, ain't it? So while I wait for a roommate to come home so we can do the ol' 'bounce on the hood while dampersand pulls the lever' trick, I figured I'd drop you guys a line and see if you have any insights.

Whatcha think, NAM?

 

All I can offer is my own electrical mystery in reply, sorry. Whenever I vacuum out my driver's side footwell, around the pedals, my lights often just turn on. The twist switch hasn't moved, yet my garage wall is lit up. To turn the lights off I twist the light switch on and off again. Mini is trying to tell me something...?
So this thread may turn into 'Electrical Mysteries' unless someone can pin down dampersand's question.

 

I'm to new to Mini's to help.. sorry. But wanted to say Welcome to dampersand since he just joined.

 

As far as the "burning plastic" smell, Our 2009 Clubby S had that happen, while running the AC, before we pulled the car off the lot. Turned out to be our AC coil/clutch in the compressor burning up. The next day we did not have AC. The failed, and fabled, low speed fan resistor was the culprit.

 

I noticed the hood latch on these tend to catch, seems to be somewhere near the passenger headlight if you push down (not hard) then pull up while working the latch it seems to get it for me (was a little frustrating until I noticed where you had to put some extra pressure).

 

Thank you kindly! Also thank you to whoever moved my thread. Sorry about that!

I don't like to leave forum threads unfinished in the hopes that it'll help someone in the future, so here ya go, NAM:

After getting the hood popped (with that 'one guy bounces the hood while another guy pulls the lever' trick) and greasing the F out of it, I got to poke around in the engine compartment.

Turns out the positive battery terminal cover had managed to melt, creating a black rigid mess that stretched all the way down to the battery cable. As I watched (car on), I saw this black mess suddenly flare orange - current was flowing through it! So there was the burning smell - burning plastic in the battery compartment (right in front of the cabin air intake).

Well... current wouldn't flow through something that resistive if there was good terminal contact, so I guess that was my problem - crappy contact between the terminal and the cable, causing a bigger voltage drop (the sporadic 'shut off' problem) and more heat (to melt the terminal cover)? I'm not sure. It's a theory, but I ain't about to believe it's right. Funny thing is, when I pulled it apart and scrubbed it with steel wool, it didn't look that corroded...

Also peeled off all the black melted plastic. yuck!

So the burning smell is gone, and... well, I can't say for SURE that the sporadic 'shut off' issue is gone, but I'll drive around for a couple weeks and see!