So, when I bought my 2012 Cooper, I was intermittently getting the "Close Gas Cap" message on the display. I bought a new gas cap as this was the first and cheapest option given to me to solve the issue. No dice. So I ordered the leak detection pump that's mounted on the rear of the charcoal canister and replaced it last week. I drove the car to work a couple days after making the repair with no check engine light. But then after about 3 days of no issues, it's started happening again but now it's every time I start the car. I took pictures of everything before I took it apart to ensure that I put it back together again correctly, I also double checked every hose to ensure a tight fit before I put the undercover back on the car and drove it off the ramps.

I'm going to get out in the next day or two, get that undercover back off, and check everything again to make sure that nothing has came loose or unplugged. But if that's not the case, what's the next thing I should check?

 

When mine did that, the purge valve under the intake manifold was slightly disconnected. It seemed like when I was in that area, I didn't fit it tightly...

 

Gotcha. I had read a little bit about there being a purge valve or sensor of some sort under the intake manifold but every one that I saw had been on R50/R53 minis. I'll get in there and look at it tonight and see if that's the issue. Thanks!

 

@MiniToBe , is yours an S? or a Non-S? Mine isn't an S so it's just got an NA N16. Would that matter?

 

Mine was an S, but that shouldn't matter since it is the same system on all of them.

 

Good to know. I'll take a look at it in the next day or two. Hopefully that fixes the issue!

 

I also had this problem. The vent pipe (number 5 on the linked page) was loose. I'm not sure if that's the same part that MiniToBe is referring to. I'm posting in case it's different.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1202

 

Yup, that's the one. Also, that's the purge valve.

 

Cool. So this is located under my intake manifold?

Had a few other projects that took priority over the Mini this week but am going to look at it when I get home this afternoon. Am also going to check all the connections on the leak detection pump and make sure nothing has come loose since I have to get in there anyway to look at the TPMS receiver that I apparently disturbed while I was under there last time...

 

Check and post which code is actually being thrown.
Might help narrow down the possibilities
a little more.

 

27AC: DTC--Fuel tank ventilation system and purge air system, minor leak
Based on the research I did once I got the code, everyone said start with the gas cap, then if that doesn't work then go to the leak detection pump because those are the two most likely culprits. So, did the cap, then the pump, and here I am... lol

 

I had that code a year or two ago.
There were cracks in the seal of the
gas cap rubber seal ring so I replaced
that without success, then replaced the
leak detectionpump, which fixed it.
I think you’re on the right track
checking the purge valve and
double checking the pump
connection next.

FWIW , it takes a while for this
system to show emission readiness.
Tank has to be between about 1/3 - 3/4
full and some long off-throttle coasting
seems to help the drive cycle along.

 

Good to know. The car had a little less than half a tank when I did the repair on the pump. Drove it a few times on short trips before I got the message again. Then it didn't come up again for a trip or two then came up and did it every time I drove the car until tuesday when it stopped. Then I put gas in it yesterday and haven't gotten one yet. May have just taken that long for the system to reset itself. I'll try resetting the codes again tonight when I get home and see what happens. I'll also give that purge valve under the TB a look and see what I've got going on under there

 

Small update...

Weather was nice yesterday so I got out there and looked at the purge valve. Honestly wasn't terrible to get to. Everything looked to be connected the way it should from all the pictures I found on the internet so I put everything back together and reset the codes. Had a few errands to run last night so I buzzed around town in it some, then drove it my 20 mile commute to work this morning and so far no gas cap message and no lights on the dash. Maybe it just took this long for the system to do it's thing. Will put more mileage on it over the weekend and see what happens and post an update in a few days. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

The purge valve might look good, but internally it could be stuck or corroded! if the code pops back, take another look at it.

 

That's the plan. Figured I'd wait for that code to pop up again and make sure I actually need it before I spent $100 on a new one

 

Update: purge valve ordered....