OK...so I have had the steering lock warning light come on for a while, and being clever, basically ignored it as everything else with the car was fine.
About a week ago, The steering did not unlock, and the engine would not start. All other electronics like windows, lights, radio, sunroof were working fine.
Plugged my scanner in, the only fault it could detect was a CAS error, steering wheel lock. It was not able to clear this code.
This car does not get driven all the time, so I did the usually things, double check the battery, voltage and load test were fine.
So started doing some YouTube research. Lots of people with Minis and BMWs get this problem. Some were able to reset the ELV counter through ISTA software, which I loaded up and got the right cable> It did detect a communication problem with the CAS system and was not able to take me to the screen where others had gone straight to a reset counter error. I will post the pictures of the errors I was getting.
Then I saw some people had water under there carpets, I hadn't noticed any leaks anywhere at all, but do have a sunroof. We also had several days of really severe rain.
Sure enough there is a significant amount of water under the carpets, about half an inch in the corner just below the fusebox. Keep in mind, this is a RHD car, so that would be in the drivers seat footwell. The car is parked on a slight hill, and is leaning, so the drivers footwell is actually the lowest point of the cars interior.
So figuring out how the water is getting in is definitely a priority. I have not checked the sunroof drain tubes yet, but they will be a first stop.
Also, as I live in a remote area of Australia, its a fair hike to the nearest Mini Dealer, or an independent Mini repair shop, and the car is stranded.
I am in the process of drying things out, seats out, carpet up etc.
Is there anything I can check that might be able to allow me to get the car up and running and drive it to a Mechanic?
Also, does anyone have experience swapping the DME and CAS with second hand ones? I know these components and the keys all have to match, there seem to be some available on ebay from the UK (I just want to make sure I get a RHD version in case there is a difference)
Hopefully a good dry out, and rechecking all terminals etc for water will help, but I am afraid stuff my have shorted out and will need replacement.

Here are some photos of the errors and water!

Any suggestions, tests you would like results of...any help appreciated!










hard to see, but there is water down there

close up of fingers...but more water down here

 

Your primary problem is the likely to be the steering wheel lock. When this fails, the ECU puts the car into a non-driveable mode. It is a safety thing, so you try not to drive or move the car with the steering wheel locked. The car will turn over, but not actually run. the rest of the electronics work

Fix that problem, and the car will start. Sometimes it is a purely mechanical thing. I had it happen when I tried to start the car while it was strapped down on a trailer. Because the wheels physically would not move, the lock would not release, and therefore the car would not start, even though all the other electronics worked. Once I released the straps, it started. After that I had it happen a few times randomly. Knowing it might be a mechanical thing, I was able to get the steering wheel to unlock by vigorously yanking on the steering wheel while trying to start the car, and then the car would start.

So my experience, with this is the sequence of events it is more likely to be mechanical steering lock failure ---> puts car into non-start mode, rather than ECU / CAS / electrical issue ----> causes steering lock

 

Replace the fusebox. or check the voltage at the fuses going to the CAS since they are feeding it.