Driving home from school, I noticed my SES light was on. Since I had under 50 miles for range on gas, I figured it would go away if I filled up, so I did so. Still on, so I took it for a short drive to see if I could detect any change in performance, sounds or vibrations. Nothing out of order. So getting it home, I turned it off, restarted it, and noticed the EML light stayed on when the other diagnostic lights went out, then went off a few seconds later. According to the manual, this is indicates a malfunction in engine electronics. I will drive it again a bit later and see if it goes out or not.

 

Ah yes, I just remembered, I'm low on washer fluid. Will that trigger the light? And where would I get this filled up? Or could I buy some from AutoZone and replace it myself?

 

I hope you are joking!

 

No, but, I did just take two heavy duty painkillers for my migraine, so I am not in a position to know anything.

 

In that case ...

The washer fluid does not need to be a specific MINI product.
If you have Xenon headlights you have *two* washer bottles, otherwise only one.
The washer fill points are under the hood, right on the edges of the car above the wheels and towards the back. They have blue caps on them. They are small and difficult to pour into - a funnel would be useful!
Get washer fluid; open hood (remember the release is on the passenger side in the car, and the safety catch is right of the grille; fill both fluid reservoirs (non Xenons - one reservoir only on the passenger side).

And no, the check engine light will not come on because you are low on washer fluid.

 

doesn't the MINI have a separate light for that too!!

 

I'll have to pay attention and check to see if I have that same EML light lag too.

 

Hah, yes it does.
gbmini, thank you for not giving me a snarky response to an obviously dumb question. I appreciate it.

Now, bummer, I can't believe something seems to be wrong after only 2470 miles. I hope it's just a faulty light and it goes away. I had the impression, from the manual, if something was wrong, not only would the SES be on, but the light for a particular code would be on as long as the car was on, not just go away after a few seconds. I did check my gas cap, but I suppose I could check it again. I know this light wasn't on Monday.

 

Definitely worth getting the dealership to do a quick code readout to verify the cause of the light - but it is quite likely to be due to the documented glitch in compatibility between the auto transmission & engine software (see the MINI memo in my weblog)

 

My light went off this morning when I started her up, so I cheered about it. And then it went back on after I'd driven less than a block! But I noticed that I had just started driving up a fairly steep hill when it came back on. 3 starts/drives later it went back off. So now I know going up that hill while cold can trigger it.

I wish everyone else luck in figuring out the problem with their cars.

 

Mine seems to come on going down my driveway. If I start the car three time not in the driveway the light turns off. I would like to get this fixed soon. The car drives great but I hate seeing the light all the time. I'm so happy when it is gone , and very sad when it comes back .

 

Any news on this fix??

Mine came on today and I was not even going down hill.. Guess I will go get on the list...

 

NOT YET

 

Ok, just like I thought my car has the issue. Good news is that Mini now has a fix. Bad news is that they had to send my ECU (I think) to Mini of NA to get the fix. Word just came today that they now have the issue resolved.

I will find out in a week if this is a good fix or not .. that's how long I will have to wait until it comes back..

Now a week in a MC 5 speed... Maybe should have gotten the MCS 6 MT hmmm

 

I would not bother with that ... I do not consider the spurious throwing of an SES light to be a big issue and I certainly would not be an "early adopter" braving a test of the supposed fix on behalf of MINI USA - especially if my reward was to not drive my MINI for a week

For some older issues, like the yo-yo, such an extreme move was necessary for owners of very sick MINIs - but why do it for a simple fibbing light?!

 

Well I think I am now a member of this club.
I never had issue in 14K miles, but out at the Dragon the SES came on, didn't reset after 5 starts. Eric from Helix scanned it... no codes pending or stored. He reset it. No light. 30 miles later its back on. This one goes out after a few restarts.
It comes back the next afternoon. Eric scans again (Thanks by the way) Absolutely no codes. All is good for a day. On the trip home it comes back on and has been on ever since.
The car runs great. Thinking about buying a scan tool just so I can reset it often. I'm 80 miles from the dealer and am pretty well modded... don't want to have that argument.

Any thoughts? I disconnected the battery for a bit, but that didn't fix it.
I will take a look at the wire harness tomorrow (daylight).

I've been wanting to get the GIAC Flash. Will this have any effect?

Thanks for any input,
Keith

 

Sorry to hear your problem Keith - but this is not the same issue as the spurious SES light on the new auto transmission MCS's ... there is a definite code recorded for that fault (something about O2 sensor - see here)

 

you and I are members of the other club...the non '05 MCSa SES club!

Quite a coincidence I'm at just over 14K now too, and the on again off again SES light (which currently has been off the entire week) surfaced about a month ago. I don't have access to a scanner, but I bet there are no codes in my case too. The car runs great too. In my case the light might come on for 3 or so starts, the usually does go off after 3 or so starts. Perhaps its an O2 sensor getting ready to go?

 

That's good guess. Eric did look at that sensor Data and it appeared to be OK, you may be on to something like a sensor intermittently working (I hate intermittent problems... always the worst to diagnose) But with no codes, I don't know what to think.

 

The car was also running rough, that was the real reason that I brought it in.
If BMW is investing all this time and effort I feel that it's truly fixed now. Also, I don't mind driving around some one else's Mini

 

I had the SES light come on yesterday on a Mt. Palomar uphill run going around a hard right in second gear, when the DSC light came on and simultaneously it started running rough, so I pulled over right away and shut down. I looked underneath and no fluids, checked the oil, plenty there, and no bent peices hanging loose. No other lights had come on, and I was pretty worried - I was a helluva long way from any where, so after letting it sit for about 5 minutes, I started her up again and the SES light flashed on.

No other indication that anything was wrong, and I had been nowhere near the redline, so I cautiously drove home at reduced revs. Got home and let her sit for the rest of the day, but when I went to check her out that evening, the SES light was still there. Hmmm. No problems on the way home, and the engine sounded fine - the key was I had a fairly full fuel load, as it was near the beginning of the run, it was a hot day, 90+ F, and I was turning hard right, so this morning I did the gas-cap tango, and voila, SES is gone. As simple as this seems, it still bothers me that the sensors do this annoying kind of programming error, as both the CVT and MCSa are heavily electronically managed, and should have more fail-safes. This gas-cap thing has been around on many other vehicles for years - our old 'Burb had the dang light on if it was less than half a tank, so I would hope this issue is sorted out right away.

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

 

Our MCSa just threw the SES light this morning. 2,500 miles. Dealer claims Mini NA has the fix but the ECU needs to go to them for programing. Apparently it cannot be done at the dealer. For about a week prior we have been having a hesitation problem when the car is cold. Rough idle when first started and slugish throttle response once under way. As soon as it is up to temp it ran fine. So next week we will drop it off for a few days to get the ECU re-programmed. Hope that cures the problem. The SES code by the way was the rear O2 sensor fault. Apparently the rear O2 sensor is fine but the computer is misreading the signal. Dealer says it's ok to drive.

 

mine was at the dealer last week for SES light problem...computer sent out for re-programming...so far so good, but time will tell...

 

Why can't Mini NA just send the dealer a new re-programmed ECU - for the dealer to swap out? That seems like alot of inconvience to Mini owners.

 

They will.
MINI USA has done this type of "pre-upgrade" a few times before - normally to resolve a critical issue.
Eventually the software will be updated at all dealerships - but the test & release process takes time so this gives frustrated owners an earlier response.

The gamble of course is - is the software ready for release yet?