http://www.mini2.com/forum/

Plenty more on this subject in the Cooper S Automatic room at Mini 2. It's becomming a very serious problem unique to the 05 MCSa. I took my car in about a month ago for the software update to fix the SES light going on. It did but last week while exiting a parking garage, my engine suddenly died, better known as "limp mode." Fortunately, I was able to safely pull off to the side of the road, restart the engine, and drive off though the SES light was back on for a half day. I am now waiting for the new and improved fix to address the limp mode problem. I have heard of instances where the driver was going 60 plus MPH and the engine suddenly died. This is a very dangerous situation. The limp mode thing according to sources, is temperature related. Owners in Florida for expample, seem to getting the worst of it.

Another 2005 MCSa owner was told today by his dealer not to get the updated software unless he has a stalling problem (limp mode). The first SES light fix was for the 02 sensor. The stall according to the service rep, is caused by a misread of the airflow from the intake (an independant problem).

 

Hope your good luck continues. It seems no one can say for sure when the problem is most likely to kick in if it does kick in. With my 05 MCSa (build Jan 05) , it happened under 2x miles. Other owners reported problems with the SES light and/or limp mode at lower but usually higher mileage. Keep your fingers crossed. I love my car but this is not a confidence builder.

 

Gawd this whole thing is really spooking me - the idea of losing power on the hills of San Francisco and in the traffic I'm often in is frightening.

So far my Jan build has had the SES light almost from the beginning (after a few hundred miles), and although I know it runs super rich (and is being robbed of some power due to this) the shifting and general performance has been brilliant. I really do not want to have an "upgrade" that has the potential of ruining it

Why do BMWs have so many ecu/programming issues

 

I have a 6-speed manual.

 

Is your MCS automatic?

 

Yup - after all its in the title of the thread

(Although the BMW/Mini programming issues have included manual trannys plenty. I remember when the 330i sport came out and many were stalling, running rough and getting horrible gas mileage; some cars were never cured and were lemoned from what I recall.)

So, it seems that in spite of the different transmissions, and transmission specific software, they are using the same versions on all MCSs?

 

Yeah, this is serious stuff. In my case, I was able to pull off to the side of the road when my engine died. Had I been going 65 MPH on a busy highway, it could have been a whole different situation. Scary. And Mini has been very silent on this other than issuing a service memo to its dealers. IMHO that's not right. Should someone be seriously injured as a result, MINI will have some serious damage control. Fortunately, my dealer has been very good at keeping me informed. They appear just as frustrated as everyone else.

I just want the darn thing fixed so I can again enjoy my new car and not have to worry.

This whole thing should be called 05 MCSa Mini Routlette. Some experience problems almost from the start, others it takes about 1000 miles, for others 3000 or more. You just don't know when it's going to kick in and that's the scary part.

 

I have an MCSa in Houston with 2800 miles on it. Probably April build. I haven't had any issues related to this thread and heat is obviously a factor down here. I just wanted to chime in to give a positive hot weather experience...and to curse my car.

 

There are lots of things that can lean out the car. What we need is someone with a MCSa to try some stuff. If anyone wants to see if MTH can fix it, I can send you a cable, but you have to get your own licence. Anyone for an Apex'i for fuel table adjustments? UniChip with dyno tune? If you wait for Mini, it may be a long, long wait. (Remember, they're up to v42.X, and it's not because they WANT to have quarterly releases, it's because they NEED to have quarterly releases).

So who's adventerous? Who wants to go where Mini obviously won't go (A/F maps?) whomever finds out how to fix this will be a NAM hero (or heroine!)

So, quite bitchen about Mini and ECU maps. Whatever they do, it will take a lot of time. Look over the threads from ECU upgrades in the past, and you'll find we've ALL been there before, just for different issues.....

So, any "researchers" out there in the MCSa camp? anyone interested in trail blazing?

Matt

 

Part of the problem with my MCS 6 speed is that one they flashed me to v42.1, my Unichip wouldn't work at all. I got the Unichip to help smooth out problems in previous versions of the ecu - and it worked great until they gave me the new version. If anyone can get the Unichip to work with v42.1, let me know.

 

And why would you want to curse your car if you are chimming in with positive news on the (probable) DME heat exhaustion front?

 

How do you get to the conclusion that the problem the MCSa's are experiencing is due to a lean A-F mix? If MINI is replacing the DME, it would seem that maybe the DME is not able to handle high heat and high humidity conditions.... (And, there MAY also be a problem with the heat-exhausted DME causing collateral problems as well.)

Frankly, unless I knew with almost absolute certainty that there was not a problem with the DME, I personally wouldn't want to put effort into something that could turn out to be wasted. Maybe I am conservative, but having ventured into tuning territory with other cars before and had a bit of a wasted effort on one, I have developed a more finely honed appreciation for controlling variables in the tuning process. The DME is one of those fundamental variables.

 

Not trying to curse it, just figure once I speak up I'll have a problem. I hope it doesn't happen.

 

I think what he is saying that to fix the problem there are options that will make the cars run leaner as they are running quite rich (at least I know that mine is). The codes they are thowing also related to the emissions/o2 sensors and indicate problems with the emission systems per what my dealer told me when they plugged my car in.

By the by, the SES light came on in my car in March in San Francisco - so not exactly the hottest weather was required. Perhaps the more severe conditions are what spurs the the worst symptoms like limp mode...

 

I had the limp mode problem on an April build MCSa at about 2500 miles. I just got it back yesterday and it seems to be running fine so far with the software update. They sent my DME out to New Jersey for reprogramming. After the first "fix" they tried, my gas mileage was horrible and it only lasted 5 days before the problem happened again. So far my gas mileage after this fix has been about what it was before the problem happened, or maybe even better. It's too early to tell though. I will be happy if it makes it longer than a month without a problem.

 

I have a '02 what is the latest version of ecu software my mcs can take. I have the stumble problem on and off, and would love to get rid of it, also how do I figure out what version software I currently have?
thanks
mininh

 

Just as I figured, my car's SES light came on yesterday. I happened to be passing the dealer at the exact time so I swung in. They just got a new software update Tuesday, version 42.2. They uploaded it while I waited. We'll see what happens. FYI, I have about 2900 miles on the car.

 

Exactly. Or maybe it's a dormant virus.

I used to get into my car and then worry whether or at what instant it will quit on me. It was especially bad when I had to drive some distance on the highway. I used to try to avoid going anywhere far away when it was raining or late at night. And the instant that the car did quit always made me feel sick with dread and hopelessness. Usually I would be far away from any services. It was "acceptable" in the daytime. At night it was just miserable. That was a long time ago though--before cars got engine management systems, etc. Back then it was often the price paid for driving something different.

It's bizarre to experience this in the 21st Century--especially when one buys a best selling car from a reputable manufacturer. I don't think the MCSa is an exotic car. So it should not have such an exotic problem. This is much more serious than cracking windshields or ungainly cupholders. I haven't experienced it yet, but realize I need to be prepared--remember when leaving home and reaching for my IPod that I also need to bring my mobile.

Venceremos to my fellow MCSa NAMmers.

 

Regarding what version of software you currently have: Unless you have upgraded the software at the dealer after taking delivery of your car, and you have the service invoice that states what version of software was loaded, there is no way to tell.

 

If you are experiencing the SES light going on and the more serious loss of power (limp mode), you need to take your car in as soon as practical. As of July 26, dealers received the new software update V42.2 that is supposed to take care of both problems. I brought my car in today and so far, so good. In addition, I had two other recall notices applicable to my 2005 MCSa - I needed a new coolant hose and a new 02 sensor.

I am told there will be no recall notices mailed to 2005 MCSa owners. When an MCSa shows up to be fixed for any reason, the dealer is supposed to update it.

Hopefully now I can again start enjoying my new car - It's only got 3K miles on it!

 

I'll be getting mine done on Friday to do the emissions recall.

Im tired of the stumble I have from the pre v34, so at least that might
be fixed (hopefully). Mine's a 6/03 build.

Will keep you posted.

 

UPDATE:
While pulling out of my driveway this afternoon my car lit up like a christmas tree
SES, EML and battery light.
So I call my SA and tell him. He says the last work I had done on my car was to fix a DME issue associated with the auto tranny.
(I say DUH!) So I ask whats this?
He says, “I can make you an appointment”
I say, “Well it is something I should worry about?”
He says, “Well if it drives after a restart then you should be alright”
At this point I’m like if I break down some day MINI Roadside needs to find me a good dealer with a competant SA.

 

So it's not just the MCSa option. There must be a lot more than 3800 cars affected. Then it's potentially a huge problem. Dang!

 

Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that the problem continues

Really appalling that they tell people to just drive when the result can be a loss of power while driving

 

Sounds like there may be more to the problem than just a re-program of the DME....
Unfortunately, there is really not much else that they can do if they have run out of options.

Has anyone tried escalating this issue to the U.S. Feds (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration)? Going into limp mode in the middle of traffic certainly sounds like a pervasive safety issue.

Less critical items have precipitated a recall for other manufacturers - I had a 2001 Denali that had a recall because if you inserted your fingers into the second row seat's headrest mount while lowering the seat back, you could get the finger(s) pinched. That recall must have cost GM something north of $1.0 million.