Hi all, I'm new to NAM, and a new member of DC Metro Minis.

My 2005 MCS is going in for the 4th time for the SES light that doesn't want to stay off. So far, the dealer has replaced the O2 sensors, the DME, the fuel injectors (under the suggestion of MINIUSA). After the first pickup, the light came on two weeks later. After the 2nd and 3rd pickup, the light came back on within 24 hours. The light first came on the evening of picking up the car from replacing the Supercharger (the gearing was shredding itself up), so I think that the replacement of the SC has something to do with it. Dealer claims it's either a vacuum leak or the cat. converter. Has anyone else had this type of problem? If so, what was the solution? Thanks all!

 

which code is it throwing off?

 

I suggest reading up on your State's Lemon Law. Sorry you are having ALL those issues. Nick

 

I'm not sure of the code, but I can get back to you on that soon.

 

Mine had the SES light come on within 200 miles of leaving the dealer. After two trips back, they traced it to a fuel pressure regulator which was at 70 psi when it should have been at 55 psi...no problems since and I have 8800 on it.

 

My MINI has been in the shop 7 or 8 times now for the SES light, and within two days of getting the car back the last time, the SES light came back on.

I've had O2 sensors replaced, MAP sensors replaced, fuel injectors replaced, DME computer replaced, fuel regulator and fuel pump replaced, etc.

The code that mine produces indicates that the engine is running too lean. The computer tries to adjust the fuel mix, but finally gives up after about 1000 miles.

I have asked MINIUSA to get me into a new car. I don't qualify for lemon law because of a loop hole. If I did qualify, I would have been rid of the car a long time ago.

JS

 

What loophole?

 

I purchased the car in South Carolina. I live in North Carolina. SC lemon law says the car must be purchased AND registered in SC. NC lemon law says the car must be purchased in NC.

My car was bought in SC but registered in NC. Loophole.

JS

 

Last January my SES light came on. I was going to the dealer a few days later anyway for something else. They said it had two dead o2 sensors and replaced them.
Last week the SES light came on. I took it to the dealer and asked them why my SES light comes on every January. They kept the car all this week (I pick it up tomorrow) and found nothing wrong. Just two dead o2 sensors.

I don't get it...

 

Mine has been off and on for about 2 months. I finally took it in and they had to replace the knock sensor. Took about 5 hours. 2 mins to change the sensor, and 4:58 to be able to access it and put it back together...

So far it's all good. It has only been 2 days though...

 

Mine came on w/in 1/2 a mile from the dealer upon delivery.
They just changed the knock sensor yesterday and the SES light came back on that afternoon, within 50miles.
This seems to be a pretty common problem w/ these cars, but there seems to be many reasons why it comes on.
What worries me is that I want to start modding the car, but not w/ this problem. And I dont want to mod, just to have the car taken away under lemon laws. hmmmmmmmmmm

 

get a code reader for like $60-70. it will come with translations of the codes. then post here and there will be many people that will be able to
give you comments for reference.

 

I'm stopping off at the dealer tomorrow.
I'll tell you what they say.
Maybe I'll pick up a code reader, but where?

 

Kept having a problem with mine as well. Dealer said it was a slow leak somewhere in the fuel system, but couldn't figure it out. After the third (?) time to the dealer, they finally replaced the fuel cap.

No problem since and that was ~5K miles ago...

 

And I recommend it for anyone that has a post 98 (or so) US built car. Not only will it help you with your Mini, but every car in the US has to have a OBD-II diagnostic port. You can check what it says (Without clearing) before you go to the service center to "keep an eye" on what they tell you. And you can see if the reccuring codes are in fact the same code.

FWIW.

Matt

 

Thanks for the fuel cap tip.
And thanks for the info on where to pick up a tool.
I almost didnt read your bold heading, and was gonna ask the same ? again.
That woulda made me a tool. LOL

 

Now they say its the wiring harness.
Car will go back in a week.

 

Wiring harness? As in the engine wiring harness? Does you car have the auto tranny like mine? If so the change in the harness will resolve the issue if its related to the bad harness.

 

6spd, and i think they are just trouble shooting.
Car drives perfectly.

 

I've had the same problem with the SES light. I took it in last Monday for the 3rd time and they finally replaced the o2 sensor instead of resetting like they said they did all the other times. The light hasn't came back on "YET". We'll see how long that lasts for.

I also had a recall from the dealer in Germany where I bought the car telling me about a recall. They said "If the engine wiring is not routed correctly the wiring may be damaged while the vehicle is in motion. It is possible that the engine will switch to the emergency program or that you will not be able to start the engine again once you have switched off." When I contacted MINIUSA and the dealer here, they didn't even know about this recall yet. Just watch out for it.

 

I have had my SES light come on a couple times recently as well.

My SES light cam on when I was driving from Central Florida to Southern Florida during the "winter time". And I bought a code reader and I had 2 codes. The first code said I was running to lean and the second said that I had a pending code of running to lead. Note this problem only occurs for me on the highway never around town no matter how hard I drive it.

My Theory.....

Since I was driving south both times the light came on and eventually went out on its own I attribute the SES light to the relative quick change in temp. a.k.a Temperature Inversion. Our cars have plenty of electronics that could be upset by the change in temp. Since the dealerships cant pinpoint the problem, they just replace something then reset all codes and it comes back do to temp inversion later(never affecting the cars performance) I think this is a fairly solid theory. Now it doesnt have to be an extreme temp change nor cold, just a "significant" difference to the sensor(s) that are causing the problem.

Since I have a lean condition only as described above I am in the process of installing a A/F meter to verify the lean condition......

So I say to all of you fellow SES light problem havers buy a code reader(I use Actron cp9125) and reset the light yourself and see how long it takes to come back if it a real problem it will come back right away.

 

They changed out the engine wiring harness.
They said 1 pin was off my a mm. That would do it.
Light has not come back on since saturday.
We shall see.

 

I have the same issue now too out here in DC... Into Tate Mini for the 4th time now... would love to get this resolved....

 

I just went through a similar exercise last week. The dealer went through a bunch os trouble shooting, and finally found theat there was a leak in the Catalytic Converter (at a weld) and replaced it. When the dealer read the code (I think it was #2096) they told me that they had to contact MiniUSA and follow Mini USA's troubleshooting steps. My guess is that they have been having enough of the same SES codes that they want to figure it out for future instances.

 

my ses light is always coming on, about once a week, but it always goes off. it came on for 2 days straight last week and then again today, I was going to the dealership anyways but they were too busy to check it out today. I made an appoinment to go back this week but it costs $104.00 just to have them scan it. Should I just buy a code reader instead????