MMM,
Tough ordeal to go through. Thanks for all the details. Our 07 MC auto with cold weather package just gave us the CEL after less than 100 miles driven, and your posts have been very educational.
Hopefully the service experience we'll be as pleasant as the purchase and motoring one was so far (CEL issue notwithstanding).
At least we know what to brace for. Will keep you all posted.

 

2006 MCS - Automatic. no addons received from factory in early sept 06.

Had this problem start at about 5K miles, in december. Began on drive home from work. after driving about 1 mile and coming up to light on highway. lost power, running extremely rough, almost could not get off highway. Service engine soon light came on. Problem cleared after restarting. (light eventually cleared after multiple starts). After that, the car had trouble starting after sitting overnight or about 8 hours during the day. doesn't matter if hot or cold ambient air temp. Car would take longer to crank, and then either ran rough and sometimes stalled. driving to first stop sign, the car would roun rough again and almost stall. ONce driving, there was no problem. Car had no trouble accelerating or starting /stopping once having driven for a few hundred yards. Today (15K miles) I again had the power-loss problem while driving....car would not go above 2000 RPM. Service engine soon light came on, too. restarting the car reset the problem. Dealer said to try shell gas..I had been using sunoco. sounds like a noise glitch in the computer (from my digital electronic engineering perspective) or a sensor getting stuck.

 

What the F###, stuck senor, bad gas, restart, start, just getting off the road, noisy. Unacceptable for a new car in this day. Mine might be here this weekend and I am scared to death. I hope I won't be posting here but if it happens I will. Sorry for posting and not even taken delivery yet but this thread makes me crazy. Good luck to all of us.

 

Now - it is a chance of probably 5% of having problems with the car. Look... I deal with risks on a daily basis and, when I quote risks of "less than 1%" in things much more... severe - people are much more serene. Remember - at the end - it is just a car. A damn, inanimate thing. If it happens, it happens. I've been upset because I couldn't go to work with my car, and that was a problem. Yes - there is a "different" kind of upset - like money wasted and so one - but ultimately that is not a fundamental upset, it is a "passionate" upset.

So - look - the things are as follows:
- there is a (probably) around 5% of having problem with the car;
- the problems are not... creating essential damage;
- with time, and a lot of patience, and ultimately even with some wasted money, things will come to a decent ending. Either that is the hassle of getting a new car (as I did), or fighting some obtuse dealers (as some others did) or even settling for a "less than perfect" car. In the "grand scheme of things" those are just ripples in the pond.

Breathe.

MMM

 

Thanks minimaximini for putting it in more of a perspective. BTW, just after I vented my MA Amanda called and said the racing stripes are installed and my car was ready. I new it was close but the lounge says at the VDC. Getting excited again. Picking up on Friday. Thanks

 

I had two instances of sputter at low rpm when shifting to nuetral and coming to a stop. Car didn't know where to idle. idled at about 3-400 instead of 7-800 rpm. Also cut off a couple of times. Only happened twice.

I had version 26 of the sw installed today. Hopefully that takes care of it.

 

This new software was released as of last week with version 26.00.00.

Should take care of multiple Fault codes experienced with the R56's

Chad

 

Yup. Mine was updated last week. Should be the last I see of this problem. This time, if the light comes on, there will actually be an issue.

Let's hope that doesn't happen!!!

If your dealership hasn't contacted you, call them and make an appointment. They shouldn't have an excuse anymore. They know what to do.

 

Then I guess they are doing the software upgrades at the VDC on the new cars that are coming in?

 

HELP - PLEASE!!

chiki143 - what was the outcome of your situation? I am pretty much in the exact situation as you.

I just picked up my MCS Auto yesterday and after only 12 miles my CEL light came on. I do not recall hearing any sputtering noises. It does not make sense to be the gas cap problem because I test drove it for a couple of miles and drove it for several more miles (therefore did not stop to put gas in it) before the light came on. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Hi Guys,

The techs at mini and the dealer found the problem causing my CEL to keep coming on. The fault code was reported as low pressure on the turbo. Mainly low pressure on the wastegate valve. The common cause is usually a kink in the hose. No kink in the hose were found. After a lot of head scratching they did try a software upgrade but the CEL came back on during the test drive.

The techs at the dealer took off the hose that runs to the wastevalvle gate to check for blockage. Apparently this is a two piece piece hose with a plastic connector that joins the two hoses together. The techs quickly found out the plastic connector shredded during the manufacturing process. A shredded piece of the plastic connector was causing enough blockage and resistance to trigger a low pressure sesor at the wastvalve thus causing the CEL to display.

I picked the car up on Monday and have tried to reproduce the scenario where the CEL would display but to my delight no CEL. It looks like the techs at MINI and the dealer have found the real problem. It took a while to find the problem but their persistance paid off. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed. BTW, much better performance after the fix. Totally different car.

 

The check engine light came on yesterday. It appears after reading the posts that I will need the software update. Trying to get into the Mini Dealer is harder than getting in to see the doctor. I can't get in until 08/29!!! It would appear no harm comes to anything driving with the light on.

 

8/29?? Are you serious? I'm miffed when I have to wait more than 3 or 4 days!

Where is your dealer?

 

Milwaukee, WI. He said they might squeeze me in the week before, but unfortunately that is not conducive to my schedule. How long does the update take. I am guessing plug it in and run the program. 5 minutes tops. Why do dealers always make it so secretive, like it's a magic trick or something else I might steal!

 

It's probably a several-hour deal. That was what it took for the cruise control reprogramming, at any rate.

 

This is annoying, since I guess we picked our car up 2 days before the software update came through!

Just over 700 miles, CEL. Also have experienced the sputter at low speeds (coming up to a light, etc).

Will call dealer tomorrow (and of course, hubby who works very close to dealership broke his ankle Friday and can't drive for at least 6 weeks!!)

 

Dealer had my car 2 days, they found nothing... but then again, I haven't seen that stupid light since. And the OBC didn't record any events.

 

Brought our new '07 MCa home (Kennewick, WA) from Denver this weekend. The trip was a little over 1100 miles, and the only problem was the cruise control kicking off several times. I filled the gas tank when I got home, and made sure the cap was on tight. We took the car over to show our daughter, she took it for a little spin. Lo and behold, during this short drive, the infamous CEL came on. There is no other apparent problem, such as sputtering. Called a dealer today, and the service person thought it is probably a software problem, and I should bring the car in if the CEL stays on or if it starts acting up. As the dealer is in Portland, OR, or 200 miles away, I'll probably live with the CEL, for a while and see how things progress.

 

Called dealer Monday (Knauz, Chicago 'burbs) and had an appt. for the next day. Turns out they pick up cars in Chicago proper on Tuesday and someone had cancelled, so we were in luck. They delivered a loaner (BMW328i) and we'll have the car back on Thurs. They did the software update and found a problem with a fan.

I have to say, I like the pickup and delivery option. It's only available if you bought your car from them. Normally my husband would be able to drop it off on his way to work, but he broke his right ankle last week and can't drive for 6 weeks at least! Since I work no where near there, it's a pretty convenient service.

 

No motoring for 6 WEEKS?

How sad...

 

this same thing happened to me! i have an 07 MCS auto. the sputtering & CEL came on after 4 weeks and 800 miles (this was last week). i called to make an appt and they said the next avail appt is 10 days away (9/5).

so is this a curable thing?? i def felt the loss of power on the highway when i went to pass someone twice now since the CEL came on....totally sucks after spending $$$ on this car...

 

Typical. 2 days before I am supposed to go to Milwaukee, the CEL goes out. It had been on for two-weeks. I took it down and they reprogrammed the computer. I was there for 3 hours. Of course, it did give me a chance to go look at the new Apple computers while down there.

 

Just for the record --- CEL went on this AM after 798 miles and 2 weeks of ownership. Car sputters at low RPMs but otherwise performs OK. Ill check with the dealer ASAP and report any progress. This was a week 31 car and should have the latest software (any way to check which version without going to dealer?)

In pain ....

 

Software version is stored in the car, details here.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=111025

 

I test drove a car that did this... it was a Manual MCS 2007... and it stank of sulfur. it barely made it back to the dealer