Driving home from work today my CEL and EML came on; SOON after the car started to stubble and jerk. I pulled to the side turned it off. After a minute I restarted it, the EML went away but the check engine stayed on. I drove it home carefully. When I was light on the gas peddle it would stubble. I had to step on and off all the time gassing it hard and letting off fast. It would happen a lot when my RPM was steady around 3000. Lucky me the closest dealer is 1 hour away So I drove straight home

When I reached home, I hooked up to the OBDII port and got the error reading.

P1688
P1237

Before I take it in to the dealer and they tell me that my car is moded and I have to pay. Can anyone tell me what these error codes mean and what could cause them to happen??


Thank you for your help!

 

I don't know if this will help, but here's an accounting (inasmuch as this is possible) of the codes at http://www.ghg.net/dharrison/sae2012.htm

Of course they both are electrical in nature (both 'circuit' failures by your original post.) Did you add/change any electrics lately? (first rule of diagnosis....what's different?)

Jeff

 

I've got the MINI-specific OBD code listing - here's what it says:

P1688 5768 Electronic Throttle Control Monitor Level 2/3 Mass Air Flow Calculation

P1237 4663 Secondary Upstream Manifold Air Pressure Sensor Low Input

My edu-ma-cated guess is that your MAP sensor is on the blink, or possibly part of the wiring harness. These are pretty specific codes, and getting it serviced shouldn't be a big deal.

My recommendation would be NOT to clear the SES light yourself - you want the codes to remain in the ECU for the dealer to see.

Good Luck!

 

BigBrownDog

I will call the dealer and make an apointment.

Can you pm me the code list you have that is MINI spesific. I would like to have it for future refrence.

Thanks!!

 

I'd like to get the MINI specific codes too, if you can spare the effort! :smile:

errr, also, where did you get the MINI-specific codes?

 

OBD II codes-
http://www.obdii.com/obdii.html

MINI some specific codes- example
http://www.obdii.com/codes.html

 

I own Power Tap OBD scanner tool. Power Tap does not get that spesific with the mini codes. I think after code 1000 it gets to be car specific.

 

I'd put money on the map sensor and/or the throttle body actuator.

 

Can someone tell me where the MAP sensor and the wiring harness is located on a Cooper S. I would like to do a visual check and make sure things didn't come lose before I drive it to the dealer.

 

This is starting to seem like an all too common problem for modded AND unmodded MINIs alike.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=27884
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=23182

On a side note to this, it is now 3 days later and my SES light has turned OFF! Is my episode (the first post listed) similar to the one you had?

 

My problem is very similar. I know for sure with the help of BigBrownDog the error code description is "Electronic Throttle Control Monitor Level 2/3 Mass Air Flow Calculation" The car still stubbles and jerks if you keep it at a consistent 3000 rpm. Only the SEL is still on the EML only comes on when the stubble get bad.

I tried everything from disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes, resetting the computer, reprogramming the car from the Shark ECU back to stock and checking for leaks in the intercooler. NO LUCK

I am going to try one more thing tonight and that is to remove the "M7 Device"

My appointment is on Tuesday! My world is falling apart without my Mini and my wife is telling me to suck it up!

 

What you may have is simply a leak in one of the intercooler gaskets. I believe that these are common codes with that problem. Check them for a tight fit, reset the codes with an ODBII tool and try it again. Don't worry about the dealer seeing codes, if there is something wrong it will code again.

 

I agree, this could very well be the problem -- if you do take off the intercooler boots I would suggest that you apply a thin coat of grease (white lithium grease works well) around the inside of the boots where they seal to the intercooler and the nozzles on each side - it will help insure a more airtight seal.

However, I think that the P1237 code is reflecting a invalid input from the MAP sensor (low input), which leads me to believe that there is a MAP sensor problem or wiring harness issue.

Certainly the i/c boots are easy enough to check.

What I meant when I suggested that you don't clear the codes is that *if* this is an intermittent problem, and you clear the codes, the dealer won't have anything to go on if you take it in. Like BlueMCS says, if there is a real problem, the codes will come back.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes....

 

There are a couple of things it could be.



- Throttle body failure

- MAP sensor failure

- ECU Programming

- Intercooler boot leak

- Engine wiring harness

Since you have checked the intercooler boots, that most likely removes that issue as the culprit. Are you having other lights besides the EML and SES? If not, I would bet it isn't the wiring harness either. My money is on the throttle body or the MAP. Have the dealer start by just flashing the car with the newest software and see if the issue dissapears. If not, then start checking out the MAP and throttle body.

The MAP is right at the front of the car on the manifold, and the harness runs through the entire engine compartment. Take a look over on the passenger side by the ground strap. On the '02 and early '03 cars, there was an issue with the ground strap wearing through the wiring harness - it would be easy to check.

Hope that helps!



Randy

 

Hey Randy nice to hear from you! Your Performance head has been working well on my and brother's car! We need to talk about the front mount intercooler...:smile:

I removed the M7 device and reinstalled the intercooler and the problem persisted after 5 minute drive. I went for a drive and it ran great first but as the car warmed up it started to happen again. I'm also leaning toward the intercooler. When the intercooler is hot during my unistall, the rubber boots (even thoug they are tight) seem to slide right off if I pull on them. I'm assuming that when the car is cold I ave a good seal but when things warm up air is ascaping?

 

BBD - I had slipping boots especially after a hot autocross day. I run a 19% pulley. I removed the IC and cleaned the boot area well as some grease had found its way into the seal area. I also filed a very small bit off of the clamp stops for a slightly tighter fit. This solved the problem. I would NOT recommend any kind of lube on the boot area. Randy, what do you do?

Silver MS - did you clear the codes after you reinstalled the IC? My experience is that these codes will not clear themselves even with a hard boot. The boot shouldn't slide when hot.

 

My suggestion is for a thin coat of grease on the boot seal areas, similar to the way you would apply a thin coat of oil to a new oil filter when you install it. Not so much to be a lubricant, but to enhance the sealing capability when you tighten down the clamps. I did this on my car the last time I had the I/C out. I don't autocross or race, so my conditions may not be as harsh as yours (however I'll put a hot,sweaty St. Louis summer day up against your autocross for temperature abuse :smile

I guess the idea of having the boots at all has to do with the ability of the various components to expand and contract with heat/cooling. I can't think of any other way to do it unless you would use some sort of spring loaded strap clamp around the boot that could expand and contract as well, instead of the solid clamps.

I don't think any DTC codes will clear themselves, however the SES light will eventually turn off if the problem itself isn't persistent.

 

Filing the clamps will work. I don't use any lube on the inside of the boot - I clean it with brake clean before reinstalling.


Hope that helps!

Randy

 

Thanks Randy, at least I'm doing something right!

 

The Upstream MAP sensor is not located on the intake manifold (that's the downstream MAP). The Upstream MAP is remotely located between the airbox and the cylinder head with a vacuum line going to the supercharger inlet, where it's actually measuring.

 

Would you happen to know what could trigger that code other then the problems that have already been mentioned? Can this be a Pulley related problem?

 

This fault code for the Upstream MAP is a bit vague, it could be referring to an electrical problems such as the resistance in the sensor being too low. Or, it could be referring to a mechanical problem, like the hose between the sensor and the supercharger inlet being disconnected. IIRC, when jlm first installed his ported blower, the line between the upstream MAP and blower was not connected. The car ran like crap and set the same code.

Diagnostic programs that use the BMW protocol will provide more detail about the fault including the conditions at the time it occured.

The DME calculates Mass Airflow not from a MAF sensor (as many cars do) but from a formula that involves the downstream MAP pressure, the IAT, the engine RPM, and the volumetric efficiency. I'm not sure of the significance of this fault code, but presumably some portion of that calculation yielded an implausible result.

I'd recommend checking to make sure all the wiring is good for the throttle body, upstream MAP, and downstream MAP. Use electronics cleaner with a brush to clean each contact. It may not help but it can't hurt.

Also, check to make sure all of the vacuum lines are snugly connected, especially at the supercharger inlet and the upstream MAP sensor.

 

Here is an update to my problems.

After Andy’s post, I looked at the MAP sensors (now that I was told where they are). I probed the wiring on the MAP sensor underneath the MiniMania cold air intake and found that it had rubbed raw and broken off. When the bonnet was closed, the cold air intake box was rubbing on the wires. I called MiniMania and talk to the Customer Services rep. They were very helpful! They asked how long I have had the air box and how many miles I have driven with it on. They said they will look into this further but gave me the go ahead to take it to a dealer to fix the problem (Expenses covered). I was very happy with the help I received! It’s good to see people covering their product unlike others that we have heard off

For now I soldered the wire and fixed my problem. I still need to take it to a dealer. Thanks you all for your help!!! I learned a lot from this problem.

 

VERY COOL.... glad that worked out for you. Wonder if the dealer would have found that out.

 

Damn, another reason to buy a HAI.