UPDATE: I ordered the above-mentioned repair kit. Installed the disc and the infra-red plastic bit with the new ones, excitedly put it all together, re-coded DSC, initialized Steering Angle Sensor via Ista+ ANDDD it failed. *sigh*. Repeated with Tools32 and that says OKAY, the dash lights blink once but the warning lights remain.

• Ista+ errors were:

1. Incorrectly installed SZL, Follow installation instructions! (Drive pin of coil spring assy).
2. Coding of DSC control unit incorrect (repeat encoding procedure, particularly after installing a new SZL)

• DSC had 5 errors on INPA

1. 94B6- F-CAN SZL Steering angle sensor: angle jump too large
2. 5E43 - Steering angle sensor intern.
3. 5DD2 - intake valve adjustment data missing
4. 94B5 - steering angle sensor Illegal Code.
5. 94C7 - F-CAN SZL steering angle sensor error. Zero point data CRC error.

Quite frustrated at this point. Should I throw a used SZL from ebay at it? Or is it sounding like something else to anyone?

 

Intake valve? What's that have to do with it.

 

Something to do with DSC calibration which I tried during this whole fiasco. It also returned an error.

 

I dont know if any used E-bay SZL would work. I dont know if they vary by the features in the car. I ended up buying a new one. $$$

 

Well I took mine apart and will put some pics here to help others. I suffer so you don’t have to! Leave the 2 screws shown, they keep the stalks connected. If you remove all 9 screws (as I did) the stalks pop out (argh) and it is very problematic to put them back (but I did manage it) as they have many moving parts and difficult to see how to put back in.

this is from a 2009 R56 cooper s. I cleaned it as I had taken apart, even though it looks very clean (unfortunately!); the other thing I did is use contact spray cleaner on the various normal connector blocks in case they are oxidising. My symptoms are occasional szl error codes and indicators / wipers acting up / not cancelling which seems to fit the profile of this being the culprit.

Side note - my clockspring is not equal, it is 3 1/4 one way and 2 1/4 the other, so I could never have it centralised. As one side or the other would be greater / lesser. The important thing is that the cable ports are at the top (ie up high as per stalks, not down low which would make the cable ports effectively ‘upside down’. You will understand if you do this job). This does not seem to matter as the mini only has maximum 1 & 1/4 turn at the steering wheel in either direction, so plenty of headroom.





separate the two halves. use a small flat screwdriver and insert in direction shown, (from the black side), you can depress the tab and gradually separate the halves. Do top and bottom and they come apart (2 tabs each end):







once apart you can see the disc and the plastic optical part. Mine was not dirty at all! Nevertheless I removed the clear plastic lens by hooking out the legs (VERY gently so do not snap). Then used pure rubbing alcohol and cotton buds to clean it. I did not clean the brass disc as it would be pointless. I could not see how to remove the brass disc so decided not to mess it up by trying, as couldn’t see anything to be gained by doing so.



these pics are before removal and cleaning, you can see how clean it already is.

 

What are you trying to achieve?