its been below 40 here for about a month now, and it just came on this morning, so that was why i was asking. the car is only 5 months old and thats why iwas getting worried about the trip...

 

I think it has to do with the car's learning algorithm. That is the only explanation I can come up with as to why they all appear to act differently.

 

Sent an email to my MA. He's not very concerned and pretty much said what's already been covered in this thread. Said they've had several coming on lately and that the car is probably fine and just needs an upgrade. I was planning on taking the car out next month for it's first oil change, so I'm thinking I'll wait till then and do it all it once.

 

That is my plan too as long as they will gaurantee Romi will NOT lose her intermittent windshile wiper function, like a recent Mini I know did lose it after its upgrade.

 

Yeah, I have rain sensing wipers. I don't even know if I have an intermittent setting.

 

Tonight, I first got the yellow "Check Engine Soon" light burning steady. Then the "EML" light on intermittently, and engine dies intermittently.

Pulled over to get out of the stopngo traffic, waited a minute. The EML went off, and the engine runs fine, but check engine soon light still on.

 

!!!
Just picked up Alvin yesterday and was cruising around this afternoon/evening piling on the miles going no place in particular. Suddenly started idling a little rough with a hint of a clatter, but otherwise perfectly responsive and running great. Temps have been in the mid 20's all day and dropping towards the end of my jaunt. I stopped for a bite, came back out and started up and the yellow outline CEL came on and stayed on. Car seems to be running fine except for the rough idle. With just a pinch over 200 miles on the odo, I was sick! I was only a few miles from home, so I got it back without any problems other than my racing pulse and a slight sulfur smell from the exhaust when I shut it off. I checked the manual and saw that it's probably not anything major. But still ...

Then I saw this thread ... seems like it's a common issue with this car? I'll check it out first thing in the morning after it's cooled off for the night. If the light is still on Monday morning, the dealer isn't too far out of my way so I can drop it off on the way to work. Hopefully it'll clear itself like many of yours already have.

Anybody else have this problem persist where it didn't resolve itself and required dealer intervention? Anybody have it get worse to where the car wouldn't run?

Thanks ...
ed

 

That's not ever happened to me...

Are you using premium gas? (you must).... if that's not it, it could be the gas cap is not securely tightened (that will cause the EML light also) it's a vacuum system. Also could be water in the gas.. but GA hasn't had much rain have they? .....The CES light will go off after about 3 start cycles if there is nothing wrong.

1 more tip =) tho this won't apply to stop & go traffic really, you should wind it up to 4500/5500 rpms before shifting (if you shift at really low rpms she may get annoyed with you lol) I don't think I've ever used 6th gear in that car... you typically can't go over 80mph in VA or bad stuff happens.

 

Actually the software upgrade moves the intermittent function to the press button on the end of the stalk. Phew.

Romi's CEL has been on and off two more times since I last posted in this thread. Tomorrow I am taking her to the service department.

I'll miss playing the CEL game.

 

Learning algorithm? I've heard of this before, but never fully understood what it was. What (and how) exactly is being 'learned', and how does it affect the way the car behaves?

BTW, my CEL is still on today. I went out in this miserable wet, slushy crap and gassed up using Shell 93, although it only took 7 gallons. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but it seems to be a little subdued now when I punch it; it runs smooth and still goes, but not like it did before the light came on. Also, my intermittent wiper control is the button on the end of the stalk, which makes me think I've got the most recent software flash; so I'm hoping I have an O2 sensor that needs replacing and this isn't going to be a major issue. It's only 2 days old!!! Going to the dealer first thing tomorrow, so we'll find out soon enough.

ed

 

Like most drive by wire cars these days, the Mini learns your drving style and does its best to keep the engine tuned to your particular style. It's not really learning. It is just a set of algorithms that deal with statistical probabilites and tunes the engine to best fit the situation.

For example, I consistently shift out of first gear between 3 and 4 thousand RPM. In that example, the Mini sees that and tunes for the most power and economy in that range, instead of being locked in to a 6500RPM redline. It knows what RPM my second gear shift will be at so the engine is already optimized for that RPM.

 

Hi Bart-

Thanks for the points. I think it may have been bad gas; I parked it for 24 hours to settle what was in the tank, and the symptoms have gone away. I had been in some miserable stop and go rush hour traffic for about an hour, 65 degrees. Sunday I tried to simulate those conditions, for about 20 minutes, nothing. I put in some fuel cleaner additive.
I am not losing sleep over it. If it happens again, I will have the dealer look at it.
Some of the folks in this thread mentioned a software upgrade. Do you know anything about that?

BTW, Sunday, the day after I picked up the car, was record high temps here in Atlanta. I got a full day of top-down fun!

See ya.

JB

 

i have the same problem...any way to just turn the light off?

 

the CEL light will go off after 3 or so start up cycles, unless something continues to be wrong. I learned this from my MINI tech back on my 05 MCS.. (my issue then was there was a small crack in the plastic intake duct to the supercharger, and it was causing a checksum error for air volume in the engine management software. It took weeks and several visits to locate the issue)

 

Hi Bart-

So, the engine light goes off after 3 cycles or so, as long as the on board diagnostics no longer detects a problem....this would support my "bad gas" theory.

I sometime am a little slow on the uptake.

 

Dropped off at service first thing this morning. They're down one tech, but promised they'd try to squeeze it in, which they did. Initial diagnostics say there's a problem with the variable valve timing control, but they couldn't see exactly what. They have to overnight some kind of tool to perform further diagnostics to find out exactly what and where the problem is.

Yes, they did give me a loaner. No, it's not a Mini ... it's a Chevy Aveo. :impatient Unfortunately that's what I got from their on-site rental service. Yuk.

Stopped back at the dealers on the way home and really laid it on thick (nicely, of course) about how much I miss my Mini, especially after having it for only 2 days. After a little back-room conversing, the service manager said that if it's going to be longer than one more day, they'll give me another Mini to drive until mine is fixed. I'd say that qualifies as good customer service.

Of course I'd rather have MY mini back, but I'll settle for A Mini for the time being if I have to.

So anyway ... anybody else run into a similar valve timing-control issue on an 07?

 

Well, I'm still waiting till after the holidays before taking mine. Just can't find the time right now plus this weather is too unpredictable here in the northeast for my liking to make a 2+ hour trip. My light has been on for two weeks straight now. Which, I guess means it's something a little more serious. However, the car has run perfect, not a problem. Hasn't failed to start either, even in this bitter cold. And I've been drudging through some really crappy weather and roads as of late.

 

Was a little surprised that the light finally went out two days ago. It was on two weeks straight to the day. Over that stretch, I think we had maybe one day over 35 degrees. Noticed now that my little snow flake (icy roads) warning doesn't come on anymore. Wonder if the computer finally realized that heck, it's always cold. <img>

 

Romi goes in for her update in the morning. Engine has been running great! I hate to fix something that des not appear to be broken. Romi has been getting between 43 and 45MPG on the highway, the last couple of months since the CEL started going off. That's calculated, not from the trip computer.

 

Alvin's CEL never went off. Dealer chased it down to a bad variable valve timing control valve (forgot the official name of it), and got the ok from PULMER (?) to swap it out. They expect to have it back to me tomorrow.

The dealer (Inskip in RI) has been awesome, even though MINI has dragged their feet giving the official nod to do the work. They ended up giving me a demo until mine is fixed, ironically the same demo I test-drove. They felt bad for my inconvenience and offered me an accessory. Of course I asked for JCW tune. After the hysterical laughing died down, I suggested the white bonnet stripes that I would have ordered if I had spec'd it out from scratch, which they said they'd do for me. So free stripes in exchange for 5 days without my Mini ... that'll ease some of the pain.

 

Well, I gassed up yesterday morning. CEL came back on in the evening during the drive home. Not sure if the two are related somehow, but I think they might be. Car is still running fine though.

 

Romi is in the shop getting the update. They gave me a nice 07 S loaner.

 

Nice when they do that, isn't it?!
Alvin is back home. CEL issue was due to a bad solenoid that controls the variable valve timing. Been driving around all afternoon and it's A-ok back to normal, 'cept for the new bonnet stripes they gave me for my 'inconvenience'.

 

Romi's CEL was all about the O2 sensor over sensitivity which the software update fixes.

Yes, the loaner was a nice car and unexpected. I went ahead and cleaned it and got rid of the swirls out of the paint and waxed it before taking it back. It was a really pretty SS/B with bonnet stripes and carbon punch leather sports seats, piano black trim and sports suspension.

I have to admit the sports suspension rode better than I expected. Firm, but not harsh at all, even with the 17 inch runflats.

 

Hi All,
New to this forum but was directed here from another Mini site, Southern Ontario Mini Club. I made a post about CEL and someone directed me here. Wow .... wasn't expecting what I found! Mini was purchased in March 07 and has been in the shop for CEL at least once a month and sometimes more. I've been told everything from air intake to needs a reprogram. Never did the service manager acknowledge there was a problem with the 07 automatic. I contacted Mini Canada and didn't get anywhere there. I love my Mini but all these problems and having the car in the shop all the time has been tough. I feel deprived of the new car experience as CEL was on within the first couple of weeks. I've had the software updated on numerous occasions and still having the problem. We don't have lemon laws in Canada so that isn't an option. All I can do is keep squaking and hope that someone listens. I would have thought that service from BMW would be second to none but sadly I'm wrong. Has anyone else had the software update and is still having the problem?