Hello all

i have a R52, clock around 23K miles, manual shift nonS..

starting last week it started to act funny, it happened only twice that when i shift into reverse to park, after 20miles of driving, i heard that my radar detector sounds beep beep (as if the power goes off and back on again), so it tells me the power got interrupted...?

i thought the problem is only minor so i just leave it... but just now, the same thing happened again and the power steering got out for say, 15 seconds after the beep beep and come back on again, after i shifted into reverse to park as usual.

any ideas what happens guys? i have got no mod to my car (except i got my subwoofer wired to the +ve of my battery) and it's only 20months old.

thanks a lot.

 

Just a guess, but your altnator might be failing. The ps pump cutting out might be (I hope) just a symptom of low voltage.

 

I have also heard that the ps pump harness can chafe near the pump, causing it to cut in and out....might be worth a quick look.

 

With all of the power steering related fires that have been reported, I'd say any power steering related issues warrant a trip to the MINI shop. See Spontaneous Engine Fires.

 

Anitan1 link is very important. Read it!!

Your car is giving you some hint. Don't take a chance.
Go see the dealer and print the Spontaneous engine fires.
Has to be any of the two controls (heating up, failing electrical parts or simply shorting).

 

wow, thanks all for the advices! those fire cases are really scary and i better go to the dealer soon!
and i just discovered the next morning i took the car, all the trip meter, ave gas consumption got reset after the power interruption..

 

when i called my dealer he said that might due to the fact that mini has a small alternator that might not handle any extra equipment which needs high power... (i just got a Pioneer TS-WX22 build in amp subwoofer of a power rating 60W, 150W max installed and power directly from battery) so i detached the subwoofer wire just to see if it happens again.
makes sense to you guys? but if it is the case, why is the interruption only happens when reverse? and i got the subwoofer installed for 9 months already..
cheers

 

If that was the case and the sub/amp was be draining the battery faster than you could recharge it, I would think you crank would be slowwww.
It is worth investigating.....Turn off the amp, drive for an hour to let the bad charge, and see if the problem goes away....if it does....maybe a yellow top battery or a batt-cap would help. Good luck!!

 

Suppose there were a sort of short in the backup light circuit that would cause extra electric load when shifting into reverse.

 

i'd think if the amp were an issue you'd show signs other than the very specific signs you describe . loose motor mount? causing crimp in harness?
doubtfull . but a shorted reverse circuit seems pretty plausible . cant see it killing all power though. with that kinda draw to ground and no blown fuses i'd expect to see a whole bunch of corrosion . and maybe a reverse light that doesnt work . look for a pinch in the harness or corrosion . burnt wires maybe too .