So I'm trying to figure out wtf happened to my car (2009 Clubman NA) lol. So I'm driving, 85 in fast lane going up hill and all of a sudden I just slowed way down/lost power. Foot to floor, no power. I'm driving in tiptronic .. so I drop it from 5th to 4th .. no change in power. Drop it to 3rd, maybe gained a smidge but no hard jerk as I had expected from dropping into such a low gear as fast as I was still going (60 at this point). CEL is flashing and dinging at me (no limp mode though).

Managed to get to the E-lane and hobble down to the next exit at 60mph (foot to floor still), when I slowed down and got caught at the red light the car died. Would not restart. It tried to turn over but never fired. I had driven about 30 minutes at the time of malfunction. Signed into my OBD and checked temp (230) no steam, engine wasn't too hot to touch .. 3 codes were thrown

• P2800 Transmission Range Sensor TRS B Circuit Malfunction
• P2001 NOx Trap Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 2
• Misfire cylinder 4

Now the fun part. Had the car towed to a shop. This shop replaced the thermostat, fan, and exhaust manifold gasket first of last year. I left the information for the codes it threw and instead of addressing either they replaced the starter and a cam sensor. They say the motor is seized. I just don't agree. It's been running like a little scalded dog right up until this happened. It's had a few issues (mostly sensor related, coolant sensor keeps throwing a low volt code, the wire to it is bad I think but no one sells them (dealership looked at me like I was stupid when I asked about one, all they sell is the connector clip) so it has remained an on/off again issue) but it's 10+ years old and mostly original parts so it's due for some things to go wrong with 253,000+ miles on it. The coolant sensor was working at the time this malfunction occured (either it doesn't give any data or it gives it .. there is no in between with this issue lol).

I went and got the car and brought it back home. The battery is brand new (maybe 6 months old) but it died while on the side of the road (I was partially in road so I had flashers on til it died). Friend charged the battery all the way up over night, car still will not start, it's not even trying to turn over at this point anymore. Now it just clicks. Battery is at full amps. Jumping it off a Ford F250 does not start the car.

Oil is almost at point it needs changing but not quite there yet (I know most mini's say10k but I typically change every 6-7k miles because I drive so far every day (over 100 miles daily). I request always Valvoline Max Life 5W-30). This car drives a lot more than the average mini, I average 27,560+/year (mostly interstate commute). The shop also said they put 2 quarts! of oil in it (wtf fr) .. which I honestly do not think it needed .. my oil light comes on if I bank it too sharp getting on the interstate (hard right curve) if it's barely a 1/4 quart low. The oil light has not come on at all this year. The car does not drip anything (I park in the same parking place at work every day on a white parking lot) and I monitor it for leaking. It does not smoke oil out the tail pipe. It has been running a bit rich (can smell it in the exhaust) and fuel consumption has been a little higher than normal (getting 320 instead of 350 to a tank of gas for several months). I had the fuel injectors replaced end of 2019 when one went out. The coils and spark plugs were replaced summer of last year.

To get the car on a trailer (because it was dead) we jumped it off (well, we connected batteries until it had enough juice to light the dash up and I was able to get it into nuetral) then we pushed it up on the trailer.
I have not ordered the 2 sensors above yet, guy helping me work on the car wants me to hold off for now. I feel like that's what wrong with it but am hesitant to spend a ton of money on parts if the engine truly is seized up. he is going to try manually turning later this afternoon once the heat dies off a bit.

Help!? Is my car really dead or are we over looking something stupid simple?

 

These engines don't like to be rotated CCW manually, only CW. Make sure your "helper" knows this. It also helps to pull the plugs (might require a 12-point, thin-wall socket) when rotating manually --- no compression and makes rotating easier. Be sure to inspect them for wearing evenly --- crud build-up, oil residue, etc. If manual rotation is difficult, or can't go two full rotations, pull the valve cover and ensure chain, guides, and rocker arms are all in place. When was the last time the timing chain and / or tensioner was replaced? 253K miles is a bunch for OEM timing components. Timing gets way off and valves can contact pistons --- major damage.

Oil getting into coolant can cause the 2-qt discrepancy. This can happen suddenly and not be noticed over time. Your 230 deg coolant temp is on the high end of normal for these engines --- could be an indicator of oil in the coolant. Does the coolant reservoir appear to have oil residue?

ECU tracks battery voltage and makes air / fuel / timing adjustments accordingly. When battery is recharged, ECU should be "reset" to match new battery charge, otherwise air / fuel / timing will be incorrect. Shouldn't prevent engine starting but will contribute to other problems, making it difficult to troubleshoot. When and if you get it running again, the ECU will eventually "learn" about the battery charge, but might run rough 'til then.

When you get it to crank normally, do a compression test and ensure no more than 10 - 15% variation. With that kind of mileage, don't expect much more than 100 PSI, depending on gauge accuracy. Big variation indicates big problem.

Keep us posted ---

 

Unfortunately .. Clementine is dead. I'm still kinda shocked and not sure how the catastrophic damage my friend found could have happened the last time I drove her. She dropped a valve. Once he discovered you couldn't turn the motor, he decided to take the valve cover off .. which meant removing the plugs. Plug 4 is missing the end and the piston is in pieces. There was literally no engine sounds when she malfunctioned while I was on the interstate. No noise and no smells. Totally gutted.

Still also unclear why the shop would have bought & installed a starter and a cam shaft sensor but didn't know this was wrong nor did they check the plugs or coils (even though she did send out a cylinder 4 misfire code). I guess that will remain a mystery.

 

Damn... RIP Clementine. I feel your pain. Have my own No start issues I’ve had for a while now. I’m starting to dread what I might find if I open up the valve cover and dig in.

what will you do now? Will you be raising the dead? Or send it off in a ⚰️

 

She is currently for sale as a whole car (- an engine lol) if she doesn't sell in the next 30 days then I will start pulling parts off to list and sell.

 

Bummer! Sorry for the bad news.

253K is a very respectable mileage for a modern car.
You really should raise hell with the shop for failing to investigate more thoroughly before putting parts into it. That was inexcusable.
A good decision to sell.....