This is the third post in a string of recent mini troubles. My wife calls after her morning commute to tell me I can add a non-functioning speedo to the list (festival of lights, non- functioning rear defrost, and non-functioning ABS). I can see how the flat tire, service engine soon, ABS, and brake lights could be the computer not knowing what one of the wheels is doing for speed but could the speedo function be tied in as well? My wife thinks the defrost is tied in as well but I'm still thinking that's just a coincidence. Any way it looks as if it's time to go in for service as we're still dealing with snow and the mini keeps adding to the list. At least the little thing is still running (knock on wood)! Does anyone know a place in Rochester, NY that services the new minis? The BMW dealer here doesn't and the closest mini dealer is in Buffalo.

 

If you want anything covered under warranty you gotta make the trip to Towne. If not, I've heard that CDI has worked on a few.

PS - If you ask, sometimes Towne will give you a BMW as a loaner.

 

Well....The ABS, DSC, or ASC control modules send the wheel speed signals to the IKE via the Can-bus. I am willing to bet you have a bunch of CAN bus faults. Probably all pointing to one of those modules being at fault. I have seen a DSC module frag a Can bus, stopping the eng. temp signal, Engine speed signal and more. So in that case, there was no speedo, no tach, SES light on, DSC light on, FTM.

Be nice for the tech if the culprit module was dropping the entire CAN signal, so that he could simply unplug one module at a time until the CAN bus was restored. Easier to find, hook up the O-scope and run with it.

Good luck,

Chad

 

i just replaced a asc/abs control module today that made the gauge cluster not work. hope yours turns to be that easy to fix. good luck!

 

Bad news from Towne in Buffalo. DSC computer apparently developed a short and drew enough current to burn the harness and melt the connector (47 pin). The good news for the day was the wife got a 6 spd S as a loaner. More bad news, that car had a flat on the way back to Rochester. The replacement was another S but with an auto. Today's bad news started off with the proposed bill, $2400 (!!!!!!!!) they spoke with the regional rep who agreed to knock it down to $1500 (!!!!!!). This is over 10% of the book value of the car! The worst part of the whole deal is they have to cut the melted connector out of the harness, strip back the leads, crimp on new pins, and populate a new connector shell! Last year my wife gave them a chance to replace a window motor on warranty and they messed up 2 of the adjustments (out of 2 adjustments). We're not sure we have any faith in their ability to get 47 operations right and we're wondering why we would have any faith in Mini's suppliers providing a computer that would outlast the 2 year repair warranty. As yet no one at Mini has come up with the right answer to replace this bad component on their own dime (or even for a reasonable price) so we're weighing options.....

 

I take it you are out of warranty, then?

I haven't heard of that happening before, so I wouldn't worry about the new part failing.

 

There are two issues to choose from shaking our faith in the mini being a reliable car after we get it back. The computer is one unknown quantity and may go for the next 200k or the next two weeks and I don't know anyone who can give you better info than that just looking at one. The bigger issue is Towne's ability to get 47 strip and crimp operations right and have that repair last as well. Probabilities with two unreliable factors start looking bad in an exponetial fashion!

 

As I stated in the other thread, I've never seen one burn up a harness. Simply, the DSC halted communication on the CAN bus. The Tech should be able to crimp and repair the connector like new. MINI/BMW has some very good connector crimping pliers!

Chad

 

although it wasn't in the cards to go new car shopping after getting nowhere on having mini pick up the tab for the dsc computer my wife got a good deal on a 2006 with her broken car as a trade. Towne gave us a deal that made her happy so we'll kiss the 2002 goodbye an hopefully have better luck with the new one. I had no faith in a repair lasting a reasonable amount of time as I like to keep cars for 10 years or so and this starts us off with a clean slate.