Hey guys! I drive a 2010 Mini Cooper S. I had been experiencing several issues over a short period of time:

- Engine sputtering during stops or slow drives
- The ignition was taking a long time to start the car. It was trying to start for several seconds longer than it should take.
- The vehicle began accelerating pretty slowly from a stop
- Check engine light was coming on and off, then stayed on

I brought my mini in to the dealer to have it diagnosed. They checked it out and told me that the valve cover needed replacing as well as a hose (I believe the pcv hose), and it would cost me $1000. I looked into it and had no problems replacing the valve cover myself for a third the price. The PCV hose and valve looked to be just fine and I didn't bother replacing them.

The valve cover and everything inside it pretty unknown to me but I didn't really see any major issues. The cover was not cracked. The only real issue was that the gasket was not really attached any longer but it didnt look warped, only melted a bit in 2 corners.

Here is an album of the old cover and everything inside.


I've only test driven it for about 30 minutes but the first thing I noticed is that the vehicle is still taking too long to start up. On this drive I never noticed any of the sputtering but that may be a fluke. Occasionally there wouldn't be sputtering (but mostly there was). It is also still accelerating slowly. Also, the engine light is still on but that may just need to be reset I am not sure.

I also just this week used the air conditioning for the first time since the problem began and there is a noticeable drop in acceleration from a stop when using the air. The vehicle accelerates very very slowly, you can put the petal to the floor for a second or two before it really picks up.

Mini offered no other suggestion and because I am out of warranty I really do not want to bring it back for another $120 diagnosis since their first one didn't correct the issue. Is there something else obvious that I need to look into?

**Edit
I haven't been able to get to a scanner tonight after the cover replacement to see if there is any change in the codes, but the codes I had been getting were:
p1497 Downstream throttle air leak
p1338 Camshaft Position Sensor bank 1 open circuit or short to positive
p2188 System Too Rich At Idle Bank 1

 

What a nightmare. I decided to replace the crankshaft/pvc hose that Mini had suggested be replaced along with the valve cover, just so when I brought it in to be diagnosed again they wouldn't say this was the issue. $30 and no problems installing it, I bring it in.

I spoke with the intake guy and a mechanic explaining the car symptoms. I asked if it sounds like the HPFP to them because it does to me. They both said it definitely sounds like that and I said OK I would like that looked into.

Just got a call from Mini. They said that the computer indicates a vacuum leak so they did a smoke test and could not locate any leaks anywhere. That took up all my diagnostic time. They would now like to investigate the timing belt (which was just replaced 15k miles ago unbelievably) and the timing of a couple other things (pistons I think...and something else). That would bring my diag fees to about $500.

I dont know what to do. Am I in the right to call Miniusa to issue a conpalint? I would be embarrassed to make a big scene and it not actually be the HFPF but I feel it is absurd they didn't look into it at all. Suggestions?
I was speechless. I asked if they investigated the HPFP at all and he said that the codes didn't indicate a problem with that so it is working fine. What the ****.

So I already would have been out 1k if I let them do the valve cover work. That would have fixed nothing. Then another $500 today to probably find nothing. If its the HFPF and mini won't cover it for me, I'm out another ~2k?? Jesus Christ.

I was hoping they would determine it's the HFPF and like other people hope to have the luck that Mini covers the replacement even though I just fall out of extended warranty period (2010 vehicles not covered)..

 

Did you get this figured out?

 

i had this exact same issue on a Jetta, so maybe it wouldn't be the same. i went through all the same diagnostics and steps as you, weeded out the fuel pump, and discovered it was actually the catalytic converter.. the thing was sputtering like crazy, had issues starting, and the flow was so bad that the top speed was literally 35 MPH..

again, that was not on a mini so take that with a grain of salt- only offering this info because your symptoms sound similar and I remember how frustrating it was trying to figure it out!

 

https://www.reference.com/vehicles/s...a5c4e3bc2f15d#

 

Unfortunately not. I was unwilling to pay for replacing the timing chain (which had already been done 20k miles prior) and I did not want to pay another $250 diagnostic fee to have it rechecked.
I ended up trading the car in for $8k which I feel was a great price considering the KBB value was close to $8k and I was looking at $2k repairs minimum. Went with a Mazda and unlike the Mini Cooper from day one, I have no regrets.