Hello,

I have a 2003 Mini Cooper standard that has given me a check engine light. The codes that read out are P0303, P0313, P0303 pd, and P0313 pd. What do these mean? I'm guessing a fuel injector has gone bad, but which one?

v/r
Doug

 

I know this post is old, but if you are still watching this thread please read my post. It would be of great help if you have any ideas.

J.J.

 

Type-s mini cooper automatic transmission, wont start, I hear a click when i turn they key, im thinking its the starter solenoid.

 

I am having problems. I just bought this mini cooper S convertible. Luv it. But the positive cable design is poor. After driving several miles it gets really hot. It must not have a good connection at battery itself. It has been so bad that it wouldn't crank starter on next start until I wiggled the connection where the 2 cables come together at battery. I took that plastic retainer apart & cleaned connection and reinstalled. That worked for about 3 weeks. Now it is back. Should I try dielectric grease or what? Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Anybody have a solution for the lack of review sight when the top is down?

 

Just thinking from a purely electrical point of view; if the positive cable is hot, is the negative cable JUST as hot?
Two things can cause the cable to heat:
1. Proximity to a heat source (such as the exhaust manifold), or;
2. Large amounts of current being drawn through the cable.
The first situation should be fairly easy to detect visually. You can get some "header tape" at any decent automotive parts place which will reduce the radiated heat from exhaust components in the engine compartment.
If the problem is high current draw, then the negative cable should be hot as well.
The fact that this condition doesn't appear until after several miles of driving suggest that #1 is the more likely cause.
Poor connections at the battery itself are an issue, and should be dealt with, but are not likely the cause of a hot cable. Poor connections make for high resistance, and lower current capability.
If you have access to a clamp-on ammeter, you can check the amount of current being drawn from (or supplied to) the battery very easily.
You might also have a battery that is going bad on you. That would contribute to the hard starting as well as a hot cable, with the alternator trying to revive an ailing battery. Auto Zone and Advance Auto Parts both have battery "load testers" that they will use( at no charge) to help you spot this condition.
Here's the TOO often repeated sequence of events in this scenario:
The battery is going out, so the alternator busts its chops trying to restore it until the diodes in the alternator fry, and you have to replace both the battery AND the alternator!
Hope that helps.
Bob

 

Thank you for the reply. I was beginning to think this forum was dead. I don't want to get into theory debate. I know for sure it is the cable. The battery is new. The cable is two pieces on a mini convertible. I don't know about a hard top. The positive is only getting hot there because of the resistance. It won't start because it loses connection. If I remove plastic retainer at positive connection at the battery the cables are loose. I need to know how to keep them together better. I understand resistance goes up & current goes down E=IxR. That is not the issue. Resistance goes up & heat is generated at the resistance. The battery is in the trunk on a convertible not near a heat source like a header.

 

Since nobody answered you I will try to help. Not really knowing mini codes but codes went universal through out the industry I can shed some light. I worked chevys for 25 yrs. The code P303 means a misfire in cyl. 3. The others are specific to cyl 3 but obvoiously something slightly different. Misfires can occur for different reasons. A plug, wire, injector, low compression, sticking valve, etc. Easiest thing to check is spark. Swap plugs & wires with a different cyinder & see if it follows the cylinder. I assume you have some sort of scanner because you had the codes. Swap plugs & wires with cyl.4 and see if it comes back P304. While you had plug out this is the time to check compression. Check both cyl you have plugs out of. compare. Should be at least 80% of highest reading. If it is staying in cyl 3 & compression is good. Swap injectors with another cyl (#4 again as an example)See if it stays with cylinder or follows bad injector. Another cause could be a injector driver. You can buy a tester from an auto parts store or your local snap on dealer fairly cheap. See if it blinks. Last is an actual engine problem. Leaking gasket or internal problem. You need to check everything I mentioned to eliminate external causes before you get into the engine. if you find something I can advise you if you want.
This is misfire 101. I can't get into every possibility here from what info you have given. I don't know other codes that might help you get more specific to problem unfortunantly. I am learnin though.

 

Scooper,
Gotcha. Yeah, we had a Z3 with the battery in the trunk. Same setup.
Resistance heating? No! You can't mean something like an electric stove burner, or soldering iron, can you? :-)
We don't yet own a Mini, and to tell the truth, the more I learn about them, given the excellent results we've had from our Honda and Toyota products, the less likely I am to buy one. Our motor home gives me all of the expensive trips to "the man" anyone really needs! :-(
It can get pretty addictive....being able to put 80 to over 120K miles on a vehicle with no more than normal belts, hoses fluids and filters (and, yes, tires!) as the "major concerns"!
That said, my wife still thinks they're cute (same reason we owned the Z3, and the 911SC before that!) so, we may end up with one after all.
On the battery connection thing: Couldn't you just whack the putzy connectors off the cable ends and put on some decent ring terminals to bolt solidly to the battery?
I haven't had eyes on this setup yet, so I'm just shooting in the dark here.
Bob

 

Almost a year ago I bought my daughter a 2006 Mini Cooper automatic convertible. It has 65,000 miles on it and is really cute. The problem is that it tends to jerk/lurch when going slow, or when you first take off, which can be a problem trying to get out into traffic. I can't seem to get anyone to find out what the problem is and am thinking about getting a mustang instead.

Any ideas?

There are no mini dealers around here btw (okay, so I probably wasn't making the most logical choice at the time!)

Thanks!