[Blat7Chris]

Hi All

Just thought I would let you know, my 2015, 4000 mile, F55 Cooper has taken to smoking in the morning at startup. It's only a morning / once a day habit at the moment, but these things tend to only get worse.

The smoke is more than just water vapour, there is some oil content that can be smelt.

Its booked into the local dealer for investigation.

Anyone else have a smoking habit?

Chris

 

[Blat7Chris]

Hi All

Quick update, the smoke has been investigated by the dealer and Mini HQ are now involved. It's been with the dealer a week now, and they have phone to re book it for another two week investigation. The good news is they have seen the problem, but are clue less at the moment what is causing it.

Thankfully we reported it before the car was 6 months old, which helps if we are going down a "not fit for purpose route"

Chris.

 

[BristolMini]

I had a bit of smoke on mine when I first got it. This was coupled by a low oil warning after a week and like you took it into the dealer. They found that the actuator and another seal had a leak and replaced it all within a day or so. I've had no smoke since then and the oil level seems to have stabilised. The dealer thought it may have been broken from manufacture rather than any other influences.

 

[Blat7Chris]

Was expecting a turbo seal failure, but it's not proved to be as simple as that :-(

 

[Blat7Chris]

It's back at the dealer today, for a two week investigation. I am still hoping its a simple seal failed, but nothing has been found as yet. Meanwhile the amount of smoke is getting worse, but its intermittent, and not dependent on how long its been standing, i.e. it was left 4 days and started with no smoke at all, driven then stopped and left for 4 hours, started and the smoke would have put VW to shame. It used to be white with a tinge of blue, now its black followed by white and blue.

 

[Blat7Chris]

ignore the mileage on the first post, I got that wrong, it's only covered 3400 miles now and it started at the 2000 mile mark.

 

[Blat7Chris]

So everything external to the engine, including the turbo has now been checked and the oil separators in cam cover replaced, and we sill have a nice puff of blue smoke on startup. Described as 'more terminal' than something external to the engine. We are waiting for Mini to authorise the dealer to do an engine strip, but we are also exploring other avenues.

 

[Jelster]

How long have you had the car Chris ?

I would be really concerned about this if it were my car. However, at least Mini & the dealer have recognised the issue and are doing something about it.

I hope they are letting you have a decent loan vehicle while they have yours...

 

[Blat7Chris]

Hi Jelster

Sorry I missed you're reply.

First let me say that all parties in this have been fantastic, The Dealer, Mini and Mini Finance are all involved. We have been given a Loan Mini for the duration of the investigations which have focused on a faulty cylinder head. In the mean time we had a nice conversation with the dealer principle where he said the dealership was positive about the possibility of an exchange given the nature of the fault, and we have now been informed Mini Finance have authorised the rejection of the car. We are now just waiting for the paperwork to be completed.

I am guessing this is a one off fault, given that I have not been able to find any other examples on this or any other forum (english or german).

In all my years of buying new cars this is only the second car I have rejected. The first was a VW where the dealer principle tried bullying me in his office, including shouting at the top of his voice, and personal insults. The joke was on him when he was writing me a cheque less than a week later. I was expecting the same level of fight, thankfully this has not proven to be anywhere near as stressful - Thank You Mini.

So now to the nice things - What Mini to order now

 

[Blat7Chris]

Ok so in the dealer today, they are just finishing off the repair, they wouldn't specify the additional parts that where actually needed, but it was confirmed the head was replaced.

The reason for the post, my dealer has another Cooper coming in with a similar problem. This shocked me.

So Cooper owners please watch out for a bit is blue smoke when you start your car.

 

[Evlkarl]

Chris, glad to hear everything worked out so far. I do not understand why they just replaced the head and not the whole engine and send it back to Mini to investigate? It might be just an old Story from my Teenage Years but every time we replaced just the head the engine never was the same. It just makes no sense too me not doing a complete engine swap since the miles on the car had been so low. Or do I miss something here?

 

[Blat7Chris]

Agreed, we rejected the car as soon as the engine was being broken into. Mini and the dealer where aware of that before the investigation started. So as far as I was concerned I would never accept a replacement head. Mini agreed to replace the car, which has been ordered (a Cooper S this time) and we where in the dealer doing a bit of paperwork for this, removing our personal number plate from the rejected Cooper etc, when we bumped into the service manager who told us the news on the rejected Cooper. Mini had the dealer change the head, he also so said and other parts, which he would not disclose, and all parts where returned to Mini. Mini will also be collecting the car from the dealer, where i believe it goes into an internal auction, when its 100%, before it goes back into some UK dealers stock.

The strange thing was the conversation with the service manager, about another customer with the same problem, smoke on start up and a loss of power, with a Cooper of similar age. He has had to postpone this customer from brining in his car while our old one is still waiting parts/authorisation to complete the job. So far the repair has taken over a month with parts and authorisation delays and its still not complete (not that it matters to me because its rejected)

I urge you to check your Cooper 1.5 for smoke on start up, you won't feel the lack of power unless you can compare it to another car. Two cars with the same problem at the same dealer, makes me think its no longer a "one off"