4 replies to this topic

[fairy_doc]

Hello,
My Mini One Seven is my absolute pride and joy.. I always try and take good care of her, keep her up to date with services etc.. But she has been being used a lot recently to move between cities... She is only 3 years old and has done about 20,000 miles...
Yesterday, we were on the motorway in the fast lane, doing the speed limit and she just stopped working... I had noticed a slight (very) shudder on the clutch and a very faint hum on the odd occasion, after her last service, and I had meant to take her to my mechanic pal to get it checked out.. But never made it, obviously..
When we first got on the motorway, the acceleration was not as brisk as it usually is, but once over that initial hump, she seemed to be doing ok... It was about 20 minutes later that we heard something pop (seemed to come from the top left of the bonnet) and all of a sudden, when I pressed on the accelerator, she was revving away like a maniac but not actually accelerating.. I tried shifting to a few different gears and it shifted no problem, but same issue, no acceleration... We managed to pull over and got out... The smell of metallic burning was unreal!!! (like the smell you get when you try and drill through metal)
Under the bonnet, I couldn't see anything obvious... I am not a mechanic and I know NOTHING about cars apart from the real routine stuff... The only problem I could see was that there was ZERO water in the tank, so I replaced that (I usually keep that topped up, so I think maybe there might be a leak somewhere)... Didn't stop the burning smell... Just created some smoke from where I spilled a bit of water behind the tank...
Tried to restart her... First time, the engine did turn over, but the she still wasn't really working (gears shifted fine, but no acceleration) and the burning smell got worse... Second time, nothing.. Just a click...
From what I can gather, this click means that my starter motor is kapoot and I need a new one... My question is this, would a starter motor failure cause what I have described above?? From what happened initially, I assumed it was my clutch... But the guy who came to tow us took a really cursory glance at the car and then proclaimed it was the starter motor... I know it's really weird for a clutch to burn out on a 3 year old car who just does a really standard mileage...
Also, has anyone else had a similar problem?? My Mini has run like a dream with not a single problem until yesterday and now she's completely dead.. I wouldn't have expected that from a 3 year old car that has been reasonably well looked after!!!

Thanks for your help!!

[tadleysimon]

since your mini is only 3 years old you will probaly get alot more help at mini2.com its a bmw mini forum. dont want to be rude they will probaly be able to help more.

[fairy_doc]

Thanks!!
I know.. Sorry about that!! I feel like an idiot for posting here now... I didn't realise until too late that I was on the wrong forum altogether..
It's the blind panic of not knowing how the hell I'm going to fix her...
Thanks!!

[Teapot]

No matter what car it is I can feel your pain! Good luck in sorting it out.

[minidaves]

if you have got it that hot and no water min damage will be head gasket

dave