Radiator leak

Tiny
ERICA S
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 MINI COOPER S
  • 1.6L
  • 6 CYL
  • TURBO
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 110,000 MILES
Just had a coolant pressure check done and the mechanic said it needs the thermal housing unit replaced and a new hose. They did the work and I drove it home (4.1 miles). Pulled in the driveway and the car was smoking, no coolant and a trail of coolant behind me. There was coolant blown all over the engine compartment. I called to tell them and they sent a mechanic to my house. The filled up the coolant and without turning on the car it poured out of the radiator within two minutes it was out of coolant. The hole was so big we just watched it pouring out. They said it was not their fault and the hole just happened after I drove it the 4.1 miles home. Is that possible? I feel it would have been a pin hole first and not a large hole immediately. I also know they called around town looking for the attachment to run the test for a Mini so I feel like they over pressurized it. Could that have happened? It is too coincidental to me and they are taking zero responsibility. They will not even let me call the shops owner because they said they do not have his number. They want $542.00 for an after-market radiator and the labor to replace it.
Monday, July 16th, 2018 AT 4:37 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,573 POSTS
From your description I would call and talk to the owner. The "we do not have the number" is BS big time. It sounds like there may have been a small leak that the pressure opened farther. Is it possible it failed after they tested it, yes. I would start with being nice and talking to the owner. If that does not seem to do anything you could get a lawyer and another shop involved as running that engine dry could easily mean it will need a new engine or major repairs.
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Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 AT 4:45 PM
Tiny
ERICA S
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hi Steve, thank you for replying to my question. I towed the car to another mechanic. He said the inter-cooler was smashed on the inside that faces the engine (no damage to the outside of the car) and there were three leaks in my radiator, not just one. They ended up welding them. Two check engine lights would not turn off. Inter-cooler one and an engine overheating codes come back. I do not know what happened but by the pictures, it looks like the car came down from the lift and landed on something from looking at the pictures. I do not know why I sprung three leaks in the radiator on my four mile drive though. Any ideas?
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Thursday, July 26th, 2018 AT 6:27 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,573 POSTS
Could you load the pictures showing the damage on this site? They should not have been near either the radiator or inter-cooler.
Search YouTube for Thermostat Housing Swap MINI Cooper S - GEN 2 to see the housing replacement.
What are the code numbers that keep coming back?
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Thursday, July 26th, 2018 AT 7:44 AM
Tiny
ERICA S
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I know one of the codes was 2885. He said the other was 2f1a but I do not think that one is accurate. He said that the code was saying the engine was overheating, he checked the temperature and it was at 185, which he said was not too hot. Here are the images of the inter-cooler and radiator welds.
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Thursday, July 26th, 2018 AT 9:52 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,573 POSTS
That definitely is not normal. Not sure how that would happen, unless it was lowered onto something and it damaged it.
The P2885 code could be a bad blow off valve. Check that the vacuum line is good. It basically means that the ECU is not seeing the boost level it should see for the rpm it is running at.
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Thursday, July 26th, 2018 AT 3:34 PM
Tiny
ERICA S
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I know it is a mystery. Thanks for all of your help.
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Friday, July 27th, 2018 AT 2:19 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,573 POSTS
I would still talk to the shop owner. You sure did not drive it in there leaking like a sieve. Maybe they can find out what really happened and what they are willing to do to regain some trust.

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Friday, July 27th, 2018 AT 9:48 AM

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