R56 Cooper ticking noise when cold

[LightningStevie]

Car has been in with peter vardy all week for a couple of things, but the main one is the engine rattle when it is cold. They had it a couple of weeks ago, couldnt find a fault, but as it was booked in to get other things done they would check it again. However, when I went and picked it up in the morning, the service desk person brought car round, and I told him the noise. he agreed, ordered the part (chain tensioner) and would arrange it to be fixed.

Car went in to them on Monday, and they called this afternoon to say the technicians have been running tests, and still cannot find the problem and haven't fitted the part. To say, I am not happy, is an understatement. I feel they are fobbing me off.

They also said this was a problem only on the Cooper S, anyone else had this problem on a cooper?

[Gismo]

Take it to another dealer and request they give you the part they ordered

[ianking]

My good lady got a very early R56 Cooper just when they came out and it ticked away like nobodys business. Garage said it was just a characteristic. We didnt keep the car long enough to get it sorted as we sold it after about 1 year.

[MINI William]

Nope my Cooper dosent make any noises like this. They are noisey engines and dont sound the best when sitting at idel, they aslways sound very tappy. The chain tensioner is only a Cooper S problem and no one has said they have had this on there Cooper

[LightningStevie]

I would accept that if I hadn't heard any others, but I have 2 friends with coopers around the same age, both fine when cold. And they both have 30k more on the clock than I do! I have told them I am not happy.

[Scottie]

all the R56 Coopers I had made a noise not a rattle just a every so slight ticking sound sometimes you noticed it more than others. That's a Nov 06, Mar 07 and Oct 08 builds.

I didn't bother about it never made a difference on how the car went so I would say it's just something these engines do.

[Stewart]

Neighbour has a 56 plate Mini One, last of the R50 Mini’s and it passes so much quieter then my R56 Cooper.

[ianking]

Neighbour has a 56 plate Mini One, last of the R50 Mini’s and it passes so much quieter then my R56 Cooper.

Yeah but its a completely different engine so you cant compare it.

[Stewart]

Yeah I knew that, just a shame my R56 engine did not sound like it. Just adding there that to me my engine is a bit chatty when its sitting compared to other cars on the street. Even the other R56 on the drive that was built in March is still the same both Coopers.

[MINI William]

Sevie I wouldent worry to much about it they are just noisey little engines. If it ends up going bang, then whats why you have a warrenty

[LightningStevie]

Sevie I wouldent worry to much about it they are just noisey little engines. If it ends up going bang, then whats why you have a warrenty

I wouldn't be so worried about it if

a. the warranty was longer
b. 2 of my mates coopers don't do it. If their's don't, despite being the same age, and with more miles on their clocks by about 30k, then why does mine?

Anyways, I have it back. Nice to have the extra power over the first again. And aircon lol. They have fixed the squeaking windows, and the dash rattles seem to have gone. so far... lol

[stoney]

glad to here it fixed

[Stewart]

Can I asked did you ask for the dash rattles, I have that from the middle Vent at the Window. Runflats and poor roads and it goes off "Rattle Rattle"

[LightningStevie]

Can I asked did you ask for the dash rattles, I have that from the middle Vent at the Window. Runflats and poor roads and it goes off "Rattle Rattle"

Excatly what I have! What I do not understand about them not being covered under used car warranty is that the reason it was booked in for a full week was due to the fact they needed a full week to rip out dash to investigate. Went in on the Monday, and they only called on Thursday to say it wasnt covered and I'd have to pay 2 hours labour!

Speaking to the sales guys after collecting it, the sales manager said that one of the causes isn't the dash itself. Its the pipe for the window washers that runs across the bulkhead. Worth investigating i suppose

[Stewart]

Don’t know how this is not covered, it’s a known fault. I’d love it fixed but if they have the car for near a week to Rip the dash out I’d probably give it a miss. Shocking to charge you I don’t think I’d have paid as my car has had it since I picked it up and is not three years old yet.


What the hell is "used car warranty" is that when its sold outwith the BMW group or not bought split new. I bought my Cooper at six months old with 1K on the clock.......but I’d be annoyed with a dealer try to recover costs for a BMW fault.

[LightningStevie]

I bought the car used from MINI and was told the warranty is the same as a new car. Apparently not! Still rattles after driving around on Edinburgh's wonderful street this morning :/

[Stewart]

Sorry to read you still have that rattle after paying for it to get fixed. That’s my worry my car has no dents or scratches and knowing my luck it would go away for a few days to get this rattle seen too and come back with something. My rattle is not there all the time but seems to appear then vanish for a bit. But it is annoying when you have someone in the car for the first time and the radio is off and the thing gives a rattle.

Had Honda Civic from new for eight years and never a squeak, in saying that the 10 plate Cooper on the non run flats is rattle free.

[LightningStevie]

Didnt pay for it in the end, no idea how much 2 hours labour was going to cost, but won't have been cheap thats for sure. It sounds like its the exact same rattle as mine. Not always there, but sometimes it is, very annoying!

[ELFMAN]

Mine's going into the Dealer (Douglas Park MINI, Hamilton) tonight, so that they can check the 'Cold Start Rattle' tomorrow morning - especially noticeable when the car's been sitting for a few days. Apparently there's a 'Fix' for this - the 'Version 3 Tensioner' for the Timing Chain. Have printed off some bumf on this (with the relevant MINI Repair Spec Number) to take with me when I go in. Noise goes away after a few minutes running and varies in intensity when it appears. The fix includes a new spring which positions the tensioner against the chain until oil pressure is OK (hence why it goes away after a few minutes).

Not TOO worried, but want it sorted - when you pay for a new motor, you get a Warranty, so I'm using it. Fingers crossed.

[KenL]

Elfman,

My R56S did this a few times early in its life. It was fixed under warranty by fitting the modified timing chain tensioner and it has never re-appeared in more than a year.

I could "make" mine do it (when the engine was cold) by reversing the car a few feet, then forward a few feet. If I then left it for an hour or so it would do it on start up. I discovered this when I moved my car parking space at work as I did not like the way someone had parked next to me.

In order to make sure the fix was done I managed to get a video clip on my phone of it happening and the dealer agreed to fix it even if it did not do it in the morning.

Please post how you get on.

[T5LLC]

Your Cooper sounds like what mines was like. Rattle, squeeky windows and noise from engine lol! I got shot of mines at 2 years old Oh yea when they fixed my windows the seel was never right and it started to smell inside from water getting in lol watch for that! My Cooper S got fitted the part that Peter Vardy ordered you as mines was really bad so glad its just a little tapping noise now but thats just the engines they do that. Any problems with Peter Vardy give me a PM my other halfs a salesman there and does service now and then so couldnt hurt to know someone there i suppose! :)

[ELFMAN]

Elfman,

My R56S did this a few times early in its life. It was fixed under warranty by fitting the modified timing chain tensioner and it has never re-appeared in more than a year.

I could "make" mine do it (when the engine was cold) by reversing the car a few feet, then forward a few feet. If I then left it for an hour or so it would do it on start up. I discovered this when I moved my car parking space at work as I did not like the way someone had parked next to me.

In order to make sure the fix was done I managed to get a video clip on my phone of it happening and the dealer agreed to fix it even if it did not do it in the morning.

Please post how you get on.

Cheers Ken, Just phoned the Dealer, and my car's 'Ready'. They've fitted the latest Tensioner (which I believe is now 'Version 4.0'!). I left details with the car of the recognised MINI 'Fix' with serial Nos. etc. Had absolutely no problem and spoke to the Workshop Foreman just now, who told me what they'd done. Quite happy with that, and I'll pick the car up after work - should be OK. I've always found Douglas Park MINI (Hamilton) to be pretty straight with me and always try their best to sort any problems I've flagged up. I'll run it and see how it goes.

[ELFMAN]

New Tensioner fitted - all quiet on the Engine Front.

The Official MINI Dealer Repair Specification is 'SIM-11-02-07', Part No. '11.31.7.598.956'.

If anybody else has this problem, it might be handy to quote these numbers to your Dealer.