Price of progress?

[Grumpy21]

We have a 2019 Mini Clubman Diesel. Its great, very comfy, quick and economical. In the recent cold weather the computer has been throwing up messages about a problem with the drivetrain. Took it to Mini today and it seems to be a faulty Oil Pressure Solenoid. It does some fancy stuff, keeps the oil pressure just right, not too much and not too little. Took 4 hours of computer time to diagnose and replace at £120 per hour, plus the part at £85. Bargain.

Now our little A series has a similar device - a spring with a ball bearing. You can tell if its dodgy if you have an oil pressure gauge as the pressure will be too low and flutter at idle. Or better still, if you don't have a gauge you're blissfully unaware that any problem might be lurking. If it needs fixing it costs £10 and takes around half an hour!

Progress eh?

[geoberni]

4 hours for the computer to spit out an answer?
What about all the stored fault code garbage they have these days....

I kept having DPF faults randomly occurring on my 2010 Ford Kuga.
Eventually I changed the DPF pressure switch as that's what it appeared to be from the fault codes, and still the same.
I stripped the wiring harness back at the loom going to the DPF pressure switch and found a broken cable making intermittent contact inside it's insulation.
So it did cost me about £100 for the pressure switch that I didn't need; but saved several hours of diagnosis time labour charges, and the resultant garage cost of the unnecessary pressure switch, plus more diagnosis costs when I would have gone back there again....

[jagnut66]

Took 4 hours of computer time to diagnose and replace at £120 per hour, plus the part at £85. Bargain.

So 4 hours at £120 an hour, so £480. Plus the part at £85.
Totalling £565 then.
And people I know wonder why I prefer older cars that I can fix myself................

[Grumpy21]

4 hours for the computer to spit out an answer?
What about all the stored fault code garbage they have these days....

Their computer identified oil pressure as the fault, then began the process of identifying precisely where the fault was originating. Involved fitting a mechanical gauge apparently and simulating driving under a range of conditions. Testing the solenoid out of the car again under various conditions. It's a complex little sod that has multistage openings controlled by a stepper motor and two filters. There's no TSB relating to failure of the component and the garage have apparently never had one fail before.

[rocco]

4 hours for the computer to spit out an answer?
What about all the stored fault code garbage they have these days....

I kept having DPF faults randomly occurring on my 2010 Ford Kuga.
Eventually I changed the DPF pressure switch as that's what it appeared to be from the fault codes, and still the same.
I stripped the wiring harness back at the loom going to the DPF pressure switch and found a broken cable making intermittent contact inside it's insulation.
So it did cost me about £100 for the pressure switch that I didn't need; but saved several hours of diagnosis time labour charges, and the resultant garage cost of the unnecessary pressure switch, plus more diagnosis costs when I would have gone back there again....

I have exactly the same issue with my 2009 Galaxy. Common fault are the pipes from the pressure sensor to the DPF splitting so I replaced those, still the same. Bought a new pressure sensor but not fitted it yet, it's a bark to get at. If I clear all the DTCs then the EML goes away until I test drive, downshift, then it's back.

P2297(21)
Raw code: 229721
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle
OBDII: Heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 1, bank 1 - signal out of range during deceleration

The car still drives fine, just an "engine failure" message when turning the ignition on. I suppose I'll get around to it when the weather warms up a bit.

Sorry for the thread hijack, one of the reasons for buying the Moggy is so that I can get rid of the Galaxy which I don't need any more. Short 15 minutes journeys to work are doing it absolute no good.

[myoldjalopy]

And most of the above comments reflect the main reason I don't drive a modern car and stick to my Moggie

[MorrisJohn]

DPFs are one of the reasons I’ve avoided diesels. A common issue.

At up to 50mpg (real world driving) with my two litre petrol, and diesel being roughly 30p a litre more, plus diesels being more expensive to buy in the first instance, and more expensive to service, I just don’t see the sense in them. Unless you’re up and down motorways all day every day, or if the vehicle you really want (like a pick-up) only comes in diesel. Plus, they have a nasty habit of emitting disgusting oily fumes.

It’s little wonder sales of them have plummeted.

[Grumpy21]

I wouldn’t fancy using my traveller as my only car. As good as it is I think it would be a tad tiresome covering 4-500 miles in a day and I doubt it’d cope too well towing our 1.7 ton caravan.

Horses for courses, we’ll keep the diesels for workhorses and the classics for enjoyment.

Update on the solenoid valve thing. Mini have agreed to foot 60% of the bill as the car has full mini history so that’s something.