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Tech Tip: What to do if after repairs, your Mini Cooper's EVAP monitor won't complete

June 5, 2020
A customer brought his Mini Cooper to the shop because the malfunction indicator light was on. The problem was a bad catalytic converter. After the converter was replaced, the evaporative emissions monitor would not run to completion.

Vehicle: 2010 Mini Cooper S Clubman, L4-1.6L Turbo (N14), Automatic Transaxle

Mileage: 105,393

Problem: A customer brought his Mini Cooper to the shop because the malfunction indicator light was on. The problem was a bad catalytic converter. After the converter was replaced and the diagnostic trouble code (DTC) cleared, the evaporative (EVAP) emissions monitor would not run to completion.

Details: The technician suggested that the customer drive the car for a couple of hundred miles to get the monitor to complete. After driving the car about 295 miles, the customer brought the car back to check the emission monitors. The EVAP monitor had still had not run. 

The technician checked parameter identification data (PID) information with a scan tool. Everything appeared normal. There were no DTCs set, pending, or in history. Since Mini does not seem to publish drive cycles for the emissions monitors, the technician reached out to ALLDATA Tech-Assist for help.

Drive Cycle – Mini Cooper S Clubman, 1.6L Turbo

From a Cold Soak: (overnight is best)

  1. Start engine and let idle while cold for 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
  2. Accelerate to 20-30 miles per hour and maintain steady speed for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
  3. Accelerate to 40-60 miles per hour and hold steady speed for 15 minutes.
  4. Decelerate and come to complete stop. Idle engine in gear (Drive) for 5 minutes.

A Tech-Assist consultant provided the drive cycle (shown above) that he believed would get all the monitors to run.

Important: This drive cycle will terminate if engine RPM exceeds 3000 at any time, if road speed exceeds 60 mph, or if there are any fluctuations in throttle angle. The drive cycle instructions must be followed exactly, or all the monitors may not run.

Confirmed Repair: The technician let the vehicle sit overnight to ensure a cold soak. In the morning, he followed the drive cycle procedure exactly. After completing the drive cycle, all the emissions monitors, include the EVAP monitor, were complete. 

Information provided by ALLDATA

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