# 2012 MINI Cooper - Emission issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mini\ **Created:** [May 19, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575 "2020-05-19T22:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wensinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@wensinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wensinger)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/1 "2020-05-19T22:59:32Z")
2012 MINI Cooper emission light come on and after a while goes out.This time it stayed on, so I replaced the gas cap–the emission light still stays on. Yesterday, after I turned the engine off, it sounded like the engine was still running–it stops after 5 minutes. It has 90K miles on it. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/2 "2020-05-20T10:46:32Z")
What codes are you getting? ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/3 "2020-05-20T14:58:18Z")
> [@wensinger](#): > > Yesterday, after I turned the engine off, it sounded like the engine was still running–it stops after 5 minutes. A lot of cars run the cooling fan after the car shuts off to help cool the engine down since the engine is no longer circulating coolant. ---
**Author:** ![wensinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@wensinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wensinger)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/4 "2020-05-20T16:35:04Z")
The only icon that lights up is the “emissions” icon located in the big round dial in my dash board. I took my MINI Cooper to Advantage Auto Parts store, but they didn’t have any way to read the codes, other than to tell me it was the emission icon. I’ve been reading about when the emissions icon lights up, it tells me that I could be damaging the catalytic converter, or it could be a faulty gas cap. I replaced the gas cap with no result. Now my engine just started running hot because after I turn off my car, a cooling fan still runs for 5 minutes–it has never done that before. Someone suggested to me that my engine is not circulating the coolant, and I don’t want to burn up my engine. I’ve made an appointment with a MINI dealership in Nashville (50 miles away), but the soonest they can take me is a week from now (because they won’t have a loaner car until then in case they can’t fix the problem the same day). ---
**Author:** ![wensinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@wensinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wensinger)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/5 "2020-05-20T16:46:19Z")
The only icon that lights up is the “emissions” icon located in the big round dial in my dash board. I took my MINI Cooper to Advantage Auto Parts store, but they didn’t have any way to read the codes, other than to tell me it was the emission icon. I’ve been reading about when the emissions icon lights up, it tells me that I could be damaging the catalytic converter, or it could be a faulty gas cap. I replaced the gas cap with no result. Now my engine just started running hot because after I turn off my car, a cooling fan still runs for 5 minutes–it has never done that before. Someone suggested to me that my engine is not circulating the coolant, and I don’t want to burn up my engine. I’ve made an appointment with a MINI dealership in Nashville (50 miles away), but the soonest they can take me is a week from now (because they won’t have a loaner car until then in case they can’t fix the problem the same day). ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/d/2daeaa8b5f19f0bc209d976c02bd6acb51b00b0a.gif) ---
**Author:** ![wensinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@wensinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wensinger)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/7 "2020-05-20T18:06:49Z")
Thanks for this information. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/8 "2020-05-21T14:03:19Z")
We ALL can see each reply so you don’t need to post it twice. You are doing the right thing… take it to an auto repair shop for a diagnosis. But you don’t have to take it to a dealer for this. Just because an auto parts store can’t read the codes doesn’t mean your local independent repair shop can’t read the codes and repair the car. ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/9 "2020-05-22T13:24:11Z")
Without seeing it this is just a WAG but I’ve seen more than a few Minis arrive with burned out engines due to serious overheating, one appeared to be starting to melt the plastic valve cover. My understanding is that part of the problem was a plastic coolant pump impeller that started to fall apart. Haven’t confirmed this and again have no idea if overheating is your problem but if you suspect it is, I’d be cautious about driving this any long distance. ---
**Author:** ![wensinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@wensinger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wensinger)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/10 "2020-05-22T16:30:22Z")
Thank you! Even though I am a girl, I know when somethings not right with my car’s engine. So, I’ve arranged to have my MINI Cooper towed to the MINI dealership because my local auto repair shops don’t bother to return my calls. Besides, I would prefer to have more of a specialist to solve/handle the problem. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-mini-cooper-emission-issues/164575/11 "2020-05-22T17:52:44Z")
Normally I agree with taking an older car to an independent shop. But in this case, I’d agree with getting it to a dealer. I believe a Mini is a BMW underneath, and local independent shops might not want to or be able to work on it. The fact that the Advance Auto couldn’t scan the codes tells me it’s not a typical one they see. I also agree with having the car towed, just to be safe. Good luck, and I hope the fix isn’t too expensive.