Problem warming up the MINI...?

[ez 2 prk]

Recently my MINI is having trouble warming up. I could go out in the morning and warm up the car for ten minutes and it still will be cold with the settings on hot/full blast. I sit in stop and go traffic everymorning/night and it seems like it will only get warm once I start moving (past third gear or over 2000 rpm). So when I move its warm and when I'm stoped its blowing very cold air I have to turn it off. I've had my MINI for two years now and this has never happened. Does this happen to anyone else or do any of you guys have suggestions of what I can do? If there is a problem is this even covered under warrenty? Thanks for anything feedback!

[FAST060]

I had a similar concern last winter. My Service Advisor told me that MINIs warm up when driven. It went against everything I have ever known about cars, which was much, but it seemed to be true in my case.

 

The 2011 models tell you when they are warmed up!

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

That doesn't seem right. Tigger warms up for me pretty quickly and I never pre-warm. I get in, I drive and the car is warm in a few minutes. Mark said that Max is the same (figured I could compare a more similar model). Neither one of us warm up the cars in the parking lot. We just get in and drive.

 

Mark said that warming up in the parking lot won't warm up the heat because the rpm's don't get very high.

 

Ali

[cmcveay]

The problem you are describing seems kind of odd. Blows hot/warm air while moving but when you stop, it's blowing cold again? I do warm the car up in the parking lot before driving, it's the way I was raised and there are some dogs that don't like to give up on old habits. I'll get the water temp get up to 100 or so (I have gauges) before I take off - especially when it's down around freezing. I don't recall having problems with the air temp changing but I will pay attention in the morning.

[ez 2 prk]

i meant to say i have a problem getting the inside to warm up, the engine warms up fine and it blows hot when the engine is above 2000rpm. it just wont blow hot or even warm air wen it is at idle

[Scavenger]

I'm not totally familiar with how the Heater works in the MINI, but you might want to ask them to check the coolant flow to the heater core. Just a thought.

[cmcveay]

That suggests to me that there may be a diverter valve in the system that's switching the coolant flow from the heater core at lower RPM's. I didn't see any mention if we are talking about a 1st or 2nd Gen model here either.

[maacodale]

I've also heard this could be due to low coolant level. Make a quick check, when it's cooled off, of course. Saw it mentioned on Motoring Alliance a week or so ago. Good luck!