Best code reader

[moncureww]

Does anyone know what the best code reader / diagnostic software is for the Cooper SE? I’ve always had a diagnostic tool when Ive owned Volvos that linked up to my laptop. I know my car is brand new, but I usually use the warranty period to learn everything that I can about a car and then when it’s out of warranty I do what I can myself or I find a mechanic outside the dealer who can. Are there any resources online that show how the whole system works (exploded parts diagrams, schematics) that are Not strictly limited to dealer proprietary resources?

 

[Carsten Haase]

Does anyone know what the best code reader / diagnostic software is for the Cooper SE? I’ve always had a diagnostic tool when Ive owned Volvos that linked up to my laptop. I know my car is brand new, but I usually use the warranty period to learn everything that I can about a car and then when it’s out of warranty I do what I can myself or I find a mechanic outside the dealer who can. Are there any resources online that show how the whole system works (exploded parts diagrams, schematics) that are Not strictly limited to dealer proprietary resources?

EVs are not required to comply with the OBD standard so many are using proprietary codes and diagnostics. Because the MINI shares much with the ICE chassis, we still have many of the regular OBD codes but also have codes that have not been decoded yet (most of the EV specific stuff)

As far as learning the system, I haven't found anything specific to the MINI but it's very similar to the i3 (many shared components) and I did find these two attached docs that are somewhat useful.

If you're interested in more technical details, Munro (YouTube EV teardown people) has their i3 cost report for only $10. I've been considering buying it myself but haven't yet. The drivetrain, motor, cooling, and electronics sections should be relevant to the MINI

 

[SameGuy]

Does anyone know what the best code reader / diagnostic software is for the Cooper SE? I’ve always had a diagnostic tool when Ive owned Volvos that linked up to my laptop. I know my car is brand new, but I usually use the warranty period to learn everything that I can about a car and then when it’s out of warranty I do what I can myself or I find a mechanic outside the dealer who can. Are there any resources online that show how the whole system works (exploded parts diagrams, schematics) that are Not strictly limited to dealer proprietary resources?

Same here. My smart went in for its first warranty repair at <200 km (faulty low-pressure fuel pump), so I decided then and there that I needed to learn as much as I could, and ended up investing around $800 in a Chinese-cloned Star Diagnostic system that came with the full suite of dealership software running on an XP virtual machine on my laptop.

What about running ISTA?

 

[insightman]

EVs are not required to comply with the OBD standard so many are using proprietary codes and diagnostics. Because the MINI shares much with the ICE chassis, we still have many of the regular OBD codes but also have codes that have not been decoded yet (most of the EV specific stuff)

As far as learning the system, I haven't found anything specific to the MINI but it's very similar to the i3 (many shared components) and I did find these two attached docs that are somewhat useful.

@Carsten Haase in this post you mentioned the "electrified" app for Android. I found this video showing how it provides battery info for a BMW i3. Have you any further experience that gives you more confidence in this app when reading codes from an SE?

Also, @MichaelC, you mentioned an iPhone app, mi3. Can this app reveal more than just battery data?

 

[Carsten Haase]

@Carsten Haase in this post you mentioned the "electrified" app for Android. I found this video showing how it provides battery info for a BMW i3. Have you any further experience that gives you more confidence in this app when reading codes from an SE?

Also, @MichaelC, you mentioned an iPhone app, mi3. Can this app reveal more than just battery data?

I haven't used it much (didn't do what I was looking for) but I don't think it can read diagnostic codes.

The "car scanner" app for Android also has a SE profile but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet

 

[Rexsio]

Sorry for my English but with EV’s you can’t do nothing you can’t put a chip to improve performance and be happy a crab runs correctly to factory performance or return to ICE to do your thing . We talking base transportation for $30000 the cheapest EV on market if you want to be carbon conscious which is not through to produce an EV is more carbon than ACE car . But we like bc we are try to be into new technology which is not proven to really to be a best and average EV is like $60000 luxury car . Mini copper SE Is great car

 

[insightman]

with EV’s you can’t do nothing you can’t put a chip to improve performance

I don't expect to improve performance--I haven't read that even MINI improves the performance of the SE they built to be the Formula E safety car. However, I'd sure like to be able to track every code my SE sends to the OBDII port.

For example, what parameters activate the traction control and stability control? What temperature (and other data) causes the resistance heater to take over for the heat pump? Does the SE send as much power to the motor when you floor the accelerator in Mid Mode as it does in Sport Mode? How much capacity does my traction battery still have? When does the fish stop smiling?

 

[moncureww]

Same here. My smart went in for its first warranty repair at <200 km (faulty low-pressure fuel pump), so I decided then and there that I needed to learn as much as I could, and ended up investing around $800 in a Chinese-cloned Star Diagnostic system that came with the full suite of dealership software running on an XP virtual machine on my laptop.

What about running ISTA?

I think I'd like to know more about ISTA / ISTA+. That looks like the way to go and it provides the most info.

 

[SameGuy]

Lots of threads at the UK mf56 forum

 

[MichaelC]

Also, @MichaelC, you mentioned an iPhone app, mi3. Can this app reveal more than just battery data?

The mi3 app does not show any diagnostic codes. Only general data about the car, EV-specific data, and a tab for the i3's REX (range extender).

The "car scanner" app for Android also has a SE profile but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet

This app also exists for iOS. I can confirm it has a "Diagnostic trouble codes" button when the SE profile is selected, but I haven't actually tried it yet, either.

 

[Carsten Haase]

I think I'd like to know more about ISTA / ISTA+. That looks like the way to go and it provides the most info.

Be aware that some of these programs/apps that say they're compatible with all MINIs and BMWs have not accounted for the different diagnostics of EVs with their blanket compatibility statements.

I don't know about ISTA specifically but the Bimmerlink app (that says it reads diagnostic codes for 2006+ MINIs) does not work at all and doesn't even show the diagnostics option when connected.

 

[SameGuy]

Thanks for the tips!