DIY Servicing: MINI Cooper 2.0 diesel

Marque specialist Mad4mini shows Rob Hawkins how to service the dieselpowered MINI Cooper S.

The three-door F56 and five-door F55 models of the ever-evolving MINI, released from 2014 onwards, are powered by Bmwbuilt diesel engines. Both the 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 2.0-litre four-cylinder units are a compact design and can be hard to tell apart by looking at them from under the bonnet. They are a little quirky, with the timing chain assembly located at the back of the engine and visible through the oil filler cap.

Typical problems with these units include the familiar swirl flap trouble that many diesel-engined BMWS suffer from. The fuel temperature sensor can leak fuel, which can contaminate its electrical plug and the engine control unit (known as the DDE or Digital Diesel Electronics). If this happens and the DDE unit has failed, then the best solution is to renew the temperature sensor, its pipework and a section of the wiring harness, as well as the DDE unit itself.

The engines are generally reliable and servicing is straightforward for both the three- and four-cylinder units. There are a few oddities, though, such as access to the pollen filter via the driver’s side footwell. The oil filter has its own drain plug to reduce the risk of used engine oil leaking down your arm. And don’t try to find the power steering fluid reservoir, because there isn’t one – the steering is power-assisted by an electric motor.

We followed independent MINI specialist Mad4mini complete what is classed as a third oil service on a 2016 Cooper 2.0 S D.