HELP! Trans/Clutch Issue at 3500 miles

9715 Views 16 Replies 5 Participants Last post by AlanZ, Nov 12, 2015

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · Aug 16, 2015

Well, off to a great start we are!

Last week around mid-week I started to notice that my F56 S was feeling a bit sluggish, so I'd made an appointment with the dealer for Tuesday, thinking that maybe the oil was a bit dirty (considering I've put about 3k miles on it in a month, and have definitely tested her capabilities, that was a reasonable thought) or perhaps one of these full service gas stations had pumped some lower grade than expected gas into her.

Last night while driving down the highway, I downshifted and noticed no change in RPMs, but she started to slow down. I noticed that shifting wasn't doing much of anything, so I threw my hazards on and jumped off the next exit immediately. Luckily I had enough momentum to roll off the highway and into a pretty massive shoulder. The clutch pedal was low to the floor and at first would not depress and allow me to shift. I shut the car off for a few minutes, then turned it back on. When I started it back up, the clutch pedal was back in the normal position, but shifting into gear did literally nothing, and I couldn't feel the actual clutch moving when the pedal is depressed as I usually would.

As we loaded her onto the flatbed, the Tow driver and I noticed the smell of burnt out clutch. It's at Mini of the Mainline now, but they won't be open until 7 tomorrow, so tomorrow morning I'll catch a ride in there when they open to get a loaner.

Has anyone else had any issues like this with the transmission or clutch? If so, how did you approach it? Since a transmission replacement so early is severely devaluing to the vehicle, if that is the issue would you suggest trying to get the car replaced entirely from Mini?

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02fanatic

· #2 · Aug 16, 2015

So many features on these cars are electronically driven these days, it may be something other than a strictly mechanical issue. I'd wait and see what the MINI tech finds before jumping to any conclusions. If the clutch plate is burnt or otherwise damaged in some way it may be a matter of replacing the clutch plate and repairing whatever might have caused the malfunction without complete transmission replacement. Keep us posted on what MINI finds.

Good Luck,

John

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 16, 2015

02fanatic said:
So many features on these cars are electronically driven these days, it may be something other than a strictly mechanical issue. I'd wait and see what the MINI tech finds before jumping to any conclusions. If the clutch plate is burnt or otherwise damaged in some way it may be a matter of replacing the clutch plate and repairing whatever might have caused the malfunction without complete transmission replacement. Keep us posted on what MINI finds.

Good Luck,

John

Thanks John!

To be completely honest, I'm not overly worried. I know that MINI will do me right, and get it fixed. It's just a little bit disconcerting to think that anything 'major' could go wrong so quickly. I have full confidence that they'll resolve the issue and make sure that it's not something that will fail moving forward. Just sucks that they're closed today, so I'm without a car until tomorrow morning when they open.

jeremybingham

· #4 · Aug 16, 2015

Don't want to worry you but this could be the clutch to the floor needs a new engine thread that some Cooper s drivers have experienced. Have a look for t

e thread.

Burning_rubber

· #5 · Aug 17, 2015

Mine has got 1800 km / 1125 miles and I run into the following issues. By the way, I have a 6 speed manual tranmission on my Cooper S.

- a squeeking noise that lasts for 1 to 2 seconds when I put my car in reverse and move backwards
- especially when the drivetrain and engine are warmed up I hear a bit of a singing/howling noise coming from the drivetrain. This disappears when while driving putting the car in neutral to come back right away when engaging a gear again. It's not really loud but annoying once you pay attention to it and I'm confident that the car didn't make this noise when I picked it up last month
- last week it happened 2 times that standing still in front of a traffic light after a short ride on the highway my car started humming and vibrating and the revs dipped for a few seconds so I thought the engine was going to turn of. This all came back to normal after a few seconds
- i have problems sometimes shifting down from 5th to 4th gear making me really have to pull the shifter in 4th

Advice from Mini aftersales and technicians vary from "nothing to worry about, it's just new part wearing in and getting used to each other" to "the car needs a check to make sure everything is ok"

Don't know if this is something to worry about but the car is going to de dealership for a check just to be on the safe side.

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rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 17, 2015

I grabbed my loaner this morning, and the first thing they asked was 'Do you ride the clutch?'... No... and even if I were, I have beat the crap out of other cars, and 3500 miles is insane to have killed a clutch. I'd have to be slamming the plates constantly to have burnt a clutch out that fast.

jeremybingham

· #7 · Aug 17, 2015

Don't let them get away with that. Check out the new engine clutch pedal going right down thread esp on roundabouts apparently when you can replicate it on here and show them that. Be firm with them you need this sorting and it is a known fault,not your clutch use!keep us informed.

jeremybingham

· #8 · Aug 17, 2015

http://www.minif56.com/forum/289-mini-f56-general-discussion/20154-intermitant-clutch-fault.html

Check out the above esp jamesant and oscarcat ex the negative stuff about me.!!!! I really am sympathetic and worried for you. Don't let a poor dealer fob you off. Hope it's not this issue but worth checking. Read well in and you will find some got new cars and quite rightly so!

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 17, 2015

jeremybingham said:
http://www.minif56.com/forum/289-mini-f56-general-discussion/20154-intermitant-clutch-fault.html

Check out the above esp jamesant and oscarcat ex the negative stuff about me.!!!! I really am sympathetic and worried for you. Don't let a poor dealer fob you off. Hope it's not this issue but worth checking. Read well in and you will find some got new cars and quite rightly so!

Yea Jeremy, I had found that thread in my ventures of googling. I guess this is a common issue with MCS produced around that time. Though mine seems to be WAY ahead of the mileage curve. If they tell me it needs a new engine, I may push to have the car replaced (gently of course). Since it's so young, that's a pretty serious hit to value on a brand new engine.

I've definitely put dear Wendy through the ropes of testing her out, as I'm a very spirited driver with a penchant for using cars built as MINIs are, as they were intended to be. But not to the point that this should be happening. If necessary, I'll print this entire thread, and the one's I've found at my local owners' forum and take them in to the dealer.

The folks over at Mini of the Mainline here are great people, so I don't anticipate any issues, I'm just a little bummed to be driving an automatic Cooper (non-s) in the mean time (though, they were out of loaners and gave me a lot-car O.O

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jeremybingham

· #10 · Aug 17, 2015

Good that you have a good dealer . Whatever you do don't blame yourself,a car driven mercilessly should put up with it for a good while! Good luck, hope you're sorted quickly j

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 19, 2015

Just a quick update:

Got a call from one of the Service Advisors at MotML today. The clutch is definitely shot, and they're 'trying to get some help from mini'. Since the 'Let clutch cool' message has popped (evidently more than once, but I've only ever seen it once) they may get some resistance.

I was pretty straightforward in that, even under the most brutal driving conditions, a clutch should not be burnt out at 3500 miles, let alone under my driving style.

jeremybingham

· #12 · Aug 19, 2015

Totally agree..I'm sure you haven't got a tow bar either! Get them to Make sure the worn clutch isn't a symptom of something more sinister ie is something out of alignment?

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 19, 2015

Yea, definitely no tow bar (though I'd like to get one, specifically for adding a rear mounted bike rack). My guess is that something is/was out of alignment. I noticed a couple of times that the gear didn't drop in as smoothly (literally just a couple though), and that was the two time I ground gears. Thats what I don't get though, characteristic of a burnt clutch... if you grind gears, it's not nearly as intense, and the times I did, it was obvious that the teeth were good and strong when they clashed together.

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #14 · Aug 24, 2015

Update:

Got a call Thursday saying I'd probably get a call by EOB Friday from the service manager. I'll give them until noon today then I'm going to give them a call to see whats up.

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 25, 2015

UPDATE:

Called yesterday afternoon. Was told MINI is requesting some type of diagnostics be read from the vehicle. Not exactly sure what they're asking for. In any case, we're moving towards two weeks now. This pretty little cooper they've given me as a loaner is alright, but I miss my car. This thing is an automatic, and I've put 725 miles on it already (got it with 25, apparently it had just gone into the service fleet). I know it only takes a few hours at most to swap a clutch, and I'm pretty sure they're ready to do the swap as soon as they get the go ahead, if they haven't already.

I'm really curious to hear what MINI has to say, and if they'll give any push back on the clutch being a warranty part.

rbleattler

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 29, 2015

Big Update:

I stopped by the dealer a couple of days ago to check on my car. They showed me the clutch (car was up on a lift.). From what I saw the friction material was still well in tact. They said there was heat cracking, but I saw no cracking. Now, there was what appeared to be fibrous material coming out of the springs in the center of the plate. They said that all of this was evident of Aggressive driving and thus, they had to fight with MINI to get it covered under warranty.

I got a call yesterday from the MA who is dealing with my car, and he said they found some 'play' with one of the bolts on the crankshaft (sounds a lot like the issues people talk about in the intermittent clutch issue thread). Now they said they'll be replacing the motor (and have already ordered it) if MINI approves the warranty repair, and that the clutch/flywheel can be replaced consequentially.

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AlanZ

· #17 · Nov 12, 2015

It is official for me too, a new engine is on order and should arrive in a few days.
Are there any other updates on how folks have dealt with this issue (extended warranties, upgrades, trade-ins, etc.). I have had our 2014 S for 16 months, and it only has 6,800 miles on it. What are your thoughts on possible issues after an engine replacement?

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