Noise first occurred 2 nights ago and has now occurred on consecutive days. While driving I was hearing a high pitched squeal is the best way to describe it. This will happen in all modes, will happen stationary or in gear. Noise seems to go away when the clutch is depressed. Pretty bummed because the car has 1200 miles on it, i didn't even get my license plates. I'm taking the car to the dealer tomorrow, and hoping they don't give me a hard time. Seems like issue is happening when the car gets warmed, and shifting at 5k will generally make the nose happen. I just took the car to 5k for the first time due to break in the other day and now this. ughhhhhhhhhh

 

If anyone wants to hear the noise I've posted a few videos. Car is at the dealer this AM, wasn't able to recreate the noise but showed the vids hoping we figure out whats going on.

 

My car had exactly this.

 

Sounds great you fixed it but did you notice any changes when you pressed the clutch in? The noise I get seems to vanish when the clutch is pressed and appears sharply when clutch is let out.

 

I that case, ignore everything I said, although the noise does sound similar. I missed the bit about the clutch in your original post.

The problem here most likely is your clutch plate and the release bearing not getting on well with each other. When your foot is off the clutch, the bearing will just be resting lightly against the spring fingers on the clutch cover. The cover is spinning, the bearing is not. When you press the clutch, the bearing is pushed against the fingers and they all rotate as one unit, hence the noise vanishing. If you are prepared to be patient, then this will likely disappear as the new components bed in. Some dry graphite type lubricant on the bearing face can work wonders, but getting to it is hard without removing the gearbox, and if you are doing that, you may as well fit a new clutch!!

 

Mini got back to me today, they left a message and said they were going to replace the whole transmission. I'm pretty bummed about this, although I understand it also. I've had the car in my possession for about 5 weeks, I was quoted about 11-12 days return from the repair not including the week they have already had it so that means that it will have been in their shop for nearly 3 weeks. I'm confident that this will resolve the issue, and glad they are looking to resolve it not try little things that might fix it. I just want my car back.

 

A drive belt on this car, takes 10min. But iam one of the guys at the dealership that cant diagnose these issues.

For what its worth. Ive seen something similar a few times. Once it was a transmission (Automatic) once was an AC compressor locking up intermittently, and most recent was a Belt, but the customer had cleaned his engine with degrease or tire shine or something. New belt, no more noise.

Hopefully the transmission takes care of your issue.

 

Thanks for the input, the inconsistent nature of this issues worries me that it will not be resolved immediately although i hope so. The dealer said they saw metal chips in the fluid (stick shift), I'm not sure if they ever re-created the noise. There is another thread on another forum where another guy had she same issue, they cleaned and replaced all belts, new turbo, new hoses, dropped the motor to take a look and it was never solved. Mentioning this issue to people is getting me more frustrated because I feel like a new transmission is a little extreme for a car so new, then the reasonable side of me reminds me that **** happens and stuff can break. I just want my car back....them having it for a week then telling me that its going to be another 2 weeks kills me. I've only had the car for about 4 weeks, and the dealership will have it there for 3 if they can complete the repair on the time they quoted me

 

Just because I have become a cynical and crusty old git because of plenty of experiences over the years where the dealers have been as useful as a chocolate teapot, doesn't meant there are not exceptional people out there who know their stuff and can work wonders with customers cars. People have different views depending on their experiences and which side of the fence you sit. I'm sure you have had plenty of customers you would rather not have to deal with or ever see again - you mght even consider me in that camp. Fair enough! Im sure there are just as many great techs as there are crappy ones. However - in your environment, time is of the essence, and you are NOT working on your own car. You guys will never treat customer cars in the same way your would treat your own. FACT.
Would you take the time to clean the inner fender cover before you remove it? Would you take the time to clean behind it before you put it back. Nope, but if you were doing if on your own car, you might take a bit more time and do extra stuff that you would not do on someone else's car.

Yes, it did take me some time to do the job myself mainly because I don't have the luxury of having done it countless times before, the special workshop tools needed, and having to crawl around on the floor under the car because I don't have a 2-post lift. Oh, as its my car and I am happy to take my time and do it slowly and carefully, with plenty of tea breaks along the way.

So please don't belittle me by making fun of the time it took me. Rather, you should be pleased there are competent people out there that are still willing to tackle jobs themselves on their cars and take an interest in its inner workings.

Despite my obvious handicap that you don't have, I am somewhat skeptical you can do this job in 10 minutes. Can I ask - have you actually done it on an F56 MCS yet, or is your experience based on an R56? There is absolutely no clearance to get anywhere near it on an F56 MCS without removing a whole load of stuff.

The factory manual calls for removing

1) the inner fender liner
2) front underbody cover
3) crankshaft pulley (which will also require a new oil seal and stretch bolts)
4) Intake manifold (which means new gaskets)
5) Alternator
5) bonnet slam/cross panel
7) radiator cowl/fan

I think I counted at at least 4 different factory tools for the job too.

As you well know being an experienced guy - with experience techs develop ways of doing repair jobs that avoid some of the steps in the factory manual, or use an alternative method, that can save time/effort over the factory recommendations. In my case, lacking experience and the correct tools, I was able to do the job and avoid removing #3, #4, #5. On the one hand this saved some time, but on the other it made access pretty fiddly and I had to spend some more time in other areas, and plenty of standing around, head scratching and general deliberation on how to tackle the job in hand safely given my limitations. I really wanted to avoid removing the pulley as that meant disturbing the oil seal. Again - with experience I may have determined this step is over the top and the seal can be left in situ and re-used. but I didn't want to take that risk. Same with the intake manifold.

Now if you are following the factory manual - there is no way you can do all of that in 10 minutes. If you have developed your own way, well even then - 10 minutes is still impossible if you ask me. You will use up 10 minutes on #1 and #2 and there is no way you can avoid those two steps. Perhaps you meant 10 mins to swap the belt itself, not including the strip down and replacement of other parts. That I can believe.

Please enlighten me so I can learn for next time how to save so much time.


One final point about diagnosis. In my case my problem was intermittent - maybe one once a month. I was trying to determine a pattern of events that would lead me to know how to make the problem apparent on demand, but I wasn't able to. I really, really didn't want to spend weeks of faffing around taking my car in and out of the dealer, while they drive it around to try and replicate etc etc. Intermittent issues are the worst, and they can create so much inconvenience both for the customer and the dealer. Even if you are the best tech in the world, surely you can acknowledge this sort of situation is one huge pain in the a**s. Its no criticism of your's or anyone else's ability, its the reality of the situation, is it not?

I have a friend who works in a Lexus dealership. He consistently get the awards for putting more jobs through the workshop than any other tech. He gets paid extra/bonus for doing this. I ask how he does it and why he stands head and shoulder over the other techs. He openly brags about how he gets away with cutting corners on jobs to save time. For example - changing disks and pads. He won't bother with cleaning up the caliper before fitting new pads, wont even bother with replacing/cleaning shims, sliders and using anti squeal grease. Wont even bother with cleaning hub of rust before fitting new disk. Pull old stuff off, fit new, as quickly as possible. Customer will be un-suspecting and everything will work - but it wont last as long, and the potential for a problem down the road is increased - sliders seizing, squeals, vibration, pulling to one side, uneven wear etc. - but that's OK - gives the dealer the chance next year to tell the customer he needs new disks and pads, oh AND I think your calipers are shot too sir! - and they meet their upsell targets and my friend gets even more bonuses - everyone's happy, right? Most customers don't or won't care anyway,so whats the problem? My view of dealers is not a criticism of tech's per-se, but how the whole set up and the commercial realities will NEVER encourage a work culture that is compatible with the best possible quality of work.

 

Its all good. I will agree with you that yes, Even though I am considered one of the few who are pretty decent at my job, the number of people who are what you described far out weighs myself...even at my dealership.

You are correct about most techs not taking the time as if it was their own car. I tend to take pretty decent care of my customers cars. Every bolt goes back, every single time. I ALWAYS wipe down the inside with cleaner, even if I know I didnt make a mark, I ALWAYS check tire pressures....A lot of this is above and beyond, but in a day like today when the dealer has a bad rep. Ill do what I can to try to reverse that.

Nice cars by the why, before joining a dealership, I worked at a shop who fabricated and tuned race cars, so I can appreciate the work you put in on the two cars you posted.

And anytime you need some help, wiring diagram, questions or whatever feel free to PM me!

 

About your buddy at Lexus...There is a BIG difference between production and Customer service. He will find out VERY soon as this industry is caring more and more about CSI due to the bad rep dealers have that I mentioned in my above post.

 

It may take you ten minutes to swap a drive belt, but how long do you guys quote on the job? Just wondering. I see my serpentine belt is cracked so I'm starting my planning...

 

The car is still at the dealership and at the end of the day it will be day 28. Spoke with the service technician and he said the SOP'd the part but has no time frame on when will it arrive. I'm officially sick of waiting, and the positive part of me that has been clinging on for the last 28 days is gone and being taken over by the impatient and bitter me. This is my first new Mini cooper I should be enjoying driving it and having fun yet at 1300 miles its been sitting at the dealership for a month with no time frame on return. Lemon Laws are pretty strict but is there anything stopping me from asking for a new car? I understand that cars are new, but waiting a month for a part to be delivered is a little over the top. I've bought 2 new model year hondas and they had their share of issues (one of them being a new trans needed to be installed because of failed syncros screwing everything up) but had the car back repaired and good as new in under a week mind you the car had 7000 miles. just frustrating that I've owned the car roughly for 2 months and 1 month has been sitting on the lot.