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Hey all I am going to need some advice here.
This morning while backing down the carriage path from my garage to the street, my 06' R50's transmission locked up, skid, and now is completely disabled. The car is driven entirely as my commuter with only 36k miles on it after almost 3 years now. Anyway, I immediately called the dealer that I bought it from, Ralph Schomp Mini in Denver Colorado,who just happens to be the closest since I am in Montana, and spoke to their lead tech. who recommended I call roadside assistance and get it down to them right away.
Now I am not sure what the hell I am supposed to do seeing that I cannot for the life of me figure out what happened in the first place. I drive the car in a "spirited" manner, but never rally it to any extreme. And there has been absolutely no change in the transmissions fluidity, nor has it made any noise or hard shifts.
My fear is that if they tow it all they way there, they are just going to tell me it was my fault and that its going to cost me $5k to fix. I have read all of the other transmission failure threads, but decided to start one specifically for my issue because nowhere did I see this lock up issue in any other treads.
I appreciate any help.
Cheers.
__________________ '06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
Ya I spoke with both the dealer and the people @ the road side assistance, and they are sending a truck to pick it up. Both said that everything would be covered under warranty, so there shouldn't be any problems.
What a hassle.
__________________ '06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
Could be a bad clutch. If the clutch lets go, you can't get into any gear. Warranty should cover that, as it did on our 05 Cabrio, non S, when the clutch went out.
Could be a bad clutch. If the clutch lets go, you can't get into any gear. Warranty should cover that, as it did on our 05 Cabrio, non S, when the clutch went out.
Mark
Ya could be, but I'm not sure that's likely because of the way it failed. I lost a clutch in a 92' prelude I had back in high school it just wouldn't shift when it failed, left the gearbox stuck in 3rd. This was a total seize of the transmission, the car stalled and skid to a stop. The engine will run, but it doesn't want to move. I can get it into what seems to be first and second, but the car wont go it just stalls when the clutch is let out.
__________________ '06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
I just had the exact same problem!!!!! I have an '06 R50, and I drive spiritedly as well. I have some moderate mods too.
My problem started with some light clicking whenever the clutch was depressed in or out. It didn't however effect driving at all. I brought it in, the dealer lubed up the shift linkage. It started happening again two months ago. This time the dealer decides it has to do with the clutch. So I make another appointment and they replace the clutch kit and guide. Two days after getting it back with the new clutch, it drove amazingly well up until, I was driving it to school and right in the middle of my shift from second to third it locked up! I was stuck in neutral on a busy hwy. I couldn't shift into any gear! I pulled over to side of the road using only momentum. After a few minutes of wondering what, who, why all of a sudden I could shift again. After that everything just felt wrong. Clutch, shifting, power delivery, etc. I brought it in again to the dealer, they said they couldn't find any problems so they did some routine crap. I get it back for the fifth time and the problem is still very there, locking up and such. Plus now getting into first is almost impossible. I bring it back to the dealer and started shouting at them and FINALLY convinced them to put in a new tranny entirely. After it was in, the dealer tried to blame it on my driving style while the the real problem started when they replaced the clutch. Clearly the tech missed something and made it worse. So now I got my car back four days ago and my car has another problem! There is a serious rattle coming from the tranny. I suspect the tranny mounts are faulty or put in wrong. So it am going in tomorrow yet again.
All this to say, make sure they get it right the first time, or you will be back and fourth to the dealer countless times as I have. I am so fed up with the dealer right now.
I just had the exact same problem!!!!! I have an '06 R50, and I drive spiritedly as well. I have some moderate mods too.
My problem started with some light clicking whenever the clutch was depressed in or out. It didn't however effect driving at all. I brought it in, the dealer lubed up the shift linkage. It started happening again two months ago. This time the dealer decides it has to do with the clutch. So I make another appointment and they replace the clutch kit and guide. Two days after getting it back with the new clutch, it drove amazingly well up until, I was driving it to school and right in the middle of my shift from second to third it locked up! I was stuck in neutral on a busy hwy. I couldn't shift into any gear! I pulled over to side of the road using only momentum. After a few minutes of wondering what, who, why all of a sudden I could shift again. After that everything just felt wrong. Clutch, shifting, power delivery, etc. I brought it in again to the dealer, they said they couldn't find any problems so they did some routine crap. I get it back for the fifth time and the problem is still very there, locking up and such. Plus now getting into first is almost impossible. I bring it back to the dealer and started shouting at them and FINALLY convinced them to put in a new tranny entirely. After it was in, the dealer tried to blame it on my driving style while the the real problem started when they replaced the clutch. Clearly the tech missed something and made it worse. So now I got my car back four days ago and my car has another problem! There is a serious rattle coming from the tranny. I suspect the tranny mounts are faulty or put in wrong. So it am going in tomorrow yet again.
All this to say, make sure they get it right the first time, or you will be back and fourth to the dealer countless times as I have. I am so fed up with the dealer right now.
Anyway, good luck. Hope it all works out.
Well lets hope they don't F mine up too! I have to send it on a flatbed to Denver and back to be fixed! I love these cars, but damn when things go wrong, THEY GO REALLY wrong.
__________________ '06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
I have an 06 R50 I'm coming up on 70,000 great driving miles. I have had a few minor problems. MINI, at Checkered flag MINI at Virginia Beach VA. has taken care of them, always quickly and I couldn't be more happy.
I have had many cars and all have had problems of some kind.
I hope Denver gets your MINI back to you soon every time I think about any kind of MINI problem, I stop and say "Thank God I have a MINI and not a Toyota Prius.
Hey all thanks for all the input. I got my R50 back about a week ago, good as new. Ralph Schomp in Denver did an awesome job. Two day turn around on the transmission replacement, drove it extensively to fine tune, and got it back to me on the fourth day. She seems to be back in order now.
The problem was diagnosed as a failed syncro, that locked that whole thing up.
Cheers.
__________________ '06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
That's kind of what they hinted at when they replaced mine, but no one ever told me what exactly I was doing wrong. So, how am I shifting wrong? I clearly don't want this problem to happen again. Thanks.
First thing:
Make sure the clutch is working.
Make sure there is no air in the system.
Make sure you have clutch fluid.
1. the syncro can crack from trying to force into gear, or from shifting too quickly, although this is not very common, it can happen and is usually from abuse.
2. Fully depress the clutch pedal before shifting, and do not begin releasing it until the shifter is fully in gear.
3. Keep your hands off the shift knob when driving. Whether you think so or not, the slightest pressure on the shifter while in gear can cause unnecessary stress on your transmission.
4. Avoid down shifting to 2nd if the speed is extremely fast. It might not get into 2nd gear but some will. This is very hard to the transmission and synchro.
An inexperienced driver often blames the vehicle when something goes wrong. Whether it's learning a manual transmission or racing on a track, the vehicle is seldom at fault.
The transmission should never grind with the clutch pedal fully depressed, but make sure you do not have another problem such as a worn clutch.
* Short shift kit - Can upset shift throw
* Bad bushings - Too much shifter movement
* Clutch - Bad clutch installs may not fully depress/disengage, stressing transmission components
These are just basics, some people here can tell you more.
'06 R50 - Hyper Blue -JCW R105 (sold) - Rota RB 17 Black with Polished Lip
