When my car is cold or it is damp outside, I get a squeak when I engage the clutch. It's not the pedal or linkage, I can hold the pedal at a certain point and keep it squeaking as the engine rotates. It's not there after the car warms up.

I don't know when the clutch was done as I bought he car with 93k. I have an underdrive pulley and the clutch never slips under WOT. Hopefully the clutch isn't bad.

 

They all do that.. Well a majority of them do it.. Mine does it and I know a few friends who's mini does it also. I have read its from the fly wheel getting glazed. It's embarrassing but the clutch will still work fine.

 

Hmm...I thought that maybe this was similar to my issue.

I actually get a short squeak occasionally under hard shifts at WOT. I think I've heard it 3 times under 1-2 shifts and twice on 2-3 shifts. Doesn't happen very often.

 

Good, thanks.

 

Do a search for "chewbacca." Reasonably common problem on the MINI, some have got it fixed, incl. myself.

 

Your dual mass flywheel is glazed and can not be repaired. MINI has a TSB out (Do search my previous posts on this subject) on this problem and they recommend replacing the flywheel with the updated part number, clutch kit and engine to transmission dowels on a "Customer complaint basis only".
My 2005 MCS was doing the same exact thing and the clutch/flywheel were replaced under warranty back in December, no questions asked.

This is a BIG 9-10 hour job. Engine and transmission has to come out. If out of warranty, you are looking at a $2,500 repair bill at the dealer and between $1,000-$1,500 including parts at a competent independent shop.

 

Can you pls link... can't seem to find the TSB.

 

It's the glazed flywheel problem described above in this thread and in many other threads. We've had ours replaced twice now under warranty, and it happened again within a couple of months. We'll be back for at least one more before it goes out of warranty.

This is a long-standing, well-documented problem. It astonishes me that MINI has not engineered a decent replacement as the originally specified dual mass flywheel is obviously inadequate.

I've posted on this problem many times. The first time it needs to be replaced on our own dime, we'll have a proper flywheel (i.e., aftermarket rather than OEM) installed by an independent shop. We'll also never enter the dealership again.

In all fairness, we've had positive experiences with our dealer both in relation to this problem, other issues, and the sales experience as well. I don't know if MINI will allow dealers the discretion to install a superior (i.e. adequate) flywheel that is not sourced by MINI, but I'll ask and give them a fair shot at keeping my business.

 

Here is the information that might help about the TSB. There are several other links on our site in the troubleshooting section that addresses this isssue.

 

thanks!

 

Yep, that is the actual TSB.

 

It's not all the time for me... once in a while I'll have a brief (1/4 second) D-note sound... not too high pitched at all - I guess I could hear Chewbakka making a similar sound. Anyway, it also only occurs ONCE during a cold takeoff and NOT all the time. I deal with it.

 

Despite the issue being well documented and the TSB, two MINI dealers have told me the company position has changed and the squeal is now considered normal. I have been told they are no longer replacing it under warranty.

I put up a good stink and told them if it was normal why do all of the cars not do it? How can both squealing and not squealing be normal. They need to pick one. Their reasoning was circular and aggravating.

Does anyone know who to call further up the chain (not a dealer) to get results?

 

Get MINIUSA involved.

The TSB is a valid and current course of action to remedy a problem.

bring a copy of the TSB and shove it in front of the shop foreman and/or service manager. If they tell you is normal, your reply should be, obviously MINI does not think it is normal.

Get it replaced. My dealer applied the TSB, no questions asked, back in December. 4 months later and the clutch is working smooth as silk. I will venture to say that this new flywheel is thousand times better than the one that came originally with the car from factory.

Stick to your guns.

 

I would take ClubmanS's advice.

In my experience, no dealer has said "No" when you have a TSB in hand. And when that doesn't work, get MINIUSA involved right in front of the SA. They'll give you a case # and green light the SA to fix the issue.

 

My car used to do that but has not in probably 6 months.

 

I've noticed two factors that increase the frequency and obnoxiousness of the sound of a glazed flywheel. The first is cold/damp weather, and the second is letting the car sit for a day or two.

From what I gather, MINI dealers don't like this problem because they have to reproduce it for someone high up in order for it to be covered under warranty/TSB. If you just drove the car to the dealer, it is relatively warm and has not been sitting for a couple of days and it will be difficult to duplicate the problem. Since I know what a pain a "cannot duplicate" problem is, I prefer a sympathetic approach to an adversarial one.

Arrange to drop the car off when you have some alternative transportation for a few days (or won't need it--like going out of town). Drop it off Friday and tell them to take their time. The car can sit over the weekend that way. Fixing it is a big repair job that takes up a service bay for many hours--showing the dealer that you are flexible and appreciate their difficulty in getting the approval and scheduling the time-consuming repair will make a difference.

 

Hello I have noticed this problem exactly the way findude stated. I also posted a concern with my transmission here. I have also had my 2nd gear syncro mechanism replaced after 3000 miles when I purchased my Mini new. With that being said, what are my options and what is the best line of action?
Thank you for your help!

 

Hey there - my wife's 2005 MINI MCS is on its FOURTH!!! clutch because of this issue. She was talking with MINI USA, got a "no, we can't do anything for you" (to her desparate "get me out of this car please" request).

When she asked why, some idiot manager said the clutch issue is operator/user error. Umm, yeah, right. That's why it was replaced three times at a huge expense under warranty.

Her car's coming out of warranty and now we're worried about facing a $2500+ repair bill if it happens again.

Has anyone had success talking to MINI USA about this?

And for those of you who got your replacement clutches, how are those performing? Did the squeal return?

 

JustDandy,

Does the clutch squeak with the action of the clutch pedal (depress/release)? Or does it squeak constantly at a certain pedal position?

If the former, just live with it. Mine squeaks only when the pedal is released, so I assume there's a linkage that needs lubrication... hopefully nothing more. It can be heard only with the engine OFF.

If the latter, then it's either the release bearing or the surface of the clutch or friction disc is glazed... maybe both.

 

My recently acquired '06 MCS with 30k miles has this noise. At first I thought it was me. I've been driving sticks for years and years, and I understand each car is different. So after a couple of weeks, by now I'm intimately familiar with how this car's clutch responds, I suspect it's not me. Then I find this thread about chewbacca.

Here's my symptoms:

Mostly in first gear launch.

Very rarely in second gear.

Mostly when it's been a wee bit chilly during the night time.

Rarely when it's been hot at night.

Mostly when car has sat for a day or so in the garage.

Has an appointment at Classic Monday next. SA says it may be a flywheel issue. May be warranty work.

 

Took it out to Classic Monday morning and dropped it off. Had a couple other things for them to look at so I included the Chewbacca TSB.

They provided an '09 Justacooper auto in Mellow Yellow. There's nothing Mellow about that Yellow on a bright sunshiny day.

Anyways, they called later to say they were going to replace the dual mass flywheel and clutch. Under warranty.

Sweet. Got it back later that day. No more noise.

Thanks Classic!

 

2006, JCW MCS, about 12,000 miles and still under the original warrantee, but not maintenance.

Recently I have heard a sort of squeak when letting out the clutch in first gear. Not all the time, and usually in the morning.

The dealer says I need a new clutch, about $3,000, but that if I buy the extended warrantee for $1,500 the clutch and whatever else they find...flywheel?

from what I read hear, i wonder if I even need a new clutch. The noise is the only symptom.

I don't expect to put many miles on the car, but I drive it pretty hard, and ;lan to keep it. So the extended maintenance will probably runout before I reach, say, 35,000 miles.

Any advice? Pay the $1,500 and let them see if there is anything to fix, or just drive it home?

Cheers.

 

My advice - if you're out of warranty, take it to a 3rd party and have an aftermarket clutch installed.

Evidence is pretty clear that the clutches MINI uses for replacement *still* develop the noise again. On another thread, I've heard that someone went aftermarket and permanently resolved the issue.

Just my $.02.

(and I don't know how many extended warranties cover known/pre-existing problems, so I'd be careful there, too).

 

They changed the flywheel and clutch on the same day?