Bought a 2014 F56S little over a year ago. Have had a gremlin since then that eludes me and hope someone can give me a little insight.

I start the car cold and it idles at about 1200 .. It then drops to about 1000 .. so far its all normal .. when it then goes to drop to its operating engine speed which from the dial looks to be around 6-700 .. I get a rumble and then it idles perfectly. It is driving me insane.

If I park for a while, say and hour or 2 same thing.. its warmish so it will go only up to about 1000 on start up and then as it drops into its operating engine speed .. rumble .. catches itself and purrs like a kitten. I have had this issue since I bought the car. It stopped doing it for a bit and then it returned.

I swapped out the filthy air filter. I gave it an oil change. I changed the fuel vent valve. It has never thrown a CEL but I took a peak with Bimmerlink and there was an error for the upstream oxygen sensor so I bought a new one and replaced it about a week or 2 ago. I have been using chevron 91 octane and my last tank was Shell nitro, which the car seems to prefer,

Went out today and same issue. Cold start a little rumble as it dropped into 600 rpm, went to the range for an hour, come out and fires right up to 1000 rpm and then as it drops to 600 .. rumble like it might stall, catches and idles like a dream.

Since I changed the oxygen sensor the car idles like a dream, really pulls when you get on it and throttle response is night and day better but .... I still get the rumble as it drops into its operating engine speed at start up... ARGH !!!!

I should add in case it matters .. we are retired and the car can sit a week at a time without being driven.

Car drives and idles fine but .. that rumble is disconcerting. I guess I can just wait until I get a CEL but if anyone has a clues .. I sure would appreciate your input.

Thank you
Alex

 

There was a software update out there that helped cold start idle (shift into gear too soon after cranking and it felt like the engine was going to stall out), that applied to my 2017 F56 S (and presumably the other F56's produced before mine, and probably whatever ones came after up to the date of the software stamp). First guess here is that that sort of thing is in play. I had the update applied in either 2021 or 2022 (I forget, it was a while ago).

That said, it's only a guess. Not sure. I would imagine the software thing could be one of several contributors to what you describe, if it isn't the sole/primary contributor.

 

Thank you! ... Is there a way to tell what software version is installed?

 

So there are different software versions for each computer module in the car (there are about a dozen, including the DME -- more colloquially thought of as the ECU). A collection of specific by-module versions is referred to as the car's "I-Level," and that is the info you're looking for.

The only way I know of find out a car's I-Level is with a scan tool -- either ISTA, which is used by dealers and shops (and some DIYers), or a professional scan tool, or some other equivalent of same.

Also, shops will generally charge you to update the car's I-Level. But if you need it, you need it.

I would get the car, ideally, to an independent Euro mechanic that does MINIs and/or BMWs or an independent MINI specialist (or barring both of those, dealer service) to check the question out.