Hi Guys,

I am new to the forum and could really use some help. I have had my Countryman for about 3 months now and am having some issues. The biggest one is when I go over a bumps (where work has been done on the road, etc) on the highway It throws my car to the side. I feel like I have to hold onto the steering wheel REALLY tight to just keep it aligned. I almost got in an accident the other day because it threw my car so much to the right, I had a hard time recovering :0(. Please let me know if anyone else has had this happen to them? Is it the suspension???? I'm so upset this is happening! Thanks so much in advance!!!!

 

Check out this post:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-problems.html

I have nearly 9,600 miles on my Countryman and have two bumps on my morning commute that give me issues (large seams in the interstate concrete). I'm assuming it is my runflat tires (I have 18" sport wheels btw). You may want to consider a tire change (to non runflats). I can't wait for these to wear out. My snow tires (Blizzaks) will be going on in October.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep me updated!! I was almost ready to trade in my car because of this! I almost side swiped a car on the interstate the other day because it threw my car so hard!!!!! Thanks sooooooo much for all the info!

 

I sort of notice this too. I don't think it throws my car to the side, but it does feel like the wheels lose contact with the pavement for a brief moment when I hit a bump.

I have the Pirelli run flats and think this may be causing the harsher ride. Do you think lowering the tire pressure would help?

 

sign up dates and # of posts indicate you've not spent a lot of time digging into the tire issues. Ditch the runflats and replace them with any of several highly recommended tires. You will be glad you did. I have yet to read any comment about anyone 'loving' their run flats.

Mine is a cabrio at 50+K with no place for a spare except a repair kit in the boot and I've never lost sleep worring about a flat.

 

I have the Pirelli run flats as well! I am going to a tire place in the morning to talk to them about replacing the tires!!!!!

 

Does the steering wheel pull at all when u go over these bumps, or braking? If so, its the control arm bushings

 

It's the run flats, plain and simple.

 

Run flats and just driving a mini in general. Remember Mini's have a short wheel base and stiff suspensions so they don't like bumps. Also trying putting it in sport mode to tighten the steering. That should help as well

 

Sport mode actually makes it worse for me
I hope I didn't pay $34,000 to have a car that doesn't like bumps. There are bumps and road work everywhere you go in this country! I'll be pretty bummed out if thats the case

 

I hope changing the run flats helps with this issue. My fiance didn't grasp why I was scared to drive on the interstate until he drove my car on the interstate 2 weeks ago. He couldn't believe how much the bumps threw my car! He's just as upset as I am......this should not be an issue with a car in this price range (or any car for that matter)! When my car almost causes an accident......not me......it's a MAJOR problem for me!!! I've been driving for a long time and driven many cars......I've never experienced the ping pong effect this bad when you go over bumps, etc. I hope the tire exchange fixes this.....or I might have to say goodbye to my mini for safety reasons......and thats the last thing I wanna do!!!

 

My BMW 325 xDrive has run flats and does not do that, and my wife's R52 with out run flats does, I think it's the electro hydrolic steering, the power steering pump is electric and I think it can't adjust for the weight change when the wheels get unloaded on a bump.

 

I have 18-inch run flats on an All4. I haven't experienced anything like what is being described here. Yes a little jig now and then, if I'm forced to ride with a tire on a road seam. Also, there is way too little thread action for this to be a factor in all MINI's.

It would be nice to know if there are problems with specific cars.

I had run flats on a hardtop and put 80,000 miles on it, having kept with the run flats and it DID NOT have any steering issues at all.

I am concerned a bit about the Countryman and wonder if I should be waving at oncoming Countrymen or hiding from them.

Bill

 

It doesn't happen often but it does happen.

I'll post my response from the other thread here for clarification that this is an issue with runflats and the CM.


Growing pains


The Countryman's added height and weight conspire to work against the go-kart handling that the brand is famous for. The Countryman is still maneuverable, just less so. My car had 18-inch run-flat tires which were extremely loud on the freeway and gave precious little cushioning on the bumps.

Worse, the entire car lurches whenever it encounters a bump mid-corner, wrenching the steering wheel the opposite way. All problems that could potentially be fixed with a different tire choice.

The mega Mini does mean trading in a few Mini-like characteristics. But for many customers, the extra space inside is worth the car's growing pains.



Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz1PM8zn5Sw

 

It doesn't happen often. I've only had the car for a little over a week and noticed it twice. It happened as I was driving around a curve and hit a bump. It didn't throw the car, it just felt a little disconnected. I didn't feel out of control and wasn't worried.

I'm more concerned with my tires being run flat and performance. They're the Pirelli Cinturato P7s and they don't say "All Season". So I'll need to buy new tires before winter even though I only have a few hundred miles on these. I'm not one to swap out tires every season, so if I can't sell these they'll be going to the landfill or recycle center.

 

My R55 hops with the run flats and with the all weathers I use in the winter. The RF make it hop a bit more, but it still hops with both types of tires. I just remember where the bumps are and keep left so I have room to hop right.

 

Being new to the MINI fold, we too learned rather quickly about the propensity for some lateral movement.

I believe the short wheelbase combined with the tires and firmishness of the suspension is the culprit.

We notice it primarily where there are heaved expansion joints or other anomalies in the surface that cross the entire lane perpendicular to the direction of travel, when the road is also curved. We learned pretty quickly where these areas are on our local roads and always slow down a bit.

It's not just a CM thing. We have also driven an MC and an MCS and all exhibit this behavior, though it's amplified in the MCS and with our CM ALL4.

Just another thing that makes MINI among one of the most unique car brands out there. Adapt to it and expect years of happy driving!

 

Well, I'm in the minority of run flat likers. Especially after picking up a screw.

The situation described here has also occurred to me. The steering wheel doesn't try to rotate in my hands, but the car involuntarily moves to the right as it seems to float over an obstruction. This happens when going at freeway speeds. I've learned to accept it and have no plans to ditch the tires. I kinda like their harsh feel. Makes me feel macho.

I like the analysis of the short wheel base contributing to this phenomena. That, coupled with the unforgiving sidewalls of the tires, probably is the cause.

 

I would have to agree with the statement that's it's just getting use to the mini..maybe even more so with the Countryman. Switched out to 4 new ContiContac's on Nuespeeds new 19" wheel for the countryman. Handling is superior..the bumps are minimal but still there (cause of the 19's). An occasional push/shift depending on the road surface is not a surprise. Either you lovem or hatem.

 

I haven't had problems in the extremes discussed here, but I do have noticeable yank from the car when I cross a bump on a curve at highway speed. The wheel does move in my hands, and the car wants to come sideways some. Not enough to throw me out of a lane or anything, but definitely a surprise the first few times.

I am on the stock runflats, but I do wonder how much a stiff tire can really be responsible for.

 

To me it seems a bit inherent with most front wheel drive cars... You kick up the wheels that are steering and also powering it's gonna throw you a little. My old Saab 9-3 did the same thing...

 

I actually don't mind the run-flats. Nice stiff sidewalls for whipping around corners. I have the Sport suspension on 18" rims as well. But I don't have Pirelli's ... I have the Bridgestone Dueler H/P. Maybe that's the difference.

I don't know what I'm going to do when I travel up north or to the mountains in the winter however:

"The Dueler H/P Sport is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice."

 

Its happened to me as well. Not as intense as the original posters, but noticeable enough. It may be the run flats. We HATE them.

 

I guess that still applies to the ALL4, because at the moment you hit the bump, the car's in full FWD mode. No time for the AWD to kick in to help.

I'm trying to remember these same bumps in my Jeep. I believe my Jeep kind of bounced and floated. There was no twist in the steering the way there is in the MINI (Jeep was in RWD mode most times on the highway), but I think the contact with the road was actually worse during the bump with the greater suspension travel in the Jeep.

Does that make sense?

 

I have the Conti run-flats on my ALL4 w/sport susp. I have to say that both my wife and I have been pleasantly surprised at the ride quality, steering, and "glued-down" feel of the car. Our previous car was a Passat w/AWD, it was plusher, but not nearly as responsive or well....fun.