I bought an 06 R53 with only 9K miles. The car has 16K miles now and ever since I have had it, the clutch has been making this annoying squealing / screaming, metal rubbing sound when I let out the clutch. I know how to drive a manual pretty well, so I do not think it is operator error. In acceleration, I rev to 2 - 2.5 rpm's and release smoothly. The sound is on and off - when it does happen, the car doesn't feel any different.

If this is some type of mechanical problem vs. maintenance - would it be under warranty?

Thanks for your input.

Jared

 

Jared,

I too am experiencing the same problem on my '06 with 23k miles. The car is at the dealer now and I am being told that they cant reproduce it. Of course. They have told me that in order to check it out, they will have to charge me $1500 to drop the tranny and inspect. If it appears that the clutch was abused, then I pay and if it looks like it hasn't been abused then dealer will cover it. The service guy also told me that he has NEVER seen a clutch covered under warranty. Thats comforting.

Please let me know what else you find out. I will let you know what I am told.

Jake

 

i have the same problem the tech at mini said something with the clutch is warped...yes no clutch is covered by anyone no matter what they tell you when you buy the car they will not cover a clutch

 

Squealing is a new one to me. I know that the clutch on 05-06 have been known o make a groaning noise when being released. This is due to oil leaking onto one of the clutch surfaces, it doesn't hurt it, it just annoying.

But I cant say I have heard of the squealing you talking about.

 

OK guys, this sounds like a glazed dual mass flywheel, because the OP described exactly what happened to my 05 S with only 24,000 miles. A good test is to drive the car to a level spot, keep the engine running, put on the E brake, put it into first, and slowly let the clutch out while giving it a little gas. If you here a loud squeal/groan, you have a glazed flywheel. Offer this test at the dealer to reproduce it (my dealer showed me this test when we reproduced it.)

Unfortuantely, this is a common problem on R53s and R56s. On the R53, y'll have to get a new DM flywheel and clutch, because DM flywheels cannot be turned. If yr under warranty dont let the dealer pull the "operator fault" BS, because this is a well-documented issue. My dealer didnt even question it and replaced everything uder warranty.

Oh and the repair is about $2,600 if y're not under warranty

PS Jared, Ralph Schomp MINI repaired my flywheel/clutch under warranty no questions asked. Both Robert and Devin know of this problem, so you should be covered. Of course then unlike many MINI dealers, RS is NO BS.

 

Under an extended warranty yes, but OEM? No way. The clutch and flywheel are covered for 4 years 50K.

That is load of total complete assaholic BS from yr service guy, that and them charging you $1500 to pull it out to inspect. WTF? Good grief MINI! Screw the customer while yr at it! Some dealers pull this crap all the time to get out of charging BMW back for a very expensive OEM warranty repair, to place the blame on you. If trouble persists, call MINI-USA and complain loudly!

 

It sounds like a throwout bearing. I have never heard of a glazed flywheel making noise like that. If anything it would just cause it to slip a little bit

 

Throwout bearing noise would be evident at all gears, the glazed flywheel groaning/Squealing sound is only evident under load in first gear, when letting out the clutch.

because this has happened to me, I would bet good $$$ that the OP's problem is a glazed flywheel, because MINI has proof that this problem has existed in R53s with as little as 5,000 miles on the clock.

 

Who the F#$% is giving out this information?????

(Also, this thread should be in stock problems/issues.)

 

this is the giveaway for the glazed flywheel. It's not a drivability issue, just annoying, and Schomp will fix it for ya if y're still under factory warranty. Just call Robert or Devin and tell them U think it's a glazed flywheel, and a tech will go out with ya to do the test (described above) to reproduce the sound and confirm.

 

really???? umm... i got 3 clutch replacements under warranty....

 

They are telling me that "normal wear" is covered under 4yr/50,000 mile warranty. But, the service guy told me that he has never had a clutch that showed "normal wear" when inspected. That sounds like a load of bull to me.

 

I've had the same problem with my '04 MCS, and I was told by the dealer that the flywheel had been worn smooth and when I let it out, it would vibrate against the clutch disc and create harmonics, which ended up in a "whistling" sound. They didn't cover it under warranty, and after about 5,000 more miles of driving on it (and a track day) the noise is completely gone. So, I guess you just need to keep wearing it down until the harmonics stop!

 

Yup Jake that's a load of donkey hooey. What precisely is "normal" under BMW standards, according to that guy, and doesn't he realize that faulty components prevent "normal" wear?

If y're in an area with a lot of dealers (like S CA) you could go get a second opinion. Dealer-wise, I and the OP Jared only have one choice, and Im glad they dont pull this bull.

And if I was off warranty and needed a new DMF/clutch, Id just go to Randy W and install a H/D racing setup rather than deal with this sketchy, hi-tech easily glazable German engineering.

 

Thank you so much! I will set up the appointment to get this fixed! I usually talk to Devin.

Also, I tried the e-brake trick today and was indeed able to reproduce the sound.

I feel much better now! Thanks

 

I just had my flywheel and clutch replaced over the exact same issue. It fell under the service warranty, which had expired. However, the dealer,Cincinnati MINI...being the awesome ppl that they are, replaced everything for me for free, and the car wasn't even purchased from them.

 

right on, man. Schomp will treat you right.

 

I feel better now... ONLY in 1st gear when taking off cold, I'll hear a brief (1/4 second or so) horn sound (horn as in orchestra brass) upon letting out the clutch pedal... after she's warmed up I don't have that sound in 1st.

67,000 miles so far. 2005 MCS.

 

To say something from the eyes of a service tech, he wasn't lieing to you. Most clutches that have under 20k on them don't need replaced b/c of a defect, most of the time it is in fact b/c someone smoked the clutch. He probably wasn't trying to feed you a line he was probably telling you the truth that when they take them appart and there are a bunch of blue and black hotspots on the flywheel that's not normal for under 20K. I recently replaced a clutch and flywheel in a 2008 Civic Si b/c some punk kid blew it out at 5k. But since it is a documented problem with the R53 and having encountered it in my own when it is below 20 degrees out, I agree that it should be under warranty. I mean heck you should see some of the stuff Honda warranties... it's insane haha

 

thats exactly how mine acted....it got a little worse though, doing it more frequently, and for slightly longer, i could feather the clutch and increase/decrease how long the noise lasted.

 

I can tell you exactly what it is. It is the Clutch Release Bearing. You basically need a new clutch set. It can just be replaced without new clutch, and cheaper if money is tight; but it is wiser to just get a new clutch!

In UK about 500 pound, aprox-$1000. But once you have new clutch that horrible chewbaca noise goes away, and a nice smooth clutch again

 

i described mine as
uurrhhttt sound, first gear release only.
it was replaced by the dealer under warranty
clutch, flywheel and throw out bearing,
done at 39k, rep said there was a TSB on it?
boxcars

 

Yes there is a TSB on it and it is a well documented issue. Just stick to your guns. I know the TSB # is in this forum somewhere. That's how I got mine replaced under warranty.