Last week I noticed that upon accelerating my tach needle would revv up and come back down. I needed an oil change so I called to make an appoint for the following Tuesday and also told them about revving issue. Driving home Friday, the car started revving high and losing power so I pulled off the freeway onto the feeder and managed to turn into a parking lot before my car stopped moving. I could not go forward or reverse at all. Mini towed it to the dealer and I found out Tuesday it was the clutch! I've had the car for a little over 2 years/39K miles and I am an experience manual transmission driver!!! WTH!! I could not believe this and pleaded my case with the service guy who finally spoke with his manager and they agreed to take the transmission out, take pics, and send them to Mini for review to see if it is other than user-error in which case they would pay for it or some of it!! And, for them to do that I am on the hook for $1200 (cost to remove the transmission) plus the repair if Mini doesn't pay. Wow, this just doesn't seem right. If I had know about the transmission issues I would not have bought this car or at least got an automatic. I love my Countryman, but this has really got me bummed out and upset. We'll see what happens...fingers crossed!!

 

Although it's out of the mileage warranty for the service plan which covers the clutch, this was a well-known problem by MINI. So much so, that they started putting in much better clutch parts to address it starting from 11/2012 forward on all R60's. That being said, I personally think they should go ahead and cover it being that it's still under the basic warranty and it was a known problem. Just make sure they put the newer, stronger clutch components in there with this repair.

Mine was one of the first builds with the newer, heavier clutch parts used in the JCW Countryman. - or at least that's what I was told. I've got 1.5 years and almost 19,000 miles of driving with no clutch troubles so far (fingers crossed) Still, I shelled out the extra $1300 for the MINI extended service plan because of all of the talk on hear about clutches going out all the time. I figured one clutch would easily cost that much and it's for 6 years 100,000 miles. Even if the clutch doesn't go out, it covers the brakes and I figure a front and rear brake replacement and a few oil changes with the dealer would be about 1200 too. Not to mention if the Xenons go out.

The only reason why I mention the extended service plan is if they refuse to cover it, maybe you could talk them into the extended service plan so the clutch is covered? I'm not sure what their cutoff time is, but it's still under warranty so maybe they would go for that?

I'm sorry... that just sucks. Hopefully, they just take care of you since this was a VERY well-known problem with the 2011 and 2012 R60's. Raise a stink and be persistent is my best advice... I've heard of many on here getting them to finally cave in and do the work. They're prolly just hoping you won't put up a fuss and coiugh up the cash. You could even print out the countless posts on this board showing how many people had clutch issues... Good luck!

 

Also, you can refer them to this article an my thread from awhile back...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...his-month.html

 

Sorry to hear of your clutch troubles. As noted, there is a TON of history on this issue. I urge you to read this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ly-clutch.html

Many folks, including me, have had the clutch replaced with the new improved model at no cost.

 

Well, I received the call this week that Mini will cover my clutch and the flywheel and I will only be charged a deductible of $250 since I am out of my service warranty. I am very happy about this news but still think Mini should cover it all; however, this amount is definitely better than the full price of a clutch/flywheel job! I'll pick it up after work today and hope everything is back to normal. I do have these feelings of "what if this happens again or what next" so I'll have to think hard as to whether I want to keep old Fenway or not...we'll see.

 

I have a 2014 CM, and have a very steep driveway. If I go up in first or second gear, I have no issues. If I need to stop halfway up (if there is a car blocking the top of the driveway) and then restart on the hill I have to give it a lot of gas after the 2 second brake releases and then I am getting the clutch smell.

I have 2,700 miles and I have had this issue 4 or 5 times since I got the car. Questions I have:
How much damage am I doing to the clutch?
Should I turn the sport button off or leave on when starting on a hill?
I also have the JB+ piggyback - how would this affect the clutch in this situation?
I can try to minimize the # of times I need to start on a hill, but shouldn't the car be able to handle this? It is part of normal driving.

I am concerned when winter hits and I need to get up the driveway in the snow.

Should I take the car to the dealer now or wait until the clutch burns out?

 

I would just have them note in your records what you are experiencing and go from there. I doubt they will pre-emptively do anything about it.

 

I am looking at buying a used Countryman. Is it the case that the bad clutch problems are limited to the all-wheel drive Countryman? It looks like that from my reading of this thread and the ones referenced here.

 

Doesn't anyone do any research before they buy a vehicle any more? This clutch issue with the CM and the CMAll4 has been well-known news for 4 yrs now.

 

I did research and from what I read it seemed that the new clutch in 2013/2014 fixed the issue...

I have a new clutch now at 3K miles (replaced under warranty) and have not had any issues, but I am being careful and not starting up hills...

In the winter when I have to get up the driveway will be the true test, I'm hoping a little wheel spin might actually help the issue...

 

Sorry but the fact that you are being careful not to start it uphill means you're not confident in the clutch. Seriously, it's a new car, you should be able to drive it anywhere.

 

Based on patterns emerging that post date the late 2012 update, I think the problem is more complicated than the clutch kit assembly itself, even though that was the obvious common denominator for mini to address.

 

So, I was on my way home yesterday when I started smelling that ugliness coming into the car from under the hood, didn't have an idea of what it might be.

Took it in this morning, spent two hours waiting for them to find the source, nothing. After all, left home with them telling me how it is probably a clutch burning, but it will take them a whole day to take everything out to be 103% sure. And I am still waiting for their call..

My mini is 2012, with 60K miles on it (yes! every day to work/school and back - 70miles a day). Since it is out of warranty, and I am not taking it to a dealer anymore, but to a local "MRAZ Import Automotive Inc", is there any chance I could go to someone and complain? I know it could be due to me driving this much and all of my miles, but since this is a common issue and so many of you already dealt with it, any hope I could do something?

Please, oh Please advise!! Any help would be more than welcome!!

Otherwise, from now on, biking/hiking to work!!

Cheers!

 

Apparently, MINI has used the same kind of clutch in its little MINIs as well as in those bigger, heavier, turbo machine ones - which does not make any sense. But, I guess thats the way to make money...

 

Enjoy your bike ride. Seriously though, you've got 60,000 miles on it which means its out of warranty but it certainly wont hurt to go back to your dealer and let them check it out. If they wont/cant cover some or all of the cost you can always go to MINI USA and see how they respond. If you have to pay for the clutch replacement then you can always take it elsewhere...