Hello,

I just bought an 07 Mini Base R56 automatic with 80,000 miles a few months ago. I've never loved a car so much, but I'm afraid I bit off more than I can chew... Last month I had to replace the whole timing kit (cost me $4000).

Due to delays in ordering parts, I just got the car back. It was running great the first week I got it back but now I'm starting to have problems again. The car intermittently acts like it's losing power during idle and while I'm driving. I'll be driving and the car jerks and I can seem to get it to go faster. It never dies though. When I'm idling, the car jerks back and forth. It also downshifts roughly in sport mode when I stop, but I've always had that problem since I bought the car. I'm not sure if that's normal.

I live in Wisconsin and it's summer time right now so it's not a cold issue. It started a few days ago and then stopped. I drove the car two hours away and back yesterday and I never had a problem. Today, I drove it to my doctors appointment and I started having the issue again on the way home.
The only change in my car care routine is that I have been filling up at a BP gas station rather than the Mobil I normally fill at. However, I am still putting high octane fuel in it.

Could I have a fuel pump issue?

If anyone could help, that would be great! I really don't want to sell the car but if I keep having major issues I'll have no choice.
Thanks in advance!

 

Do you live in the Milwaukee area? There is a guy with a small shop (he works on MINI) on the North side of Milwaukee. You could at least call him and get his advice. He was always helpful to me...not saying that you should use him, but it may not hurt to talk to him. Also - this is the exact reason that I traded in my 2008 Mini Cooper S last Saturday...too many problems.

 

Thanks Mini_Wisconsin. I don't live in the Milwaukee area. I'm quite a few hours away actually in central/northern Wisconsin. I could give him a call either way though.

I'm going to fill up at my normal Mobil gas station and see if that helps (I'm down to a quarter tank now). I read that sometimes "bad gas" can cause these issues. I doubt it will work but these cars tend to be pretty touchy...

 

Good luck!

 

Does anyone else have any ideas for him?

 

Update: I filled my car up with Kwik Trip 93 octant no ethanol fuel and it got better for a few days. Then it started happening intermittently a couple days ago. Today, it did it constantly... So I ruled out the "bad fuel" hypothesis..

My husband is going to take a look at it tonight and see if he can find anything I am overlooking..

I should point out that this has never happened with a cold start. Usually it happens after I've driven the car and when it's hot outside. For example, today I drove to a job interview. It was fine. When I drove to the grocery store and back home it did it constantly. I'm not sure if that's coincidence or not but I thought I'd point it out.

Also, the shaking during idle has become more frequent. Now it will shake for a couple seconds, stop for a couple more, start again, and so on... It feels like somebody is actually outside the car rocking it back and forth.. The issues while driving were a lot worse today also. The car didn't have that "get up and go" like it usually does and seems to struggle getting up to speed between 30 and 50. Could the mechanics have screwed something up when they changed the timing chain and tensioners? It feels like the car is going to die but it never does.. I go to college 45 minutes away and I'm now scared every time I take it on the highway.

I talked to a couple of mechanics and they seem to be a little baffled about it. I'm sure I'll just have to bring it in, but I'd really like to try and figure it out myself because money is very tight. Especially after the timing chain replacement...

Thanks for all the help.

 

God luck with your problem. My 2010 base automatic had a warranty issue similar to yours. After a number of dealers tries turned out that the wiring to the trans controller on the front of the case was corroded and needed to be soldered.