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Hi guys i'm new to this forum ,
i just got a JDM mini cooper s 2005
after a few minutes of drive the tranny start acting crazy what can that be ?
please i need your help
Sorry but difficult to say for certainty with only that info, but if it's an automatic, the 1st gen "S" model automatic transmissions are typically a solid unit....no chronic issues to speak of since its not like the non-S CVT transmission.
Trans fluid flush and re-adaptions, a faulty transmission cable harness(s) there are two, or bad valve body ?
Were me, I would try a flush with JWS3309 transmission fluid and see if that does anything first....(MINI had no planned maintenance for this so many folks over look it )
OP is from northern tip of South America....something "lost in translation" I guess. I had to laugh at that too, kept looking at photo, wondering...am I missing something here...lol.
OP is from northern tip of South America....something "lost in translation" I guess. I had to laugh at that too, kept looking at photo, wondering...am I missing something here...lol.
Guess was his/her way of saying RHD...imported from Japan?
Your only real chance is to flush the tranny....
Some folks have to change the valve body to fix shifting issues...hate to say...bet the last owner dumped it...and you got stuck . Buy it cheap or have a warrenty or ability to return it?
the 1st gen "S" model automatic transmissions are typically a solid unit....no chronic issues to speak of since its not like the non-S CVT transmission.)
Actually the automatic is not holding up well at all. Many people need valve bodies replaced as early at 30k miles. It is not as bad as the CVT and it doesn't cost as much to fix.
Actually the automatic is not holding up well at all. Many people need valve bodies replaced as early at 30k miles. It is not as bad as the CVT and it doesn't cost as much to fix.
So...at under 30,000 miles they were under warrenty right?! ...I bet 90% of automatic cars are approaching 100,000 miles give or take 20,000....the oldest automatic S cars are 10+ years old....
My suggestion would be many folks that need transmission work find these forums...but threads are much much much less common than the CVT or even clutch issues.....and let's face it...many folks that are here RACE their cars...and are VERY hard on them...
So the people with issues are well represented here...as are most issues, and big $$$ much more... especially ones that occur longer term, leaving the car very usable for a long period .
Any 10 year old auto transmission on a higher performance car is something to watch... something to be weary of, but no more than needing a clutch imo.
And one tip...
The folks that spend all day at dealers tend to know what fails....cause the parts that get delivered to independent MINI shops in my REGION goes through a few select dealers... hint....
If one tells you doesn't happen as rarely as ocd folks on the internet perceive it to be happening....I'd say yup...based on nothing more than the person's integrity, never mind it makes sense when you pause to think it through.
It's not just this board, but there is an 80 page thread on failed autos here and a new thread is started at least every week. This transmission is shared with a VW and VW went as far as to extend the warranty because so many of them were failing. There have been several articles printed about the failure of this tranny in transmission trade journals. Also at least 3 valve body rebuilders are making replacements and keeping them in stock. WMW has done lots of conversions of failed autos.
This auto is problematic. I don't know the failure rate, but is certainly higher than a normal car. I would not recommend buying one that is for sure.
Also there aren't very many R53 autos out there. Most people either got a stick or went with the R50 CVT.
I agree that internet boards are full of people who only come to complain, on the other hand there are even more people who buy automatics that have never been to an internet car forum in their lives, especially women, and a MINI automatic is a chick car. (mine was bought for my wife, but she got tired of it, so I rock it on sunny days)
I strongly doubt there are many people racing a MINI automatic. If you ever drove one of these things you would know why. It adds 150lbs, cut the 0-60 by a second, won't hold gears and delays shifts by close to a second. It's OK to toodle around in and works for a non-stick driver, but anyone interested in track work would look to the stick. In autox on a tight course it is a hot mess.
One way I can determine the actual demand for a MINI part is for me to perform a National Check on the part number: 24347551103.
Of the 110 MINI dealers in the USA.......Only eight stock one on their shelves. This exactly what I said before. There is not a wide spread problem with the 1st Gen S model Automatic.
What Way does specialize in is the R50 CVT swap to manual and the R50 5spd swap to 6spd.....
And BTW, this transmission is presently shared with the 2010-Present Countryman S and last I knew, the Toyota Camry.....
Personally in 6 years, only thing ever to go over my counter related to this transmission is the JWS3309 fluid for a flush.
Well, I will just have to continue to disagree. Mini wants upwards of $8,000 to put in a new automatic and doesn't even do valve body replacements. I am not surprised that people don't spend $8k on a $6k car.
I did a quick search yesterday and found more than 10 valve body specialists that rebuild and replace this tranny. Then I found multiple references in trade mags on how to diagnose and repair it. You can even buy a detailed how to repair manual.
Later models hopefully were fixed with improved solenoids and valve bodies.
Even MINI does continuous improvements to attempt to improve their quality numbers.
Well, I will just have to continue to disagree. Mini wants upwards of $8,000 to put in a new automatic and doesn't even do valve body replacements. I am not surprised that people don't spend $8k on a $6k car.
I did a quick search yesterday and found more than 10 valve body specialists that rebuild and replace this tranny. Then I found multiple references in trade mags on how to diagnose and repair it. You can even buy a detailed how to repair manual.
Later models hopefully were fixed with improved solenoids and valve bodies.
Even MINI does continuous improvements to attempt to improve their quality numbers.
Difference between a good dealer and a bad...
A good ones know the issues...and can reccomended a $$ fix and has the know-how ....
A bad dealer...they just say the box is bad...need a new one...or..."we can trade-in your car for ya...you are halfway there!!".
Some dealer are just parts changers....the good ones sub out some of the jobs that are beyond the typical skill level of a dealer tech...but a valve body swap is a junior item in a tranny shop.
Yes...VW did do a recall...but as you said ..most failed EARLY...UNDER WARRANTY ...
Would I trust a higher performance car with an auto tranny....NO.... ESPECIALLY ONE THAT MIGHT HAVE NEVER had the fluid changed.
But the tranny itself is used with slight variations in many cars...
There is a complete rebuild thread over on motoring alliance...same rebuild kit as most other similar trannys...
Would I try it?! Heck no...but it was a high mile unit driven hard for many years...with fluid changes.
It looks normal to me. Tranny fluid gets dark very quickly, but can still be fine. Are there any bits of metal or glitter in the drain pan or on the drain plug?
I did a quick search yesterday and found more than 10 valve body specialists that rebuild and replace this tranny. Then I found multiple references in trade mags on how to diagnose and repair it. You can even buy a detailed how to repair manual.
Would you mind listing some of those specialists? My wife's Volvo C70 has a similar transmission and we are starting to see some issues with it. (Works fine when cold, has a hard 2-1 downshift when hot. Back to fine as trans cools down.)
after a second flush 2.75 quarts of oil that was what came out with the car warmed up
the car driver 80% good wayyy better than what is was so i think maybe 1 last flush it should be gr8 , one thing i notice my model does not have the overflow tube is this something usual ?
hint....
