gone

 

I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but it sounds like the engine will turn over while the car is in gear without the clutch being depressed. Old cars used to do this, too, and naturally the car will lurch because it is in gear and the engine is turning. The engine's on newer cars will not turn over unless the clutch is depressed. Sounds like a pretty easy fix and should not (I'm guessing) sound any "lemon" alarms, at least not to me. Good luck with the car. You'll love it once you get it. It sounds like the dealer is going to make it right by compensating you for your money spent to get the car and will deliver it out to you, that seems fair.

 

I'd feel the same way you do, but i don't think I would demand a new car. It's unlikely that your car will be any more problem prone than any other MINI once it's fixed.....but still, this is something that turned your enthusiasm into concern and disappointment. I'd try to get them to give me as many freebies as possible but i would not want the car delivered. I'd rather drive back and spend the day driving the car near the dealer to satisfy myself that everything was OK before I took it home.


Good Luck

 

Sounds like the nuetral safety switch. Automatics have to be in park or nuetral to start. Because manuals would require all kinds of switches and such to make sure the car is in nuetral they just put the switch on the clutch pedel. If it's not pressed the car won't start. Standard safety item and it sounds like yous was bad or, worse case, someone at the factory forgot to put it in. Suck but should be no big deal. If you are worried make sure it is documented in the cars service history for future reference. Good luck.

 

I'm in agreement with resmini on this one, upsilon23. Best to test-drive it near the dealership to be certain that everything is A-okay, before accepting delivery.

Demand a free clear bra or something pricey, rather than have them paying the delivery fee to ship it to you! Sorry your enthusiasm has been dampened , but once the glitch is fixed and you've gotten on the road, you'll enjoy your new MINI! :smile:


Clover

 

The weird thing is that they drive the car from the factory to area that the cars are shipped from.Guess they are so used to starting the car with the clutch pedal depressed it went unnoticed.Tell the dealer to pass this problem back up the food chain,maybe they will try and start the cars the first time with the clutch pedal released.
Do what Clo said,and take the car for a test drive before you accept it,and go for some nice pricey items.
When you do get your MINI,HAPPY MOTORING

 

It's probably just a defective safety interlock switch or one with a loose wire. No big deal. The interlock prevents starting in manual tranny cars till the clutch is fully depressed. Little switch. Costs less than $10. Failure is very rare, and the odds of getting two bad switches in a row are wicked low.

Let them fix it and enjoy the car. pb

 

He needs to get compensation for his time and disappointment. I'm sure it's a simple fix, but the going back and forth between SoCal to Vegas is not a simple matter. I hope they do right by him and give him a nice upgrade or two to make up for his distress.


Clover

 

Hold on a minute.... you said the car lunges forward when trying to start in gear, and your foot NOT on the clutch???

Does your sales rep know how to PHARKING DRIVE STICK?????

THATS BY DESIGN FOR PHARKS SAKE!

 

Do you? It's clearly a problem, as everyone else in the thread understands.

A better question is how did they ever find this in the first place? Anyone whose been driving a manual for any length of time automatically pushes the clutch in...

 

Yep. The reason I know older vehicles used to not have the safety mechanism is when I was first learning to drive a stick, it was in a 1989 S-10 and one time I turned the key with my foot on the brake only, and it lurched forward.

 

Oh, you guys are talking bout the safety?? THe one where the engine won't even turn if clutch is not pushed in? My bad.

Why cant they fix that later? Does the car not start when you actually do push the clutch in? If you have good stick habits, you would never encounter the safety mechanism, right?

 

That mistake is not uncommon in people who commonly drive both stick and auto. Easy to turn the key in "auto" mind then remember, "Oh yeah, this one's a stick."

The other side of the coin is when those of us used to sticks but find ourselves driving an auto step on the "clutch" at the end of a drive and do a faceplant on the windshield!

 

The dealer may not release the car with this safety item not working.
The car must start,or they would have been pushing it from the factory to move it around,but anyone used to a newer stick[or good stick habits] would automaticly push down the clutch pedal to start the car,and never know there was a problem.

The car should never be left in gear when not running,if on a incline,the tranny is holding the car still,which is putting strain on it[bad],and if the car were to get run into the whole drive line will get jolted[worse bad].That lever you pull up on thats between the seats may be referred to as an emergency brake,but it's really the Parking brake.

 

What if you leave it in gear and pull the parking brake?

 

Why risk it.If the car did get hit,the drive line is still going to get jolted.Bad enough that body damage would need to be fixed,why risk anything else.

 

I've just heard some of the horror stories of the parking brake being applied while the pads and rotors are hot, then when they cool the car starts moving!

 

Hmmm...I always put Wanda into 1st gear AND use the parking brake when I shut her down. Is that not a good idea?? Please discuss....


Clover

 

Well I guess that could happen[probably does].But it would probably have to be on a pretty steep incline.Not trying to argue with anyone on using the P-brake over leaving the car in gear.Like most things,it comes down to personel choice,habit,situation

 

I guess if you live where the car is parked on a steep incline,using both would be better,just make sure the P-brake is holding the car still,before you release the clutch,that way the weight of the car is not straining the tranny,but should the brake release for some reason,the car won't roll.
If leaving the car for long periods of time,chalk[sp]the wheels and leave in neutral,P-brake off.

In the winter,after driving in snow,my P-brake will stick a bit,but the weight of the car has always broke the frost the occurs from warm wet brakes,getting cold.

 

I don't think they caught because it's not univeral. My '05 S starts without pressing the clutch. I don't leave it in gear when it's parked so it starts pretty much like an automatic. The island is almost completely flat so I don't worry too much about the emergency brake failing. A bad habit I know, but the convenience outweighs the risk.

 

This is an extremely minor problem. These things happen, that is why dealers are paid to check over the car one final time before they deliver it to you. If no mistakes were ever made, and no mechanical parts ever failed prematurely, makers would not need to provide warranties with new car. It is unfortunate that the salesman did not let the service department check over the car before calling you to tell you that it was in, but things happen. It sounds like the dealer has done everything to make you happy. Paying for your rental, etc and offering to ship the car to you. Sounds like you have found a great dealer. I would not worry about this problem at all.

 

That should not be,I thought the whole reason for the sensor was so the car would not start without the clutch depressed,in gear or not.

 

Nope, people here have reported the e-brake loosening and the car rolling on very gentle slopes in parking lots. I always put my car in gear and use the e-brake.

 

[When you start the car in gear w/out the clutch being pressed the car lounges forward?!?]

This what you would expect if you have a manual transmission.
I ?? why would you start the car in gear without the clutch depressed?
Aside from this you can not start a Manual MINI without depressing the clutch.