hey everyone! i've had my r56 mcs for about a week now..and yesterday..for the first time..i switched from 2nd to 3rd gear and attempted to accelerate, but the car would not move (it felt like i was in neutral). Also..sometimes when i turn on the car, a really funky smell comes out of the ac vents. Has anyone else had any similar problems or possibly know what's going on?

 

There has been some discussion on this defect on MINI2. You might want to check it out. It is serious, if I recall.

 

Was it actually in 3rd? It sounds like it was in neutral. I wonder if some faulty tranny's have issues engaging 3rd for some reason. [I haven't read the MINI2 thread]

If it keeps doing it often enough to replicate for the dealership, take it in and have the tranny or gearshift linkage replaced.

 

MINI has not been able to issue a fix for the 3rd to 2nd gear problem, resulting in cars bought back from customers. Read about poster "Popey" re-counts over at MINI2.com. His first R56 MCS was "rejected" and bought back by MINI UK and he is awaiting a second replacement due in April. His tranny noise could not be repaired.

 

The OP said 2nd to 3rd not 3rd to 2nd and the title says 3rd gear problem, that would lead me to believe that this a different problem or driver error.

This is popey's thread: http://www.mini2.com/forum/2nd-gen-f...on-agreed.html He distinctly says changing down gears and a grinding noise is heard.

It's pretty unlikely that you were in 3rd and couldn't accelerate when it didn't happen in any other gear. Or did it happen in another gear or multiple times?

 

Usman88's problem is shifting from 2nd to 3rd--might not be the same thing.

 

Sounds like it didn't go into gear or you experienced a "false neutral".

Totally different from the issue described elsewhere (grinding noise while downshifting).

Like Ryephile said, see if it keeps occurring and if it does, take it in.