Has anyone had problems with their CV joint? If so what noise did it make? I am hearing a clattering noise at very low speed, like in a parking lot. With my foot off the gas I can hear a low clatter that gets louder when turning into a parking space. I've jacked up the car to look for problems, but the boots look fine and no fluid is leaking. What do you look for to determine if the CV is failing? The car is a 03 Cooper with a CVT.

 

Most will make a clicking sound when turning hard. They can go bad even if the boots are ok.

 

The clicking is louder when turning. I'm just surprised that I have a CV problem at 80,000 miles.

The Bentley Manual says the transmission fluid needs to be drained in order to remove the shafts. The book explains draining and refilling, but has anyone done this on a CVT? Just looking for info in case I to work on them.

 

I've seen CV joints go at 20K it just varies from person to person, from joint to joint. Heck I busted on in 2 pieces in my Integra in 20 minutes after I put it in lol

 

Update:

Just came back from the dealer. It wasn't a CV joint, it's the CVT transmission making the noise. Now I need a new one that will cost $7600.00 ! I have heard of the CVT problems that others have and hoped I wouldn't be one. What's even worse is I also have a 2005 Cooper Cabrio with a CVT.

It just doesn't get any better

 

Say its not so... how many miles?

 

81,500 miles

Haven't called MINI USA yet................still breathing into the paper bag.

 

..... oh no..... how much to convert it to a manual?

 

Don't know yet. It is something I am looking into, only if MINI USA decides not to help at all. I've read the article in the NAMA magazine on the Getrag swap in a Cooper with a Midlands 5 speed. Maybe TSW has some info on a CVT swap?

 

Have you changed the oil recently in the transmission ?

 

Not recently. The oil was changed at 55,000 miles by the dealer a few years ago.

 

Holy crap that's expensive. I'd be driving over to a dealership and unloading that car ASAP. Not a doubt in my mind. Good luck.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles......those CVT's just aren't meant to last long I feared the same problem and ended up trading mine in in an attempt to avoid the repair bill. 80k seems to be the point where many are starting to have problems.

Yah for real.....at 80k miles and being only a Cooper, $7600 must be approaching the actual trade-in value of the car itself (if it hasn't surpassed the value already). Though, that's only based on my trade-in value of my old CVT with less mileage.