My '06 MCS (got it with 350 demo miles from dealer, now 43k/ still under warranty) with stock suspension, just the mods listed in my signature, has a really bad vibration... REALLY BAD!
It started as a small vibration like wheel balancing issue type... BUT... after almost a year and after replacing tires (thinking they were defective), re-aligning, balancing wheels, wheels and tires like 12 times, I decided to buy a set of OEM 16" S-winders w/ Goodyear runflat tires (new take-offs). I installed them hoping the vibration problem was over... BUT it got Worse! I had to stop in the middle of the Turnpike to remove them and install the aftermaket ones (I just picked the OEM ones, had the other ones in the trunk) and drove to a Firestone shop to get the OEM wheels re-balanced... They did it twice and could not figured out where the vibration came from! I ended up leaving frustraded, wasting MORE money, with no answeres, so I after spending over $1000 trying to fix this vibration over a year, I decided to go to the dealer... with stock wheels and tires, there is no excuse for the problem.with the OEM wheels/tires the vibration is so bad the car cannot be driven. The car is like pulling apart! not kidding! I have never seen anything like that!
After many issues with the dealer because they didn't want to believe me at the beggining, they were excusing themselves saying the problem was my aftermarket wheels and all that **** they always say to avoid working on the car...so I ended up arguing with them pretty bad... The guys there told me they would charge me like $60 to install the stock w/t and about $100 to re-balance them... That really pissed me off, but after arguing so bad I told them I would agree to pay that ONLY if the problem came from the wheels/tires, otherwise they would not charge me a penny... so they started working on the car a week ago and it is driving them crazy too... They cannot figure out what the problem is. They re-balanced the OEM wheels, replaced one axle, clutch, flywheel and now they are saying they will replace transmission too!!
At this point I am relieved is still under warranty and they must fixed, but I am also worried that this cannot be solved or I may have the same issue later when the warranty is over and then I could be screwed up...
The funny part is that the vibration is worse with the 16" OEM wheels/ RF tires than the 17" aftermarket wheels/tires...
So I need some feedback, anyone experiencing the same? Anyone knows what could be? (not even Mini technicians know!)...
Yes, they replaced the rotors a month ago. It is really weird and scary. I already asked them about the bushings, they told me they replaced one and still having vibration...
Yes, I have checked the hub centric rings... I even changed them twice thinking that was the problem, but no... I tried the aluminum ones and the plastic ones too... And like I said, what is really weird is that the vibration gets insane with the factory wheels/tires... So the problem is not the wheels or tires... It is something else, but nobody knows...

Thanks

UPDATE: They have replaced the whole transmission yesterday.... and still having vibration!

 

Yes, they replaced the rotors a month ago. It is really weird and scary. I already asked them about the bushing, they told me they replaced one and still having vibration... I think they are now waiting for MINI USA to authorize replacement of the whole transmission
Yes, I have checked the hub centric rings... I even changed them twice thinking that was the problem, but no... I tried the aluminum ones and the plastic ones too... And like I said, what is really weird is that the vibration gets insane with the factory wheels/tires... So the problem is not the wheels or tires... It is something else, but nobody knows... __________________

 

wow.. good thing you have it in the shop. It sounds dangerous.

 

Does it happen at a certain speed? When you step on the brakes? Clutch in or out? Go downhill when it's vibrating put it neutral, does it do it? Shut off the engine and coast down hill in neutral, does it do it then?

 

My car had a front end vibration which ended up being a wheel bearing. The dealer had a hard time finding the problem and tried replacing the wheels, transmission and axle shafts first. They said they had never had a wheel bearing fail before so they didnt suspect it.

 

It sounds like a wheel bearing problem. Have the dealer replace all the parts they want first, they might just build you a new Mini trying to diagnose this problem

 

I highly doubt that it would be a bearing problem, as they replaced the axel and brake rotor. I sure that they would have replaced the bearing as well.

 

I spoke to the dealer today... This is issue is just ridiculous... They have just replaced the whole Transmission too! and the vibration is still there! =S
They are now waiting for Mini USA to tell them what is the next step (hopefully they give me a new R56! LOL, if not I'll still get my R53 with almost all parts new!)

 

Wow, you have a tough one there. Is the weight of the 17" wheel and tire less than the stock 16" with runflats? If the 17"s are lighter than stock, it may have to due with the unsprung weight. Have they gone over the front end from top to bottom? Has it been put on a lift and run in 1st or 2nd to determine if there is a rotational problem? Just some thoughts on my part. I wish you best of luck in solving this problem.

Kevin

 

UPDATE: After replacing axles, clutch, flywheel and transmission...without fixing the vibration... they called me yesterday to tell me that MINI USA told them they would not cover any more repairs on the car now with the excuse of aftermarket stuff (so why they have been doing service the past two years?...), so if I want to keep trying to find the issue and fix it I'd have to pay for that!!! They told me that they could TRY replacing the bushings, but I'll have to pay for that... And what really **** me off is that I asked the technician last week if they had replaced the bushings and he told me they were fine... now they want to charge me for their mistake!
The car is still under warranty, so I would not accept that! I'd prefer to return the car before accepting that kind of BS. So I called directly MINI USA and they are supposed to call me back tomorrow... My car has been there for two weeks already and going for a third! so I am also paying for a car in a shop... sucks!
This is really frustrating! Does anyone know any legal way I could use to have them fix my car? I know about Lemon Law here in Florida, but not sure if applies to my case.

 

did they check the front control arm bushings? Mine went bad and feels like a wheel out of bal. Upgraded to the Poly bushings and it's all good.

 

They told me yes... But now are telling me to pay to replace them to see if that solves the problem!
How much did you pay for your poly ones installed?

 

Forgive me for coming in late, but this was the 1st time I had seen your postings. Have you tired putting a set of OEM wheels/tires on the MINI just to see what it feels like? If you don't have a set I'm sure you could find someone to do the test with you in the area.

I got mine at http://www.mossmini.com/Shop/ViewPro...eIndexID=36704 and had my partner shop install them. I think it was billed at two hours, but don't hold me to that.

 

Yes, the problem got worse with OEM wheels/tires...
How much could cost me to do the poly bushings?

 

The bushings from Moss are only $60.00 and plan on two hours of labor at your shop.

 

Before you go replacing parts on your own dime try doing these things first. I would definitely suggest running it through first and second gear on a lift. If you dint try to diagnose the problem some more you are just going to end up throwing money at the problem.

 

Try this, put the vehicle on stands, grab the wheel at the 12 & 6 o’clock position and try to rock it, grasp at the 11 & 5 position and give it a wiggle, and then move to the 9 & 3. If the bearing is going bad, the wheel probably will have movement at the 12 & 6 locations; I recently found this to be the case on a Cooper with the same symptoms.

 

MINI USA called me today...
The guy told me that somebody from corporate already checked the car and have determined that they "think" the problem could be solved by replacing the front bushings... BUT according to them, that is not covered under warranty, so I'd have to pay for that because they will not pay anymore repairs on the car!!! What really sucks is that on the other hand, they say they cannot assure that would solve the vibration!! Does anyone knows if this is true? If so, does anyone knows how much could cost to replace those bushings including labor?
This situation is really complicated, but I will not tolerate this abuse! The car is still under warranty! and I've been dealing with this vibration for almost a year and Never got a word from their technicians telling me that the problem was the bushings... they always excuse themselves from doing the job by saying this and that about my aftermarket wheels/tires... BS!

 

I see there are 2 threads about the exact same thing. Please pick on and we will close the other.

Thanks

 

See exact same subject by same person here

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nsmission.html

This thread is closed