Hey guys, just got a cooper about 6 days ago and I noticed something when I'm at a really slow speed. When I'm in traffic or I maintain speed at about 1-4mph, the car slightly jerks when I let go of the gas pedal. Nothing too bad, but just enough to notice. Is this normal due to the "CVT" transmission or should it be something that I should worry about???
Just curious because it's only in its first week and I'm really cautious of different signs and symptoms.
Any input would help...Thanks.

 

yes, that is how the CVT's work...
don't worry, you'll get used to it.
your name is more "dangerous" than the CVT!

 

You're a savior! Thanks for letting me know. I was driving in traffic and started to worry me! hehe...Thanks again!

 

Yep, same with mine. Mine is an '04 Jan build. Also, when I first start and back out of the garage, I ease it into R (no gas) and it takes just a fraction of a sec to engage and move backwards.

Also, strangely a very few times the idle at a stop light will run at about 1,000 RMP. I've tried to go to N goose the gas, then back to D, but no change. It doesn't happen often.

Just wait (I know how hard it is) until you break it in and can use the tip/shift. It is sooo much fun. I've driven a stick (Mustang 5.0 / Jeep Wrangler / others) and it takes a while to get used to NOT letting up on the gas when you shift - but keeping steady gas and shifting to the next gear. That is a blast in a MINI.

I'm really pleased with my CVT......except I'd really like to have had the paddles on the steering wheel.

 

Yeah so far I've just driven in regular automatic mode. Haven't gotten a chance to drive in steptronic manual mode. Is it similar to an actual manual transmission vehicle???

 

Hello, Our Mini is 1700 miles new and I have noticed the occasional shudder/jerk as you have described as well. It was pleasing to read the other replies stating this was a normal situation. Our "Tootles" is the wife's daily driver and she will consistently use the "D" mode. Any opportunity I get to drive the Silverado is parked. The preferred mode for my usage is to drive in "Manual" and like another responder never lift off the gas. I have a question for others that concerning the auto downshifting while using the manual method. This downshifting appears to work normally however when vehicle has come to complete stop, lowest gear reached will be second. If I want to start off in first (which I'll wind to 5 grand) it will have to be manually downshifted. Any one else noticing this? Be patient, the breakend period will be over soon and enjoy the motoring.

 

>>yes, that is how the CVT's work...
>>don't worry, you'll get used to it.
>>your name is more "dangerous" than the CVT!

hindi na kuha... baka hindi na nakakaintindi

 

>>Yeah so far I've just driven in regular automatic mode. Haven't gotten a chance to drive in steptronic manual mode. Is it similar to an actual manual transmission vehicle???

It's similar, but very different. Part of the difference lies in the fact that it's a 6-speed transmission on the MINI with the lowest RPM range (only goes up to 6000)... the steptronic gear ratios are VERY close together. While this opens up opportunity for lots of driver customization, it also means "shifting" MUCH more frequently than you might be used to (or than you would find on say, an MCS).

Steptronic is loads of fun to play with, and knocking it over to downshift and pass some ignorant land barge on the highway is quite satisfying. That being said, now that I'm past break-in, I drive almost exclusively in SD mode. I find that in steptronic, I tend to rev the engine a bit higher than necessary (due, again, to the very close ratios) and get absolutely AWFUL gas mileage (think mid teens).

I've found that SD mode provides the same glass-smooth acceleration that I love about my CVT, improved gas mileage (I average about 19.5-20.5 mpg in SD, or about 1-1.5 mpg lower than driving exclusively in D, entirely city/heavy traffic driving) over steptronic, AND the power is always there when you need it. It will never be very fast off the line, due to the initial startup "delay" of about a second that the CVT exhibits (or should I say has programmed in software?); but cruising along at 40 and nailing the gas in SD really gives you the feeling of driving a car with significantly more available horsepower as you tend to be right near that 4500RPM peak torque mark when you do, and can accelerate (or pull away from a tailgater) with surprising quickness.

My girlfriend has a brand new Mazda 3s (160hp, tons of low-end grunt), which by any measure is a quick car and should be faster on acceleration than mine, but from anything but a standing stop my car gives hers a SCHOOLING if driven properly in SD.

YMMV, but part of the fun of the CVT is the huge variety of techniques available to try once you pass your break-in. Check out the CVT forum over on MINI2 if you haven't already, it's a gold mine of CVT info should you be interested....

NOTE: You should use "D" mode almost exclusively until after your break-in; it is absolutely impossible to pass 4500RPM in this mode unless you push the pedal past the kickdown, which you shouldn't be doing until 1250 miles anyhow :smile:

 

Sounds good! Thanks Poco.

 

Sorry, I mean Juan Paco.

 

I have 23K miles in my '02 Cooper CVT and I have noticed that the 0-10 MPH "yo-yo" has almost completely gone away. I have V36 loaded in the car and runs like a champ with or without A/C in the hot Miami sun.

 

[font=Arial]I’m with MINI USA. I’m sorry to read about your concern with your MINI. If you want our assistance, please phone us at (866) ASK MINI and mention Reference # 200416200194 so that we can discuss your concern.[/font]

 

i dont really think it should be a concern....

but at times when i am coming to a stop from around 10mph, the yo-yo is very jerky.

but now, thats just how the car is..i dont think its a problem. i gives my car character.

-chris

 

I spent a year and a half in England driving a 'Nissan Micra' with a CVT. At low speeds, it had the same 'bouncing' effect. I think that it's just inherent in the technology.

-Paul!

 

I'm glad so many CVT owners have chimed in! I've found in my own driving that the CVT varies a little from MINI to MINI, and the hesitation and yo-yo effect and other idosyncrasies can be be so minute as to be invisible, in some MINIs. Brooksie is quite well-mannered, and after the break-in period was over, the "Manual" shifting was quite a revelation! The CVT is the perfect car for commuting in heavy traffic, long distance drives with the Cruise Control for good mileage, or just having fun in the twisties. BTW, There's an excellent forum for the CVT at MINI2 here:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=624


Check it out, there's plenty of info. Gotta go - CVT is calling.

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

 

Have some fun. Try manual mode too.

I think you will like the SD mode. Give it a try for a few days and see what you think. Good stuff. Problem solved.

If you prefer the D mode then you might want to work on smoothly and gently working on and off the gas pedal. If it still doesn't do what you want then SD mode is plan B.

Have fun. My MCS doesn't have three different ways to use the 6 speed transmission. Just two- ON and OFF. Or IN gear and Outta gear.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of the manual mode. It's kinda fun to play with but it is (in my car) fairly slow to respond to input, and it really should only have 5 speeds with more "space" in between ratios.... as it stands now there is so little gap between ratios it behaves very much like (but not as quick) a jerk-ridden SD under full throttle. I liked it fine enough right up until I tried the manual mode on my GF's new Mazda 3s.... WOW.

It is LEAPS AND BOUNDS more responsive. Having said that, in SD mode, my car can still give hers a good solid schooling; but the manual mode is MUCH more fun to play with when driving her car.

For me, SD is the way to be with D used for extended cruising (steady highway speed, whatever) to get slightly better mileage. Just my $0.02, but I am SERIOUSLY hoping that MINI will move to a 5-speed "manual" mode to get more differentiation between "gears" going in a future software update.

 

Sorry, but how do you switch into SD and steptronic? I know you're supposed to move the shifter to the right, but other than that how do you differentiate if you're in SD or steptronic mode?
Sorry, I'm a noob.

 

When you kick the shifter over to the right, that's SD. You can see this by looking at your speedometer in the digital display (right below the odometer readings). Once in SD, you can "shift" up or down my pressing forward or back on the shifter; this puts you in steptronic mode, and you can look at that same display to see what "gear" you're in. To get back to SD mode you simply push the shifter over to the left (D) and then back to the right (SD). You can do this very quickly and get a nice little torque boost on launch even (more details can be found in the CVT forum over on MINI2).

 

I think's Juan's comments are very accurate. I've had a CVT loaner for 3 days while my manual is in the shop for some body work.


Some comments on the CVT:
A very dynamic gearbox. Very nice on the highway especially in sport mode with the paddle shifting.
Very nice in the city in Sport Drive
A pig off the line in regular drive
Disconcerting and unpredictable in Drive under heavy throttle
Sluggish at low speeds.

Conclusion: With practice you can figure out how to make it work the way you want it to. No doubt this is the wave of thr future

The first day was very disconcerting however.... and I do like the feel of my 6 speed.

 

Hi, fellow CVTers! Tomorrow marks one year for my MC and it's been a great one. Quite unexpected. I've autocrossed, attended a driving school, ridden a short track independently, trotted down the drag strip , been on a couple of cruises, and, best of all -- & surprisingly -- made a few really good friends locally along the way:smile: . I've found the D mode best for gas consumption, the SD mode for some giddy-up for merging, climbing, etc., and... 1-6 when I wanna move . To me, there's a world of difference between D/SD (especially D) and 1-6. In 1-6, I simply put it in 1st & let the computer do the rest (Kohu'ulaMINI, a MINI of Hawaii Motoring Advisor and super autocrosser, taught this to me -- thanks, Randy ). I've tried to shift (both ways) during all of the above-mentioned events but found that the computer prefers shifting to its own beat. I've had two driving school instructors and a top autocrosser drive my car hard & all three came back saying basically the same thing... it wants to be left up to its own devices. Plus, 1-6 comes in handy when I wanna stir up some exhaust/intake noise . A few of my local MINI friends have said that I'd do better in the above-mentioned events in a MCS. I do not doubt that at all. However, I love driving around here & there for no real reason (I'm currently a shade under 25,000 miles &, once again, tomorrow makes one year for my MC) and I feel that I have the best of both worlds. Happy motoring, all, but before y'all go, take a look at it today...

http://on.miniusa.com/resume.jsp?use...nge=1&start=83

 

How's the year been? Any problems? Anyways, glad to hear that you are satisfied! Just go my BRG/WHITE CVT Cooper about three weeks ago and I love it so far.

 

Hi, Panganiban! My MC stalled 4 times within the first several months. The v. 36 software upgrade cleared those up with one visit. There was also a rattle from the hatchback latch -- taken care of with a visit previous to then. Now, there's a rattle in the Auto A/C locale (I don't have Auto A/C) which'll be remedied during my next visit (the 25,000 mile mark one). Other than that, motoring's all good. Peace

 

I have a Jan built 04 too and it does the same thing. My only compalint about the CVT (it's really the engine not the transmission) is that with the a/c on, power is downright sluggish. I'd really like to see a larger engine in coming years. Better yet, an S with CVT. Mini, you listening??

 

That's actually in the works! (And it's ruffled the feathers of many a S driver! ) The big question now is whether it will be a run-of-the-mill slushbox (bad), a CVT (good), or a BMW SMG (yay!!!).

-Paul!