R50-2003 Hatch, Auto, CVT. This is my first winter with my Mini in Michigan.. Love it and take care of it.. Had to drive it after had temps -20/-30 outside windchills.. Keep the Mini garaged..and wasn't driving in the snow and weather. When I had to drive it, had a problem shifting out of park.. Until the engine warms up.. then works fine.. Is this a issue to look into to???

 

Hmm, this is an interesting one. Could be the solenoid in the shifter getting stuck when it's cold. You could try opening it up and carefully spraying some lube on that solenoid

You might also check the cable that runs from the shifter to the transmission (see picture). One time when I did some work on mine I had to disconnect that cable. When I first put it back together, I can't remember what exactly happened - I either couldn't shift out of park, or I couldn't shift from D back into P. It was definitely something that got me worried until I realized I just needed to adjust where I had attached it.

Either way, if that cable moved in some way, it could potentially cause some problems as I've experienced...

 

Ever drive through any puddles? I had this problem for a week or two after I decided it would be fun to drive through a puddle this winter.

 

As the weather continues to increase in temperture.. the shifting issue has disappeared. The question about driving through puddles is a NOT.. In Michigan we have PotHoles.. they are not puddles.. and they are frozen all winter.. The biggest concern was .. ONLY when cold.. As the trans/engine warmed the shifting linkage issue disapated.. I actually had parked the Mini.. due to showdrifts excess of 4 feet.. for the winter.. But had to drive it for another reason.. This is how the concern was discovered.. I started the Mini every week in the garage to insure lub and engine running.. just not the shifting.. which i will remember to do now too.. when I garage the car again..

 

The CVT in general doesn't seem to do well when cold in cold weather. Mine would lurch when shifting from P to D if the fluid hadn't been warmed up yet when temperatures were near freezing. I think trying to keep it garaged is the way to go...

When's the last time the fluid was changed?