Well, it’s been a difficult sixteen days but now that it’s over I wanted to update everybody in case this information can enlighten anybody else and just because I know y’all will be able to relate! I posted previously about my recurring windshield problems—I picked up my Cooper on October 19th and as of September 15th I had had my third stress-cracked windshield. I had an appointment to have the district service manager look at the car to see if he could figure out why I was having this repeated problem. On September 19th, though, my transmission went out! Every time I came to a stop, the car would go back into park—then when I hit the gas again, it wouldn’t budge until the engine got up to 2000-2500 RPM, at which point it would lurch violently four or five times before taking off. I called the dealer and my service guy advised me to call MINI Roadside Assistance and have the car towed to the shop. I did so and, after sixteen agonizing days, I got the Cooper back today. It was almost like getting it for the first time all over again! Some points from this experience:

1. This was very frustrating and a big hassle, but I believe my dealership (Global Imports in Atlanta) and my service guy (Kevin Pace) did everything they could to resolve it. Kevin repeatedly offered a free rental car, although fortunately I didn’t need it. They gave me a free detailing, a full gas tank, and delivered the car back to my driveway.
2. I’m hoping my stress-crack problems are over. After much investigation, there appears to be a problem on some MINIs with the finishing of the windshield frame where it meets the firewall—on some of them a small sliver of metal (as it was described to me) is left protruding from the frame and this uneven pressure on the tightly-fitted windshield, combined with a bump or pothole, can be enough to cause a stress crack. Kevin said that since discovering this, they have found the same problem on every MINI that has come in with a stress crack.
3. What made the transmission blow is still a mystery. Global had to send it back unopened to MINI for inspection.

Sorry for the novella-length posting—glad to be motoring again!!! And what perfect
timing—just this afternoon I found out that RSpeed is right here in my home town of Marietta, GA!

 

Forgot to mention. . . yes, mine is a CVT.

 

Ummm. . . those September dates in my narrative should read "November". Motoring-induced dementia!!!

GE

 

Sounds great that you have gotten a fix and an reason for why it was busting so many windshields. Encouraging that your dealer did a good job despite a difficult situation.

16 days is a long time, but I have waited almost 31 years for mine and only have one week to go!

 

This is the third failed transmission I've heard about on the forums in the past 2 days. Does this have any one else worried? As long as the car is under warranty, I don't mind so much, but if the transmission were to go shortly after the warranty period ended, I would probably kill some one. :evil: I guess this won't be a problem if you trade in for a new MINI every three years. Something to think about.

 

Wow. That news about a possible cause for the stress cracks is so cool. If the 4th windshield in my MINI cracks, then I'll definitely be having them check my MINI fro this sliver before installing windshield #5.

16 days is a long time, but it sounds like your dealership did everything they cold. be sure to add a review to the Dealership Rating System and let others know about it.

Thanks again for keeping me personally updated about the windshield problem. I hope neither of us suffers from that problem again (or at least that I only have one more cracked windshield ahead of me).

 

These are the kinds of growing pains that come when a completely new car is launched. Despite all the prototype testing in the world, there is no better testing ground that having thousands of owners driving the cars.

On the bright side, you are the lucky few who get to experience a MINI so early!

 

I don't know what the lemon laws are like in your state, but in FL if the dealer has the car for more than 30 days in the 1st year you can get the manufacturer to take the car back and give you a new one. OR, if the car has to go into service for the same things 3 times, they get one final chance to fix it or, again, the manuf has to give you a new car. You may want to look into this.

 

Three failed transmissions reported in the last 2 days? I seemed to have missed one of those. Have they all been CVTs?

 

Now all of the sudden everyone is worried about the transmission problem cause three have been reported. Hmm..seems to me I was RIGHT and it wasnt an isolated problem. The transmission blowing this early is a VERY serious problem, and its only gunna get worse as the car gets older and comes out from under warranty... I tried the lemon law thing but since my car hasnt not been in three times yet it does not apply.

 

There's definitely a problem with the CVT transmission from what I've been reading. Remember NYIllustrator's ranting and raving on an earlier thread about his CVT transmission going out? Anyway, I've been waiting for my MINI to be released from the VPC since October 12th and it was FINALLY released this past Tuesday and I'm picking her up tomorrow!! But anyways, back to my point....I asked Ask Mini what the problem had been and why a repair workorder was generated and they said I'd have to ask the dealer. Sooo, I talked to my dealer and he said they were still trying to find out because it was a recall issue and they wanted to know what it was. He said 6 of the cars had been held up and he still didn't know why. I asked him if all 6 were CVTs and he went to check, lo and behold, they were all CVTs! So they obviously had to fix something on the CVTs. No detail as to what, though. Hopefully, they've fixed the problem so the future CVTs won't have this issue. Anyone else know what it might be?

 

Orbhot. . . I've looked into the Georgia lemon law and it's similar to what you described in Florida. I think I'm close to being able to invoke it but I'd prefer not to because I really like the Silk Green and I don't think I could get that anymore. If either of these problems recurs in the near future, though, I'll have to pursue the lemon law. . . better to have some other color car that runs than a silk green planter!

GE

 

2,000+ miles in our Cooper CVT and not a single problem. Car was built in August 2002 and picked up first week of September.

Don't generalize. I have also seen problems related to the 5-speed Cooper (The infamous transmission cable), frozen manual gearboxes and clutch issues also being reported for the MCS.

There are other troublefree CVT owners out there. Speak up!

 

>>Now all of the sudden everyone is worried about the transmission problem cause three have been reported. Hmm..seems to me I was RIGHT and it wasnt an isolated problem.

Nothing in the world feels better than the smug satisfaction of knowing that you are RIGHT

 

Ditto that!

 

>>2,000+ miles in our Cooper CVT and not a single problem. Car was built in August 2002 and picked up first week of September.
>>
>>Don't generalize. I have also seen problems related to the 5-speed Cooper (The infamous transmission cable), frozen manual gearboxes and clutch issues also being reported for the MCS.
>>
>>There are other troublefree CVT owners out there. Speak up!


OK, I'm speaking....

9,600 sMiles on my 5/02 build CVT.... NO PROBLEMS!!!!

I do experience the "shuddering" mentioned elsewhere when stopping quickly, but I only ever stalled once (when the car was 3 days old) and have since grown used to it. (I've found that it helps if you let your foot off the brake a bit just before you stop, and THEN come to a stop.)

I also use the full range of the CVT every day.... Meaning that I'm in and out of Normal/Sport/Steptronic modes throughout every drive. IT IS SOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

Hope that gives some of you worriers a little more confidence!!

 

NUNNOTHER,
For your record and for future reference request for documentation of what ever it is that was repaired or replace on your MINI. It could help you on your warranty claims in the future most specially if it is CVT related problems.

Cheers,
John

>>There's definitely a problem with the CVT transmission from what I've been reading. Remember NYIllustrator's ranting and raving on an earlier thread about his CVT transmission going out? Anyway, I've been waiting for my MINI to be released from the VPC since October 12th and it was FINALLY released this past Tuesday and I'm picking her up tomorrow!! But anyways, back to my point....I asked Ask Mini what the problem had been and why a repair workorder was generated and they said I'd have to ask the dealer. Sooo, I talked to my dealer and he said they were still trying to find out because it was a recall issue and they wanted to know what it was. He said 6 of the cars had been held up and he still didn't know why. I asked him if all 6 were CVTs and he went to check, lo and behold, they were all CVTs! So they obviously had to fix something on the CVTs. No detail as to what, though. Hopefully, they've fixed the problem so the future CVTs won't have this issue. Anyone else know what it might be?