R56 The "Cold Start" issues, have they been fixed?

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Oct 9, 2008 | 09:54 AM

#26

zarote

2nd Gear

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 143

Likes: 1

From: North Wales, Pa

My '09 MCS clatters like hell, but the noise is there all the time. does anyone know what year the engines went to direct injection? My guess is that clatter is generated by the direct injectors firing, kind of like a diesel.

Oct 9, 2008 | 10:40 AM

#27

andstillgoin

1st Gear

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 20

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I believe it is the injectors. Had a '06 A3 2.0T with direct injection, sounded exactly like my MCS.

Oct 9, 2008 | 11:11 AM

#28

Beeman

2nd Gear

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 110

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As per my other post, 09 JCW at 5000 miles. The noise was on third start with no warm up with wash. So last time i moved out of shop and washed then on next-ed start ran car tile hot, let set for about one hour then start and no noise.
Have not had noise on first start, the two times were after starts that did not get the car hot, so i will make sure that the car is warm before shutdown on second run.

Oct 9, 2008 | 12:57 PM

#29

corcoranwtnet

4th Gear

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 587

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From: Richmond, VA

Zarote

If your 2009 MCS is clattering all the time, I'd definitely take it to the dealer. As noted in posts below, mine has only done it once. The rest of the time it sounds great...very smooth sound.

Oct 9, 2008 | 01:03 PM

#30

corcoranwtnet

4th Gear

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 587

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From: Richmond, VA

Oldsbear

To you and all those who are interested in this subject, there are two very informative threads on the subject (one of them is a sticky at the top of the topic page).

You can find these discussions at

North American Motoring > 2nd Generation MINIs

Stock Problems/Issues

The sticky is titled "Cold Start Issues Database" and the thread is titled "Cold Start Chatter". The latter has an explanation which sounds both plausible and consistent with the symptoms commonly being experienced. It has to do with the use of an electric oil pump.

Last edited by corcoranwtnet; Oct 9, 2008 at 01:05 PM. Reason: insert an omitted word

Oct 11, 2008 | 07:21 PM

#31

Spectral G

2nd Gear

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 80

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldsbear

I have had the same experience after washing my 07 MCSm. Something else may be involved -- moving the car a very short distance and then shutting off the engine. Next start: clatter.

From another thread:

Originally Posted by corcoranwtnet
My 2009 MCS-a was eight days old yesterday (276) miles. My wife and I both noticed the clattering (diesel-like) when starting it. . . .

I had done that the previous day on two occasions, prior to the clatter yesterday (i.e., I had started the car, moved it forward or back 3-5 feet, then turned off the ignition. It was on no more than 30 seconds each time.)

Sounds very plausible that the noise could be associated with turning off the engine before it has had a chance to warm the oil, then turning it on again later.

Reply from Oldsbear:

Correlation here. Yesterday I moved my 07 MCSm 50 feet from where I was doing some home repairs, and I got the clatter next time I started. I hadn't heard it since June.

Now if we only knew what that meant . . .

MINI USA, would you please clue us in?

From all of my experiences with this, and it's been about 4 or 5 times now, it has everything to do with short start and stops of the engine and nothing at all to do with temps, oil, inclines or gas. It's done it to me every time I've moved the car a very short distance, like out of the garage or back into the garage. I can pretty much recreate it any time, last week being the latest when I pulled it out to clean the inside. When I start the car and actually drive it somewhere, it's fine.

How something like this fails to get noticed in basic testing is beyond me. So I'm not holding my breath for a recall even though there probably should be one.