I have an appointment at the dealer to get a few other things fixed tomorrow, but I have a question for you guys. I want to know if this is normal or not before I ask if it can be checked out.

Whenever I start my car, or I'm letting it sit at idle at a light, I get this rumbling feeling in my seat, my shift ****, and my steering wheel. It's pretty subtle mostly, but sometimes it actually feels like the car is struggling to stay on, like it's going to stall.

This is with the car in neutral, without my foot on the clutch. I always put 91 or 93 octane fuel in my car, and I have only had my oil changed by the dealer.

Does anyone else get this feeling? I don't remember it happening before a few days ago.

Just thought I'd ask here first (since the dealer doesn't like me much anymore ).

Thanks.

 

Never noticed anything like that.

 

Drew I have an 08 MCa (03/08) I do have a vibration feeling in the steering wheel on start up and at idle. During some mornings Molly has a pulsating RPM, nothing like stalling, but as I'm backing her out of the driveway (steep) I can feel it in the brake pedal as well. I'm not worried about it, but since you have a MCm you might do yourself some good and talk to your Dealer.

Good Luck!!

 

You guys sure this isn't the timing chain tensioner issue (AKA, cold start rattle)? Is it only at idle? What happens when you rev it a little?

 

I don't think so Robin I have an MC (JustaCooper) as does Drew, or so I think he does. I'm not hearing any unusual noises while this is happening.

 

Yeah, I have an MC. It's not just at cold start, it's any time I'm at idle. I can rev it a bit, but once it idles again it starts rumbling.

I just sent Mark the SA an email to give him a heads up for the new problem I need to talk to him about in the morning.

 

Let me know what they say. I don't see it as a problem, its certainly NOT the Cold Start Rattle, but it doesn't hurt to ask the experts!! I might have said something to my SA on Friday, but again I don't see it as a problem. I guess I'll keep an eye on it and if I need to I'll mention it next month when Molly goes in for her 1.5yr. Check-up!!

 

Sounds like your idle speed is too low. If everything smooths out when you raise the engine speed at idle by gently pressing the accelerator just a bit -you need to ask them to increase your idle speed a tad. Sometimes only 50 RPM (on the tachometer) is all it takes to smooth everything back out. All cars will do this once the idle speed falls below a certain point. Had to have them do the same thing on my wife's BMW 530.

 

How many miles on the cooper? I am with gawannamini probably just idle speed set a little low, but can be any small tuning issue, bad gas, partially fouled plug, fouled injector, etc.

 

Of course this morning it stopped happening so my guess is that I just got some bad gas in there. Seems fine now.

Thanks guys.

 

Sometimes is depends on if the AC is on or not. The engine controls try to compensate for the load of the AC compressor. I have seen AC running make it appear or disappear. Try it both ways and see. Of course a slug of bad fuel can cause this too as you indicated.