Is this normal (well, DUH!...) Actually, this is my first post in the forums. I searched for this particular problem, and I found some mention about 2005-2006 MCsa's and issues with the automatic transmission (or was it the transaxle? I forget).

The car has 6,500 miles. It was driven very sedately before I bought it from my parents. My mother had some issues with the transmission getting stuck in first and fifth, but they always cleared up if she turned off the car (shades of Microsoft at work here). Anyway, the car kept getting stuck in first and fifth gears, so I took it to the dealership.

After two weeks of not giving me any answers, they said they'd have to replace the whole transmission. One month passed and I got the car back. Two weeks later, the car got stuck in first and fifth gears... again. I took it again to the dealership, which kept the car for a week, not giving me any answers. Then, when I threatened with legal action, they said they had found the problem (an unplugged wire) and that I should go get the car.

Two weeks later, I began hearing a very, very quiet click; whenever the car was in first gear. Click... click. On the drivers' side. It wasn't nothing alarming.. actually, I didn't pay any attention to it. Then, I felt as if the car's ride was bumpier than usual, especially when accelerating. It felt strange.. as if the suspension wasn't working correctly.

That night, something happened. While trying to accelerate from a standstill quite slowly, I heard a loud BANG. And the tach went straight to 6,000 RPMs, without the car moving. I could hear as if something had broken free, because there was a metallic sound whenever I accelerated, but no forward motion. When I put the car in Park, I could hear grinding gears all around.

One week later, I still don't know a thing about the car, and I just wish it had been stolen or something, so I didn't have to see it again. It has been the most unreliable car I've ever owned. I'm still willing to give it a chance, though. I suppose the dealer never fixed the transmission to begin with, and there was never an unplugged connector, either.

Is this a "normal" thing with 2005 MCsa's? Is there a way to fix it? Or, should I just sell the car and get something else?

 

I haven't heard of this happening before. I've got nearly 40k miles on a 2005 MCSa. Mine has been making a clicking noise in first and second although I'm not sure it is the tranny. The only problem I ever had was an initial software problem that made it go into limp mode.

 

you are still under warranty so MINI dealer should make it right...if they can't fix it, contact MINI USA and explain the entire situation...I'm sorry for your problems...my 05 MCSa has been sweet...yours is an unusual ocurrence...if they can't fix it you've got the lemon law to consider...Good luck.

 

That's good to know I'm actually wishing it'll all go away when / if they finally decide to fix whatever is wrong with it, since the car is an absolute blast to drive.

 

Sounds like it!

 

Sorry to hear about your MINI.

I track automatic problems and am a moderator for automatic transmission problems on MINI2.com. I also have owned three automatic MINI's, and my current MINI is an automatic S.

The 6 speed Aisin installed in the MCS is one of the most reliable transmissions that you can buy. My guess is that since your dealer has never dealt with a serious problem with a 6 speed automatic, that they have no experience with diagnosing problems with the transmission.

I would recommend calling MINI USA, and they can assist your dealer in getting your MINI fixed right.

You are really almost alone with your problem. My money is on one more try, and you will be fixed for good.

Keep us informed, and good luck.

Jim

 

MINI USA can be very helpful in situations like this as the others have said.

 

Don't be too quick to claim lemon law as a remedy on this one. Lemon law coverage usually applies to the first 12 months/12,000 miles. Better to work with MINIUSA toward resolution under the new car warranty coverage.

I would echo the other statements about the reliability of the MCSa.

 

Thanks for all your comments.

I just got the VIN of my car, and will write MINI. Hopefully, this time the car will be fixed correctly. I think the dealer is hopeless.

 

Update: I decided to write Mini in Germany (I don't live in the States, btw). I'd love to end my problems once and for all. Much to my surprise, they answered in less than a day, requesting more information about the dealership, my issues with the car, mileage, etc. They replied (again) in less than one day, telling me they were already looking into the issue. It seems Mini really does take complaints seriously. This experience is completely different than the ones I've had with VW and the New Beetle...

 

Hope you get a good resolution of your problem. If worst comes to worst, you might consider parking the car outside of BMW's H.Q. with a sign on it that the car is a Lemon.... PR value and all.

 

I now know what happened to the car...

Transaxle failure.

I suppose they never fixed the transmission in the first place, and my dealers' cryptic comment the first time I brought the car to the dealership... "just wait 'till the car breaks down and bring it back" meant they knew about the problem.

I told them that they were very unprofessional in not fixing the transaxle when they knew this is a common issue with '05 cars. The rep muttered something like "sorry", and told me the car would be ready in about 2 weeks.

Aw, well. Hopefully, it'll be a new transaxle design.

 

mini buyback lemon law

 

What does that mean?

 

I think dlroto is confusing Lemon Laws in the U.S.A. with your circumstance in Germany. I was wondering about that post myself. Net, net, I hope you get your car completely repaired in a couple of weeks.

 

Was it a bad transmission or a driveshaft?

 

Oops...double posted.

 

Oh no. Now you guys have me worried. I own a 2006 MCSa (July 2006 Build date) and it only has about 7,000 miles on it.

In the past month, when I first start moving in the morning (car has been sitting in garage all night), I put the car into "D"rive and there is an immediate "snick!" (or "click") sound eminating from the driver side area of the engine compartment. You can hear the "snick!" with windows up or down, doesn't matter.

Then, if I come to a stop light, as soon as I start moving forward again, there is that same metallic "click" sound. But it is not EVERY TIME... it happens 50% of the time I "take off" from a stop. "Snick!" Almost the sound that a manual transmission makes when it clicks into gear. But of course this is an auto transmission S.

All the gears seem fine, I mean, the behavior of the car/transmission has not changed; it shifts up and down through gears as normal.

But I'm still concerned.

What parts of the transimssion "engage" when the car is put from "P"ark into "D"rive.

Similarly, when the car is ALREADY in "D"rive (first gear) at a stop light, why would it "snick" once again upon take-off?

I'm going to take it in for an oil change in July, by then I will have 10K miles. It will be exactly 1 year since I took delivery of the car, and I have never had to take it in for service since then. I'll have them look at it then.

And to think, I traded in my 2003 MINI CVT at 50,000 miles because I was worried about the tranny failing... thinking that a 2006 MCSa with the Aisin tranny would be a more reliable endeavor. Hope so!


-boognish

 

Driveshaft. You are right. I got my terms confused.

The dealership insists the transmission was changed, and that the driveshaft failure has nothing to do with it. We'll see, I guess.

 

YES... the click thing that happened to me seems to be exactly the same as yours. It's very quiet, nothing unnerving, on the drivers' side. And you can't replicate it at will - it doesn't get worse depending on the acceleration rate, for example. It's just this... "click".

The only thing that clued me in that something was about to fail was that, when using full throttle, I could feel a very obvious vibration on the front passenger side. 2 hours later, the car had failed.

 

Sorry, about your MINI but if I were in your shoes I would raise H***! about this. There are many postings on the NAM website where auto trannies have expired long before their time. BMW/MINI refuse to release any data as to the extent of this problem. Makes you kinda wonder WHY? Also it is apparent that there is nobody who can rebuild these trannies. One person posted that the dealer would charge $10,000.00 to replace his trans. He raised a stink about it and corporate met him halfway. But that still is a lot of money to be putting up for something that should last a lot longer. You are lucky in one regard in that the car is still under warranty but what aggravation you have to suffer without your car. No compensation for that and no loaner program for mini owners. BMW has such a program for it's owners. You might be on the fringes of lemon law enforcement. Check your yellow pages for an attorney who specializes in this. Even a threat of this kind might make the dealer step up to the plate and take care of you. Good Luck.

 

bssiesmith,

Did you hear a constant "click click click click click" as you drove, or was it just one single click when puting the car into gear?

Because in my MINI's case, I only get a single metallic "click" sound when engaging the car into drive, and then a single "click" (sometimes) when starting off from a stop (car is already in "D"rive at this point).

The clicking is not constant/continuous while the car is in motion, just one click and it's done.

Thanks for clarifying,

-boognish

 

I've noticed the single click like you are describing. It will do it when going from "P" to "D", "P" to "R", sometimes when slowing, and sometimes when going from no throttle to throttle at low speeds. It is not as loud now after they replaced the control arm bushings and power steering fan, but it does squeak now when the steering wheel is turned.

 

I have heard of driveshafts coming off of some MCSa's.

 

Perhaps you could elaborate about your claim? I am aware of numerous postings about the CVT failing at the 50,000 to 60,000 mile mark, but other than a couple of posts about driveshafts popping out, I haven't seen many postings about failures of the Aisin-Warner torque converter based transmission failing.

Also, you need to check your assertion about Lemon Law. Generally after 12 months (24 months is usually the limit), there is no coverage for Lemon Law claims. A Lemon Law claim would have to be brought in the state where the car was purchased. Are you advocating that bssiesmith fly back to the U.S.A. to prosecute the Lemon Law claim? And, depending on where the car was delivered, the Lemon Law coverage may be limited to the original purchaser.

I think, given the circumstances, getting the car repaired under warranty is the best outcome for bssiesmith. If the problem is the driveshaft(s) popping out, it is not the end of the world. The transmission gets replaced and life goes on.