Hey all, I had this clunking sound coming from the front somewhere, it would only happen when I hit certain bumps that would cause the front wheels to bounce sharply. Then I noticed if I hit those same bumps while stepping on the brakes the clunking sound didn't happen. I decided that maybe the brake shoes or calipers were loose or something so I took off the front wheels to inspect them. I found the brake shoes slightly loose and able to slide up and down about 2 mm but enough to make a clunking sound. I inserted some metal spacers between the shoes and calipers to keep them from sliding up and down; took a test drive and no more clunking!!! Happy days are here again so I decided to go motoring on a 140 mile trip up to the North Shore to watch the big surf and get some pizza and ice cream. What a great drive in my Mini!

 

I would definitely have that checked by your dealer under warranty. You should not have to do any shimming to stop that clunk. What you did will probably cause more brake wear .

 

I just don't have time to get off work during the week to take it in and they're closed on weekends. The spacers I put in just keep the brake pads from moving up and down on the caliper, they didn't end up being tighter against the rotors, just tighter against the caliper, does that make sense? I'll have them look at it at the first oil change... I only have 1700 miles on it

 

I occasionally heard a clunk when I hit the brake pedal when backing up. I back into my garage and hear it when I first hit the brake. Doesn't happen all the time though.

 

My R56 has the same sound. The dealership, after changing left suspension, steering column, steering arms, steering aid box and finally transmission and differential, came to the conclusion that it is this last part that causes the clacking. Mine does it when I am in gear going really slow in bumpy roads, no neutral. Still BS to me, because my car did not have that sound originally, and after only about 700 miles the sound popped; my car is currently around 1500 miles and has been in the shop for 6 weeks now and they have not been able to get rid of the noise!

 

I think the sound I am hearing is different than what you describe. Mine only happens when I brake. I think it's the shoes moving slightly. It doesn't happen all the time though, but has happened since new, randomly.

If the dealership went through all the trouble of replacing those parts, they must have thought what they heard was a serious problem. I wonder why they would just say it's "normal" after all that. Sounds like BS to me too.

 

Check you sway bar bushings

 

WELL....my clunking happened once, and I could feel it through the pedals, then stopped for a week. I thought maybe something had just gotten stuck underneath my MCS. Then it happened again. I called to get it in to be looked at on the Monday. BUT on Sunday, it started doing it more frequently on a 60-mile trip, but not just hitting the brakes or whatever. Then the "service engine soon" light came on and the fluid light came on and it overheated. Car dead on side of road. ARGH.

Got it towed to MINI, found out I had a slow leak in my coolant system that wasn't readily detectable by the car system, and by the time the coolant was really, REALLY low, the gasket blew, warped, whatever, and it blew the cylinder. Thank God it was all under warranty. Rebuilt in a week. Hope that isn't what you have.

Valerie

 

If anyone has experienced this clanking sound look at this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=132893
I think i may have found my problem and maybe yours too.