Good luck, but don't get your hopes up for the first visit unless they've issued a bulletin...or "PUMA" - will look forward to the definition of that acronym down the line.

 

6 years, 4 MINIs and over 100K miles combined under my belt. My first MINI was a 2002. Been there done that. Trust me, I have had some experience in this regard.

Give that new shifter another 10K-30K miles. If the light doesn't comeback, them we'll know there was a defective batch of shifters. Otherwise, I ain't holding my breath.

 

That's fine you really know your MINI I don't want to start an angry discussion here I was just curious why you thought you were an expert. I take it you are not having the same problem as all of us here are. I was wondering if you have ever had this problem with your MINI or any of your MINIS? My SA told me that they had to wait for the part to be released from Germany so I do believe that it is a legitimate part and not a defective part.

 

Perhaps the best questions might be about the *"new automatic" and whether or not something different was done with its shifter mechanism for the 2008s?

My experience, up until my 2008 MCCa, has been limited to the now discontinued CVT automatic MINI.

*by using "new" I did, indeed mean to mark the difference between the CVT and the AISIN, but my acronyms failed me at the original time of this post.

 

The AISIN 6-speed automatic and related components has been used by MINI in production since early 2005. So this is not some "all new" transmission that they have never seen before. The AISIN began its life in the 2005 R52 and R53 Cooper S models (Jan 2005 production onwards). So it is been almost 4 years that MINI has been offering this transmission.

The CVT (Which I had and drove for 6 years) was exclusive to the R50 and R52 Cooper models and was a totally different beast made by manufacturer ZF in Belgium.

 

I have had the amber "gear" light shown up on my 6 month old Clubman S (4K miles) like 3-5 times ever since I got the car. The last time it lighted up was like 3 weeks ago and its been fine since. This is the only 'glitch' I have had with this otherwise flawless car.

Sorry to be so brutally honest, but in my experience of owning MINIs and countless other makes I have found that manufacturers often "react" to creeping problems by randomly changing parts and often these swaps involve replacing the same defective part for another defective part.

Like I said, unless the actual part numbers have changed and/or there is an official MINI issued technical service bulletin identifying a concrete problem with a certain batch of shifters, I am not holding my breath. A PUMA report is the first line of "defense" when issues begin to crop up and reports are generated by the dealership body and sent back to the manufacturer to trace back and determine where problems are originating and why.

We all (myself included) would like to see a final fix, but I am not rushing to get down to my dealer and have them take apart my new car in hopes that they will "fix it". I still think this is a software issue because of how infrequent it happens (at least to me).

Being a computer guy by trade, I tend to fault the code before the actual hardware.

There is no need to get defensive. All I am trying to do here is to bring some perspective into the issue and help you approach the problem from a more realistic point of view.

Problems on a new car are the most frustrating thing in the world, no matter how small they may be. Having your new $20K-$30K toy broken is not fun at all.

 

As promised I would let everyone know what PUMA was that my SA kept mentioning to me.When he called me this afternoon to update me on the part ordered I asked him what PUMA means.

So here it is:

My SA doesn't know what the acronym for PUMA means but he explained this to me.When my MCSa was plugged into the OBD II port the information from it would get passed on to the local field rep and also to the engineers in Germany simultaneously so they could monitor and diagnose what the cause was.Then reported back to my SA to order a new shifter mechanism for my car.My SA said the part will ship most likely next Monday and should arrive within the week or the following week.Once it arrives I will be contacted to bring Scrappy in for the installation.

 

This is my first post, and it's to say thanks for providing me with the knowledge to approach my service department prepared.

I actually called my Motoring Advisor yesterday and explained the problem with my MCSa. His response was that it sounded like a sensor. Because of this forum I was able to assure him that it was neither a sensor, nor was it a matter of cable adjustment. He said he would have the service coordinator call me back shortly.

I received that call within about twenty minutes. He had me describe the problem, said he would order a new shift assembly today, and call me to schedule the repair as soon as the part arrived.

Apparently, they first encountered this problem about two months ago, and have since repaired four or five. So, smooth sailing thanks to knowledge!

Oh, and Roadshow MINI in Cordova (Memphis) rocks!

 

Because of your being in Little Rock, I'm wondering if we have the same dealer, Roadshow in Cordova. If so, you won't have any problems with your repair. I've just posted about my experience. I spoke first with Carl MA and then with Todd Fulford SA and my part is on order.

I had similar concerns as you since I'm 120 miles in the other direction. I didn't wan't to be running back and forth down the "primrose path" of jumping through repair hoops...

 

Welcome to NAM MonaB

As you will notice with this online community we all try to help each other with our MINIs whether related to repairs,warranty work,modifying,good and bad dealerships and the list goes on

 

Thank you, Jim, for the welcome! I'm so happy to have discovered NAM.

 

I think I'll have to move to Memphis! Very impressed by your recount MonaB - your SA sounds unusual to me. Good for you all!

I also understand where you're coming from ClubmanS, and didn't take your responses negatively. I've read enought of your posts to know you're a very knowlegable and helpful member of the MINI community.

 

Well, we went in for our service call today and just as anticipated, they merely diagnosed the problem and had to order the parts (a new shifter mechanism ). We were only there a little over an hour so I can't be too upset at this point since the dealership's only about 15 min. away and it's always fun to go look at MINIs and snack on yummy chocolate chip cookies while we wait. They said the parts should be here in 3-4 days and they'll schedule us for an appointment at that time. Since it's only supposed to take a couple hours for the repair, we'll probably wait for it. I just hope this will fix it permanently, though I have my doubts considering ClubmanS' thoughts about a software glitch. Not that we have much choice at this stage since the gear icon popped up on the way home again, confirming that it's almost a daily occurence now.

BTW, welcome to the group, MonaB! Consider youself lucky you got an SA willing to take your word for it and order the parts in advance (though it only makes good sense considering the inconvenience they would have put you through otherwise).

 

I've put about 2,100 miles on my car since having the shifter replaced and all is good . I don't think it was a software glitch. I just think there was a bad batch of shifters installed in our cars. Most of the folks reporting here seem to have February / March build cars.

 

That could very well be and good deduction being that my production date is February 27,2008 as stored on my car computer and March 2008 from the dealership print out.

 

Thanks for the welcome!

 

That's encouraging, Russ. Do you happen to know if the replacement shifter is the same part no. or has a revision been made?

 

I would imagine it is the same part number as the one replaced. Probably a new lot# though: Here is the shifter assy # as reported in my repair invoice:

1 25-16-7-577-589 Gearshift Assy, Steptronic:251030

 

Ahhh, thanks for the more detailed info.; gives me something to compare to on my paperwork.

 

Once again, Russ, many thanks for the helpful information.

 

Thank you Russ for posting the replacement shifter part number

 

I was checking REALOEM.com and the part number given for the automatic shifter steptronic assembly (2007 model year) is:

25167524785

The new part number is different. OK that gives some hope. Let's give these replacement shifters 10K-20K mile workout and if the light doesn't comeback, then we all can sing victory.

By the way, my Clubman was assembled the third week of January 2008.

Linky here:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...48&hg=25&fg=20

 

PUMA: Parallel Universal Message passing Architecture.

Something that is taught at the BMW training school on day one when they teach SAs how to get the entire Mini/BMW organisation involved in communicating and resolving a technical problem.

 

been a few weeks since they replaced the shifter mechanism and no more amber light problems.

 

Excellent and thank you Ian and I am sure others will appreciate that information for the description also