I have an 05 Mini Cooper S and have noticed that shifting into any gear is difficult at times but not continuously. Is there a sensor or some other electrical control part that might cause this problem as the fluid level checks OK? Any ideas where to start looking? Thanks for reading this post and any ideas that you may have.

 

I've got the same thing happening. Occasionally shifting into 1st or 2nd is difficult. Some days its fine other days its difficult. Any suggestions? I have been thinking about changing the trany fluid (46,000 miles).

Thx

 

We live on a dirt road with a lot of dust. Try a little spray lube on the shifter cables at the knuckles. A little difficult to get at but this worked well for us. Mileage was >80K.
Good Luck!

 

Yep.....check for corrosion/sticky cables. Tranny fluid won't help.

 

Hi All,

Thanks for the guidance. What's the best way to get to the cables? I have a Bentley Service manual and they suggest removal of the Air Filter housing to get to the cables. Can I get to them from the underside of the vehicle without removing the Air Filter Housing?

Thanks

 

You would need to check both ends. And yes, you do need to take the intake off to really be able to see them. You can kind of get to them from under the car.

 

Hi,

I found this posting. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-to-shift.html

Thanks so much for your help. I'll let you know how this turns out.

 

I hope it's not too late for you, but please, do yourself a favor and get rid of this car while you still can.

I have been enduring a waking nightmare since I bought my 05 mini. There are tons of other people just like me who have had the same problem. The transmission on the 05 mini has major problems.

Mine is sitting out in front of my house because BMW/Mini thinks it's reasonable to charge $10,000 to fix it!!! Ten grand!! For a problem they've known about.

I found someone else who can put in a used one for the low, low price of $4500, so now I'm just trying to save.

I even had an extended warranty on this car that would have covered the transmission, but of course, now it's expired.

I am so heartbroken. I loved my car more than I can say and my dream car has turned into my worst nightmare. Besides the transmission, have already spent about $4000 in various repairs since I bought the car in April of 09.

 

Nice first post and very informative.

I am sure the OP appreciates the help.

 

Are you implying it all started with sticky linkage cables?

 

Anyone tried bleeding your clutch slave cylinder? If your clutch doesn't actuate fully, it won't go into gear.

 

Good Call on the bleedy-bleedy.

How many miles are on the car? I would pull the air box and check the cables, they are little ball join connections, if they are real loose, that could be your problem, same with the shifter end.

 

I actually have my 05 at the dealer today and one of the things I've asked them to check out is this issue. We've only had it about 5 months and about 6 weeks ago it started doing this on occasion. Often it's harder to get it into first gear than into reverse. Also happens randomly. Doesn't matter if the clutch is all the way to the floor or not. Of course it was working fine when I drove it in the the dealer (as always ). I'll keep post back as to what they come back with. I'm 99% sure I'll just get a "cannot duplicate". My warranty expires on Friday

We only have just over 30K miles on it.

 

Update : Dealer is telling me that there is metal shavings in fluid, could be syncros, clutch feels stiff (feels great to me) and that they want to replace the entire tranny. BUT...there is a note in Mini database that they will not cover this on warranty because we have Dinan upgrades WTF? I'm so pissed right now. Waiting for Dinan to call me back. Their warranty extends the length of the Mini warranty and says they will cover any manufacturer parts/compenents IF the Dinan upgrades directly affect it. Well how can intake related upgrades affect the clutch? Come on... that's total BS. Anyway...saga continues. Will keep you updated.

oh btw Mini quoted me $6700 to replace tranny.

 

I have an '05 S and I had noticed it would occasionally get hard to shift into 1st and 2nd. then one day the clutch went to the floor. I had my clutch slave cylinder replaced; it was leaking. That's been a few months ago. Today my clutch has no pressure and won't go into any gear. My husband noticed the slave cylinder was leaking again.

 

Well was able to get the tranny replaced on warranty. They recommended I replace the clutch while they had it torn apart so it cost me about $400. Picked it up on Friday. Clutch feels great but shifter still feels stiff at times. This AM it wouldn't go into first again for a bit...it lurched and engine light came on. Very strange...I'm thinking this is a different issue than the clutch/tranny alltogether. Maybe the cables??

 

blonda- Did you ever get the problem with the shifter fixed on this car? I have been dealing with the same issues. Just had the clutch replaced this week but am still having issues with the shifter. I was thinking that maybe something came loose in there but I don't know. And just like you... it doesn't happen all the time.

 

Miniola -

I'm thinking it was a break in issue because after a couple of weeks it never happened again. I was a little frustrated because the dealer had replaced my entire tranny for those very same symptoms (they had found metal shavings in the fluid), but all is good now

Have you looked at greasing your shifter cables? You may want to check into that if you have not already. Hopefully you don't have the same issue I did (do you have the 6 Speed Getrag?).

 

I think that I do have the Getrag. Although my MINI is '08 it's still a 1st gen... same as the '05 I had (both Cabrios). I have about 23k on this MINI right now. Noticed a problem with shifting into 1st from a stop back when I got it in Sept '08. Tried getting it looked at/fixed many times... was worried about it being a clutch problem. I don't know much about clutches but I know that mine was just replaced along with the flywheel. (Some bulletin # was referenced) I had also had vibration in the clutch pedal and shifter for a long time.

I just got the MINI back yesterday and the clutch feels so much better now but the shifter still has the same problem. (Nothing was done with the shifter.) A few months ago I was driving and heard/felt some kind of weird click sound in the shifter area and then it was more difficult shifting into other gears. I was thinking that maybe a nut came loose or something but again, I had tried to get it looked at. No dice.

I know I'm probably going to have to go back to the dealer but I just got the MINI back yesterday and I don't really know how/when to try to squeeze in another visit. I am more concerned that whatever is going on will damage the new clutch. I feel like whatever it is that it's probably a simple fix.

 

If you are under warranty I would definitely get the dealer to at least document your complaints, even if they claim they cannot find a problem. I was so surprised when my dealer called me and told me I needed a new tranny, I was totally expecting them to say they could not duplicate the issue. This was one week before my warranty expired too