SAGA of the dual Mass Flywheel and the dealership hurting my AeroKit
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SAGA of the dual Mass Flywheel and the dealership hurting my AeroKit
Fellow MINI owners
Grab a cup of coffee and join me around the fire, as we hear the tale of the SAGA of my R56....
I am writing today regarding the premature clutch/dual mass flywheel failure and related, subsequent major scrape damage to my aero kit, and damage to my bumper on MyStique, my R56 2008 MINI COOPER S
I have completed an extensive internet search, and discovered other MINI owners who also reported 'worn out' clutches and flywheel cracks at very low mileage. All of these MINI owners report dealerships across the world refusing to cover the problems, suggesting this is just 'wear and tear'! I urge MINI to launch their own investigation. There is enough anecdotal evidence to initiate a recall, and mass replacement of all dual mass flywheels/clutches in R56 six speed, manual transmissions!
A driver in England writes, “Am predicting a battle with the lease company as to who foots the bill, but this is ridiculous.” (Driver Mini 007, London, England, posted July 21, 2009). Driver MOS writes, “I got my clutch done under warranty at 21k, and know others with r56s of similar age to yours that have had their clutch done at more miles than yours, try other dealers, or ring BMW.” (July 20, 2010, Great Britain).
Dave PM wrote “Same happened to me at 23K, tried warranty, wear and tear I was told went to MINI themselves and they said the same. The dealer has to conclude that there was a fault if you are to get a warranty claim, BMW will need to see evidence, unfortunately a worn clutch is the only evidence so no luck there, mine cost £1600 to get fixed, I needed a new flywheel as well. Dealer was sympathetic and offered me 15% off a new car” (July 24, 2009).
T.Baker, Connecticut USA, wrote on 11/20/09, “Hello All, I hate to make this my first post on the forums, but I need some help. My fiancé purchased a 2009 Mini Cooper S almost exactly one year ago. It currently has about 14,000 miles. Today on her way to work the car broke down and from what the dealership says it looks like her clutch failed. They are telling her that clutches are a "normal wear item" and therefore the repair won't be covered under warranty. I know clutches wear out eventually, however it's insane to think that an OEM clutch should wear out after 14k of highway commuting. We have never had issues with the car before today, it's been perfect. From my experience, one can usually feel a clutch wearing out well in advance of outright failure. They have yet to tell me exactly what part failed, so I don't know if it's the pressure plate/ throwout bearing etc... Has anyone else has this type of issue? If so, were you able to get it warranty? Up until today we loved the whole Mini experience but now…”
Thumper MCS, Arizona, wrote on 11/20/09, Have had clutches replaced under warranty on both of my MINI's...Just had my clutch replaced at 25k miles...under warranty.
This is a very dealer dependent thing, if they will warranty it or not. If the clutch is simply worn out...and they see no other signs of damage, they might not warranty it. But, if they see any part of it failed...throwout bearing or pressure plate like you say, there’s no reason why it should not be replaced under warranty. Throwout bearing failure is a common problem on MINI's...as they are complete junk on these cars. Good luck fighting with them...if you bug them/convince them enough you might get them to do it as a "one time, goodwill" repair under warranty.”
Kevin C writes, “In my short time following this site, I've read about WAY too many premature clutch failures. It's clear as a bell that MINI is putting inferior clutches into these cars. And I suspect that all the stealership service departments know it and would agree, based on how many they must be replacing. It's one thing for some young kid to bring in his "first" car, that shows signs of being abused/driven hard, and the kid has never driven a car with a stick before - and quite another when it's an adult-driven car owned by someone who's been driving manual tranny cars for decades. In the latter scenario, a clutch should be good for 100k miles and beyond. Failing at something ridiculous like 14k is CLEARLY a defect. Don't stand still for the warranty denial!”
To conclude T Baker’s story, they posted on 11/24/09, “The dealership left a message with my fiancé this morning. They are repairing the clutch under the maintenance plan as a "one time goodwill repair." They say we'll have to pay for the rental because maintenance plan repairs don't include a loaner/rental car. I tried calling them back to find out what part broke, but the receptionist puts me through to voicemail every time I call. I'm hoping they will spell it out on the repair order when we get the car back…Now that I have a resolution, and for all who were interested, the dealer is Mini of Fairfield County in Stamford, CT. They are owned by BMW of Darien. If anyone ends up working with them in the future, I would suggest bookmarking this thread just in case they give you a hard time about any clutch issues.”
There are many, many more reports of premature clutch failure on R56 models. Valeo Service issued a service bulletin about the premature failure of the dual mass flywheel, in March 2008.
I am firmly of the opinion that the dual mass flywheel OEM equipment in my car is faulty, and should not have had to pay anything to repair defective equipment. There is anecdotal evidence in USA, Canada and UK to support warranty work on prematurely failed clutches and flywheels.
The Tale Continues...
On the advice of MINI USA, I formally requested “goodwill”, and my cost share was half of the repair, had it been covered under warranty. My bill came to $987.52.
From the sampling of stories above, most customers did not have any cost-share; their repairs were covered by Goodwill, 100%, with no out-of-pocket expenses.
On Friday September 10, 2010, I drove more than 55 miles from my home to the dealership to retrieve my MINI COOPER S and pay $987.52.
When my SM and I were done in the office, I walked toward my MINI, I noticed several huge gashes on the passenger side front, the aero kit was completely mauled, with the curls of fiberglass still hanging perilously across the scars, where the car had been bottomed out. The car has been seriously damaged, and upon further inspection, the bumper or paint had some parallel lines, as if the car’s bumper was harmed during the few days it was in the dealership for the premature clutch failure service.
Imagine my devastation.
The MINI is my husband’s pet. We carefully hand wash it on the weekends, have paid for custom graphics, and only fill it with premium unleaded fuel. We are active in our local MINI car club; participate in the Halloween Parade of Cars, MINIs for Kids, which is a fundraiser for Loma Linda Ronald McDonald house, and also, the MINI Toys Car drive, where club members fill a MINI with toys for underprivileged children.
My vehicle is now a damaged vehicle. The major damage is being repaired, but it will never be the same. Its resale value has been affected, to say nothing of the ongoing inconvenience of being without my MINI. I do appreciate the loaner MINI, but this situation is unacceptable. $987.52 is what I paid for a clutch that evidence suggests was a malfunctioning part, only to suffer the negligence of the staff, as they caused thousands of dollars of damage to our beloved MINI.
In compensation for my further inconvenience, I demand that all work relating to this entire experience be completed without cost to me, therefore, I request a refund of the $987.52 I have already spent. I urge you to do the right thing in the face of such egregious negligence. Particularly, since other MINI owners in the USA had their dealerships cover the costs, 100%.
As the spouse of a deployed service member, underway at sea until February 2011, I do appreciate what has been done thus far, but this situation remains painfully incomplete, and I have suffered beyond reason during this entire experience. This vehicle is very important to him.
I can only attest to my competence and skill in driving. I was willing to drive to the dealership and back, taking over four hours and nearly 200 miles of my time and effort, all for nothing, because of the damage, the car remains in the custody of the dealership.
I called MINI USA Customer service, they will call the dealership on my behalf, to request the refund. But, if the dealer says NO, theres NOTHING we can do.
Thus, you are now up to date with the SAGA of my R56, we'll see what the dealership says about refunding me my money!
Grab a cup of coffee and join me around the fire, as we hear the tale of the SAGA of my R56....
I am writing today regarding the premature clutch/dual mass flywheel failure and related, subsequent major scrape damage to my aero kit, and damage to my bumper on MyStique, my R56 2008 MINI COOPER S
I have completed an extensive internet search, and discovered other MINI owners who also reported 'worn out' clutches and flywheel cracks at very low mileage. All of these MINI owners report dealerships across the world refusing to cover the problems, suggesting this is just 'wear and tear'! I urge MINI to launch their own investigation. There is enough anecdotal evidence to initiate a recall, and mass replacement of all dual mass flywheels/clutches in R56 six speed, manual transmissions!
A driver in England writes, “Am predicting a battle with the lease company as to who foots the bill, but this is ridiculous.” (Driver Mini 007, London, England, posted July 21, 2009). Driver MOS writes, “I got my clutch done under warranty at 21k, and know others with r56s of similar age to yours that have had their clutch done at more miles than yours, try other dealers, or ring BMW.” (July 20, 2010, Great Britain).
Dave PM wrote “Same happened to me at 23K, tried warranty, wear and tear I was told went to MINI themselves and they said the same. The dealer has to conclude that there was a fault if you are to get a warranty claim, BMW will need to see evidence, unfortunately a worn clutch is the only evidence so no luck there, mine cost £1600 to get fixed, I needed a new flywheel as well. Dealer was sympathetic and offered me 15% off a new car” (July 24, 2009).
T.Baker, Connecticut USA, wrote on 11/20/09, “Hello All, I hate to make this my first post on the forums, but I need some help. My fiancé purchased a 2009 Mini Cooper S almost exactly one year ago. It currently has about 14,000 miles. Today on her way to work the car broke down and from what the dealership says it looks like her clutch failed. They are telling her that clutches are a "normal wear item" and therefore the repair won't be covered under warranty. I know clutches wear out eventually, however it's insane to think that an OEM clutch should wear out after 14k of highway commuting. We have never had issues with the car before today, it's been perfect. From my experience, one can usually feel a clutch wearing out well in advance of outright failure. They have yet to tell me exactly what part failed, so I don't know if it's the pressure plate/ throwout bearing etc... Has anyone else has this type of issue? If so, were you able to get it warranty? Up until today we loved the whole Mini experience but now…”
Thumper MCS, Arizona, wrote on 11/20/09, Have had clutches replaced under warranty on both of my MINI's...Just had my clutch replaced at 25k miles...under warranty.
This is a very dealer dependent thing, if they will warranty it or not. If the clutch is simply worn out...and they see no other signs of damage, they might not warranty it. But, if they see any part of it failed...throwout bearing or pressure plate like you say, there’s no reason why it should not be replaced under warranty. Throwout bearing failure is a common problem on MINI's...as they are complete junk on these cars. Good luck fighting with them...if you bug them/convince them enough you might get them to do it as a "one time, goodwill" repair under warranty.”
Kevin C writes, “In my short time following this site, I've read about WAY too many premature clutch failures. It's clear as a bell that MINI is putting inferior clutches into these cars. And I suspect that all the stealership service departments know it and would agree, based on how many they must be replacing. It's one thing for some young kid to bring in his "first" car, that shows signs of being abused/driven hard, and the kid has never driven a car with a stick before - and quite another when it's an adult-driven car owned by someone who's been driving manual tranny cars for decades. In the latter scenario, a clutch should be good for 100k miles and beyond. Failing at something ridiculous like 14k is CLEARLY a defect. Don't stand still for the warranty denial!”
To conclude T Baker’s story, they posted on 11/24/09, “The dealership left a message with my fiancé this morning. They are repairing the clutch under the maintenance plan as a "one time goodwill repair." They say we'll have to pay for the rental because maintenance plan repairs don't include a loaner/rental car. I tried calling them back to find out what part broke, but the receptionist puts me through to voicemail every time I call. I'm hoping they will spell it out on the repair order when we get the car back…Now that I have a resolution, and for all who were interested, the dealer is Mini of Fairfield County in Stamford, CT. They are owned by BMW of Darien. If anyone ends up working with them in the future, I would suggest bookmarking this thread just in case they give you a hard time about any clutch issues.”
There are many, many more reports of premature clutch failure on R56 models. Valeo Service issued a service bulletin about the premature failure of the dual mass flywheel, in March 2008.
I am firmly of the opinion that the dual mass flywheel OEM equipment in my car is faulty, and should not have had to pay anything to repair defective equipment. There is anecdotal evidence in USA, Canada and UK to support warranty work on prematurely failed clutches and flywheels.
The Tale Continues...
On the advice of MINI USA, I formally requested “goodwill”, and my cost share was half of the repair, had it been covered under warranty. My bill came to $987.52.
From the sampling of stories above, most customers did not have any cost-share; their repairs were covered by Goodwill, 100%, with no out-of-pocket expenses.
On Friday September 10, 2010, I drove more than 55 miles from my home to the dealership to retrieve my MINI COOPER S and pay $987.52.
When my SM and I were done in the office, I walked toward my MINI, I noticed several huge gashes on the passenger side front, the aero kit was completely mauled, with the curls of fiberglass still hanging perilously across the scars, where the car had been bottomed out. The car has been seriously damaged, and upon further inspection, the bumper or paint had some parallel lines, as if the car’s bumper was harmed during the few days it was in the dealership for the premature clutch failure service.
Imagine my devastation.
The MINI is my husband’s pet. We carefully hand wash it on the weekends, have paid for custom graphics, and only fill it with premium unleaded fuel. We are active in our local MINI car club; participate in the Halloween Parade of Cars, MINIs for Kids, which is a fundraiser for Loma Linda Ronald McDonald house, and also, the MINI Toys Car drive, where club members fill a MINI with toys for underprivileged children.My vehicle is now a damaged vehicle. The major damage is being repaired, but it will never be the same. Its resale value has been affected, to say nothing of the ongoing inconvenience of being without my MINI. I do appreciate the loaner MINI, but this situation is unacceptable. $987.52 is what I paid for a clutch that evidence suggests was a malfunctioning part, only to suffer the negligence of the staff, as they caused thousands of dollars of damage to our beloved MINI.
In compensation for my further inconvenience, I demand that all work relating to this entire experience be completed without cost to me, therefore, I request a refund of the $987.52 I have already spent. I urge you to do the right thing in the face of such egregious negligence. Particularly, since other MINI owners in the USA had their dealerships cover the costs, 100%.
As the spouse of a deployed service member, underway at sea until February 2011, I do appreciate what has been done thus far, but this situation remains painfully incomplete, and I have suffered beyond reason during this entire experience. This vehicle is very important to him.
I can only attest to my competence and skill in driving. I was willing to drive to the dealership and back, taking over four hours and nearly 200 miles of my time and effort, all for nothing, because of the damage, the car remains in the custody of the dealership.
I called MINI USA Customer service, they will call the dealership on my behalf, to request the refund. But, if the dealer says NO, theres NOTHING we can do.
Thus, you are now up to date with the SAGA of my R56, we'll see what the dealership says about refunding me my money!
Last edited by Euseys; Sep 16, 2010 at 10:23 AM.
I hope the dealer does the right thing and gives you a refund to cover your damages.
A story like this will drive buyers away from a Mini faster than any of the cute marketing effots Mini comes up with to sell them. Thanks for taking the time to explain your case and please let us know how things turn out.
A story like this will drive buyers away from a Mini faster than any of the cute marketing effots Mini comes up with to sell them. Thanks for taking the time to explain your case and please let us know how things turn out.
Sorry, but how is "My vehicle is now a damaged vehicle. The major damage is being repaired, but it will never be the same, Its resale value has been affected"
Exactly who will know? It's a body kit, there was no major panels involved, no insurance claim to go on Carfax, It's fiberglass and plastic and paint.
I'm sorry it happened, and so should the dealer...
As for dual mass flywheels, BMW has been using them for a long time. My 95 m3 has one, and it has worked well for 15 years. The clutch delay valve installed on 1996+ years is a problem. It allows the clutch to drag while being engaged, and does wear out the clutch. I have no idea if this is the same setup used by Mini (BMW), but most people remove the CDV and have no issues.
Exactly who will know? It's a body kit, there was no major panels involved, no insurance claim to go on Carfax, It's fiberglass and plastic and paint.
I'm sorry it happened, and so should the dealer...
As for dual mass flywheels, BMW has been using them for a long time. My 95 m3 has one, and it has worked well for 15 years. The clutch delay valve installed on 1996+ years is a problem. It allows the clutch to drag while being engaged, and does wear out the clutch. I have no idea if this is the same setup used by Mini (BMW), but most people remove the CDV and have no issues.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
The End of the Saga: My advice, dont go to them.
Greetings all,So, conveniently, the dealership already submitted the parts to MINI USA, so I cannot inspect them, or photograph them as evidence for a suspected manufacturer defect. Hmm.
Further, the dealership rejects my claim that the vehicle has suffered "diminished value" due to the repair of the damage they inflicted on my car.
Here we are, at the end of the saga, with a truly neutral outcome.
I paid $987 for a new clutch, they soaked up $2,000 (?) of cosmetic damages, giving me a new flat bumper piece and front aerokit piece.
As I explained to them, we're planning on a 2012 R56 Convertible. They are missing out on my $33,000 MINI by screwing me over for $900- but, thats ok.
MINI OF ESCONDIDO, You ____ L O S T ______ another client.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Greetings all,So, conveniently, the dealership already submitted the parts to MINI USA, so I cannot inspect them, or photograph them as evidence for a suspected manufacturer defect. Hmm.
Further, the dealership rejects my claim that the vehicle has suffered "diminished value" due to the repair of the damage they inflicted on my car.
Here we are, at the end of the saga, with a truly neutral outcome.
I paid $987 for a new clutch, they soaked up $2,000 (?) of cosmetic damages, giving me a new flat bumper piece and front aerokit piece.
As I explained to them, we're planning on a 2012 R56 Convertible. They are missing out on my $33,000 MINI by screwing me over for $900- but, thats ok.
MINI OF ESCONDIDO, You ____ L O S T ______ another client.
Good to know, I'm new to town and have the choice between that dealership and the new MINI of San Diego. Since MINI of San Diego is within a mile of work, I chose them for now. I'm hoping this is a good choice.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, but thank you for pointing out the poor dealership service to others.
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Wellington, Florida
My 2008 MCS with 46,000 miles is at the dealership as we speak. My warranty expires in January. While driving it I was unable to put it in gear. I pulled to the side of the road and turned the motor off. I restarted the Mini and placed it into gear. I let out the clutch and the motor reved, but the vehicle did not move. It acted as though it was in neutral. I had it towed to the dealer on Saturday. I spoke with my SA this morning, He told me if my clutch failed it would not be covered by warranty and it will cost me $4,000 to have it replaced along with the flywheel. I am in complete shock! My Mini has never given me an ounce of trouble. I had no prior warning of this failure. No slipping, No check engine lights or anything. I keep My Mini in pristine condition. I am praying it is not the clutch and that it will be covered. I totally love this car and planed on buying a Countryman when monies would allow. Now I think I may need to trade it for another more reliable vehicle. This has been a trying experience. I am awaiting to hear from my SA. Please wish me luck..........
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