I bought my mini in the summertime. I noticed that if the air is on the mini has a hard time taking off unless you really gas it and then it is like a snail taking off. I have gotten to the point of turning mine off if I am going to have to take off into on coming traffic or if I am on the slightest incline. If I am on a steep hill forget taking off with the air on. Oh I have an 03 cooper s. Anyone else encountered this problem and if so any suggestions or is there something wrong with my car?

 

Unfortunately, that's a "characteristic" of our cars. I did some testing and found that A/C saps away acceleration more than carrying an extra passenger does:



http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33585

 

I have an mc have not had to use a/c for 7 months but I don't remember it being as bad as you say

 

That was how I justified getting the 15% reduction pulley to my wife. Even in the Las Vegas summer, I drive with the AC off and the windows down. She wants the windows up and AC on. It makes sooooo much difference that it could be considered dangerous. The pulley helps though.

 

Thanks for the cool gragh. That is wonderful. How much does the pulley cost and did you do it yourself? Was it hard to do? Does that void your warrenty to add after market parts?

 

I had Randy Webb of Webb Motorsports (a NAM sponsor) put the pulley on at a pulley party in Phoenix in November. I paid $400 installed.
The warrantee issue is a loaded question and it depends on who you talk to. I think the actual legal status is that according to the Moss-Magnusson Act (sp?) the dealership has to prove that your modification CAUSED the failure. However, if they want to be arseholes about it, you could spend a lot of time in court without a MINI getting them to fix a problem under warantee, if something DID go wrong.

 

March '03 MCS. As mentioned, your dealer will probably try to explain it's supposed to be a "characteristic" of MINIs or even go as far as to suggest that happens with any smaller displacement engined car. Soon after I got my MCS I also discovered that it's extremely dangerous to use your A/C during city or stop and go driving (of course the times when you'd want it the most). After two particularly nasty instances (which were about exactly as you describe), I stopped using my A/C completely except when at speed while cruising on the highway. I don't know if the V36 software rectifies the bog as far as A/C is concerned, but even if/when I do get a software update, I probably still wouldn't chance it. If you can get the clutch in and switch of the A/C quickly, you can get the engine to stay alive and gain revs.

I wouldn't be surprised if someday someone got into a pretty nasty accident because of it. I was lucky because my two most severe incidents happened when no one was coming up behind me at the light and I wasn't making a left turn. If one of these massive "power outtages" ever happened during a turning situation, there's a chance you could quickly find yourself 6 feet beyond screwed. Although maybe that's what it will take before MINI does something about it rather than throwing out that wonderful description they like to use for every mechanical problem..."it's a characteristic"

 

I'm with MINI USA. I've passed this message on to a MINI National Customer Relations Representative who will be in touch with you soon.

 

I am happy that MINIDivision is going to try and help you out. But I must say, it must be nice to have MINIDivision send you a PM and help out on this problem that hasn't seen a lot of postings. It would be nice to see MINIDivision respond to the MANY other issues/problems/poor quality discussed on NAM.

 

You guys are scaring me.

I got my MCS in November, and it's just starting to get warm down here in north FL. So far I haven't noticed the A/C causing any problems. I hope it stays that way!

Is this a problem with all MCS's, or does it only apply to some cars?

 

I live in Central Florida and I have my A/C on most of the time here. I have a 2003 MCS and have no problems with launch and A/C. I had very bad stumble that was fixed with V36 and you do loose some power/acceleration with the A/C on but that's typical with most cars. Not enought to cause any problems for me even before I got the pulley.

 

I just went to lunch and ran a test in traffic with the A/C turned up.

10/03 build 04 MCS, ACC set at 60 deg with the fan on full blast, outside temp 77, and it didn't hesitate or bog at all.

And no, I did not use a dyno. :smile:

 

Turn the ASC or DSC OFF! (light on)----its a different car.....

 

Same problem here. With the summer heat back, when ever we use A/C the acceleration dies.

We reported this to our dealer last year, and they told us we didn't have an issue. Then more people started devolping a stumble, so they assumed that was our problem. We were the first with v36 in Az. And without AZ it's great. With the A/c on, there is no acceleration, and you must shift above 4000 rpm's in every gear.

 

I am in Ohio and drove a lot last summer with the A/C on , did not notice any big losses??? Had the stumble got v3.6 and it was god for a while, but think it may be back??? anypone else get stumble back after v 3.6???
Good luck

 

I had an 02 MCS in Miami, in the summer. Yuppers that baby boggs big time with the AC on. 4 easy fixes:
1. shut off the DSC/traction control. If you get any tire slippage on launch the problem becomes really really bad
2. get v36, does an amazing job
3. if you have the 17 inch s-lites, ditch them for anything else, the difference is amazing
4. get the pulley

You could do the intake as step 3.5, your choice

Basically that will fix your problem and you can decide how much money you want to spend and how bad the problem is at each step.

 

>>I had an 02 MCS in Miami, in the summer. Yuppers that baby boggs big time with the AC on. 4 easy fixes:
>>1. shut off the DSC/traction control. If you get any tire slippage on launch the problem becomes really really bad
>>2. get v36, does an amazing job
>>3. if you have the 17 inch s-lites, ditch them for anything else, the difference is amazing
>>4. get the pulley
>>
>>You could do the intake as step 3.5, your choice
>>
>>Basically that will fix your problem and you can decide how much money you want to spend and how bad the problem is at each step.


1. Almost always have the DSC off
2. v36 works great with the AC off, AC on you got lag.
3. 16in Rims (we have a cooper)
4. We have a cooper not an S pulley isn't an option

 

Well about Mini Division getting in touch with me. They sent me an email that said to rename my post Recall something. Can't remember. They said to email them back with my vin and all this other info. Well guess what haven't heard another word. What is the V36 everyone is talking about.? Thanks for the feed back guys!

 

I would take a REAL close look at the e-mail headers from that mail.

Someone might have been pretending to be MINI Division and now
thay have a bunch of information about you and your car.

I can't think of a reason why MINI Division would WANT to have a thread
retitled to include the word "Recall".

It might be nothing, and it might be something. Just be aware.

If you want to, you can forward the e-mail AND THE HEADERS you received
to my_mini@pobox.com and I'll take a look at it for you.

 

RECALL? Really??!!

 

Thanks for the info. I am pretty dumb when it comes to computers. I would love to send you the email tell me how and I will. If you will read what I just posted about recieveing the email from Phil it might interest you. Also I thought I had saved that emai but I must have deleted it because I looked for it and it was gone.

_________________
British Green w/white racing stripes white top and tinted windows Born May 2003. Bought July 28, 2003! Minicoopmomma!!

 

I just forwarded the emails to you. Thought they were lost but I found them. Please let me know if you get them and what you think. If you would like you can email me at minicoopmomma@wmconnect.com. Thanks man!

 

My 2003 MC has no stumble with the air off but really stumbles on launch with the AC on.

 

Wendy, All three messages look legitimate.

Even though the first one is quite strange, and refers to roadfly.org.
I think it was trying to say that MINI USA wanted to recall your posting.

I'm thinking it was sent by an intern at BMWNA who is responsible for
reading message boards all day. (Sheesh, what a job. HEY, sounds like me!)

None of them asked for VIN or other information.
Was that a different e-mail message?
It looks like you are fine.

I hope you get your AC/loss of power issue resolved.

 

Here in SoCal so far I have rarely had to run the A/C on my '03 MCS. Just this past weekend, we had a heat wave (mid 90's F.) and I put the clime control on auto and the lowest possible temp setting ("Lo" in the display). I did notice hesitation pulling away from stops and a definite delay is getting the revs up prior to letting the clutch out.

Things to keep in mind...our cars don't make much hp or torque with the 1.6l engine at low rpm...they need the super charger at a good rpm before reasonable power kicks in. When the a/c compressor is on, the load is present at idle rpms, so increasing rpm takes more energy than usual. Further, the supercharger ain't up to a good rpm, and thus isn't making good power, compounding the problem. Finally, the ambient air temp that is being sucked into the engine is hot (hence the need for having the a/c on :smile: