I was driving home tonight and I noticed my transmission was starting to get stiff when shifting gears. By the time I got home it was so stiff that it was tough getting in and out of any gears. I parked the car and turned off the engine and started trying gears back and forth. The gearchange is now so stiff and I can hear a screeching sound on each shift. I popped the hood and can hear the screeching coming from somewhere around the shift linkage when you change the gears around. It's not a grinding sound from the actual tranny it seems to be some kind of metal on metal chinking/screeching sound around the linkage area. I'm going to check tomorrow morning properly with a flashlight.

Does anyone have any thoughts? How can I check the transmission fluid level? This is a real bummer as I'm supposed to be at my first lapping day of the season on Saturday. I have an appointment to get my coolant tank replaced again but not till May 11th. I hope it's nothing serious, look like I may have to take it in tomorrow. It's weird cause this all happened after 10 mins of an easy drive home.

thanks

Amit

 

Don't sound good dog. I'd bring her in to the dealer

 

I'm with BMW of North America, LLC. I’ve forwarded a copy of your post to our affiliate in Canada.

 

My cross member gets stiff at times....but rarely now....since I turned 53 yesterday.......

 

Amit - I've got the same thing happening on my '03 S (January '03 build). On cold startup it's fine, but drive it for a while it gets progressively harder to shift. Not a gear grind, so I doubt it's clutch release, and I hear the same squeak on shifter movement. Mine is going to the dealer on Tuesday. Will post an update when I find out what it is (unless you hear first).

-noam

 

>>My cross member gets stiff at times....but rarely now....since I turned 53 yesterday.......
>>
>>
>> You still drive a BRG,just can't give it up can you

 

>>Amit - I've got the same thing happening on my '03 S (January '03 build). On cold startup it's fine, but drive it for a while it gets progressively harder to shift. Not a gear grind, so I doubt it's clutch release, and I hear the same squeak on shifter movement. Mine is going to the dealer on Tuesday. Will post an update when I find out what it is (unless you hear first).
>>
>>-noam

Update: Dealer said it was the shifter cables/linkage sticking - they cleaned and lubed them today (no jokes, please, I've seen where this thread is heading and I don't want to encourage any more of it ). Shifts feel smoother now. Will give it a little while to see if it's a permanent fix or not, or if there's something more seriously amiss in the transmission.

_________________
'03 MCS BRG/W, 3 option pkgs

 

>>Amit - I've got the same thing happening on my '03 S (January '03 build). On cold startup it's fine, but drive it for a while it gets progressively harder to shift. Not a gear grind, so I doubt it's clutch release, and I hear the same squeak on shifter movement. Mine is going to the dealer on Tuesday. Will post an update when I find out what it is (unless you hear first).
>>
>>-noam

Over the past few months, mine has also gotten pretty stiff. I'd like to hear what your dealer says about it. Both times my dealer has said that it's normal and the linkage looks like another MCS that they compared it against.

 

Did your dealer ever confirm and/or fix your problem? If so, what was the exact problem/solution? My car is due in for another service appointment in a week and a half and my biggest issue (to me) is for them to finally fix this issue on my car.

Most posts I've seen about it here and on MINI2 have alluded to it being purely a linkage problem and I'd like to confirm that was the case on your car also. I've had the problem for about a year now and if I can guide my dealer towards the exact problem so that they'll fix it, I'd love to. It's been driving me nuts for quite awhile (esp. since my MCS is my daily driver).

After 4 dealer visits where I've listed this as one of my problems, I'm almost running out of options to the point that I'd almost consider calling MINI USA.

 

I was really surprised as I read through this thread. I expected the problem to be that the clutch was not fully releasing. If the problem continues or reoccurs, don't overlook the clutch as the source.

Good luck,

 

I thought about that too, but there isn't any creeping if I let off of the brakes. I've also tried stomping on the clutch with Superman strength while shifting with no noticeable improvement/difference. Of course neither rules out the possibility that there's some light pressure still being applied to the clutch even when it's supposed to be fully disengaged.

The one thing that gave me more faith in it being tied to some sort of lubrication issue was that whenever the weather became really humid the shifting would sometimes get a lot better. So far a lot of people have come forward to say their dealers replaced/lubricated their shifter cables, so hopefully that's all it is.

The only thing I'm 100% sure of is that I want it fixed, whatever the cause is.

 

Dealer said it's normal again. I friggin' hate that.


They told me that to fix the problem with the vibrating shifter, they tightened up the cables, but they said the gear throws were normal and like another MCS that they pulled out. I hate this car...stiff-shifting P.O.S. It's slightly better after the cable adjustment, but it interesting that the cable connections could be loose, but it's somehow inconceivable that it's stiffer and clunkier than it should be. Especially since I already KNOW that it can/should be smoother from the couple of times that it briefly fixed itself. Garbage...

 

Taking my car in for the same thing on Wednesday (10-5-05). (white/pepper '03, my best car ever). The tough shifting just began a week ago - when we first started to get cool weather overnight in the northeast. Hopefully it's just the shifter cables needing lubed. I'll post a reply when I get a resolution!


Good luck everyone.

 

Have you checked the axle seals to make sure that you've not been leaking all the oil out? That happened to my son's '03 MC and Mini replaced the transmission.

 

Dropped it off at the dealer tonight (Tuesday, 10/4) - I'll let you know what they find. But thanks for the insight - I'll mention it to the mechanic.

 

Just got a call from my dealer - they can't find anything wrong
But they are keeping it again tonight, and will revisit tomorrow morning. I realized as I talked through the issue with my mechanic, that my problem seems to crop up after I've driven the car for a distance - just enough to get it warmed up (not more than a few miles). Then, if I try to get in reverse, the car won't let me. Which is really inconvenient, because usually when I drive somewhere, I then have to park -- which makes getting out of a parking space a little tough without reverse. Coincidentally, after things cool down (like, say... overnight, or while my car sits at work), then everything is fine and all shifting is working well. Just can't drive it more than two or three miles

 

This happened to me as well. I had difficulty shifting into 1st, 3rd and 5th on my 2002 Cooper, especially when it was cold out. One dealer said that they didn't think anything was wrong. Another dealer replaced the shift linkages and lubed it up. I haven't had a problem since (11/05).

 

I don't think it's harder to shift, but i'm getting a squeak everytime i shift into or out of third, and every once in a while it'll squeak in a different gear. I also have difficulty putting it in reverse... I have no clue if this even relates to the other problems, and i'm scared like always the dealership will rush my car out so i don't have to get a loaner and not fix the problems completely. Maybe it's because of my age?

i'm going to make an appt for it since i have to get them to fix my windows because they don't sit right after they replaced the motor (note what i said above), but has anyone else had this problem?

 

Sting is going into the shop today.
While driving around Atlanta traffic friday night, it would not shift at all. The clutch pedal was *stuck* to the floor and I limped him to a parking lot and called the dealer and RSA. After I got off the phone with them, I pulled the clutch pedal up with my foot and it seemed to work fine. I called everyone back and Thomas @ Global Imports said it was probaly a bad clutch cylendar and I would need to get it back up there for replacement.
Now, when I hold the clutch in, (at a red light) the shifting gets really stiff. If I just shift to "N", and don't hold the pedal in, it works fine.

I'm thinking the clutch master cylendar has a leak and looses pressure as I hold the pedal down.

 

a big thing with the mini's as far as the cltuch pedal being harder to push down over time is that the dust from the clutch will casue resistance on the input shaft where the throw out bearing rides. and for the stiff cables. i've mainly herd of then getting stiff when it is cold out. becasue moisture gets into the cable and freezes. but most of the time this will casue them to just lock the shifter in place. there are updated cabels that have been released. and sorry to break the news but the cables cannot be adjusted.there is simply no adustment for the cables. and as far as lubing them up the only places that a lubricant could be applied would be where they snap onto the shifter or the trans. which could help in getting the shiter to be more smooth but if there has been moiture in the cables and there is corrosion in them that could possibly casue the harder shifting. although if that were the casei would think that they would get easier as you drive.

 

Has anyone heard any more regarding this?
I started having the same problem a week or so ago. After driving a few miles the shifter gets very stiff. No noise or grinding, just hard to shift. Stop and come back in an hour and it's fine, weird.

 

I think its a non warranty claim,at 53 you are way out of warranty.Might suggest you contact Viagra to see if they will cover you with their 2 year Ext........ended warranty.Definitly not factory after all your mods. P.s Im turning 53 next month maybe we can file a joint claim????

 

We did a short shifter mod on a Buffalo Mini last week with 50k miles on it.After removing the plastic cover that covers the cables and seeing that is completely clean,I cant see water or dirt causing this.No lube from factory or modification without reinstallation of cover or modified cover maybe but with 3 Minis we have and other friends I doubt it.