I started having this problem as well. A quick blip of the throttle works to fix it for me. I was having an intermittent lcold start problem, and when I brought my car in for 25k service earlier this month they upgraded to v38 (I assume). Since then it has happened twice. It has never happened before with the software that was in there (10/02 build), so I'm going to asssume it has something to do with the new software.

 

I think a few (or maybe a lot of) Coopers had problems like this, but a recent software upgrade fixed it. (...dont remember which version) If that addressed it in Coopers maybe a similar solution will be available for MCSs soon.

 

I recently was told that this idle issue sounds like a issue with the cat. I was told the idle issue we are experiencing is similar to a impending cat failure, without the smell.

Emission standards are apparently causing issue across numerous brands. Something to do with requiring the cat to reach operation temperature sooner combined with less than world class blends of fuel and we are not alone.

Take that for what it's worth, pure speculation.

 

The cat is not the issue. The idle problem still exists even if the entire cat is removed...not that I'm a polluter or anything.

 

Good to know.

 

BTW, there is a very interesting thread over on mightyminiz.com that you may want to read...it may be a compression issue.

 

Here's the link to that thread:

http://www.teammightyminiz.com/forum...opic.php?t=449

Guy is having his engine replaced to fix this problem

I had no problems before v38 and my 10k service...

 

Here's an idea to throw into the pot. I inquired about this problem at Northwest Mini in Tacoma, and they mentioned that it's a software glitch, and added my complaint to their database.
The service tech said he thinks it's like a computer, when you have too many programs running simultaneously, then just freezes. At times with the A/C on, your idle is supposed toincrease while stopped. Most likely, the signal to increase the idle is sent, but the computer freezes up, causing the funky idle.
Whaddya think?

 

I still maintain that this problem is being caused by poor/inaccurate feedback from the EDK/throttle body after the engine goes into closed-loop mode (after the warmup cycle completes). I had this problem for some period of time this spring, and it never happened until the engine was warmed up and the idle speed was down around 800RPM -- I was able to datalog and graph the resulting erratic idle, which would occur only occasionally but always at the worst possible moment. If I wasn't paying enough attention, sometimes the car would eventually stall during one of the dips in the idle speed.

When I finally got the dealer to replace the TB, *NO MORE PROBLEM* with erratic idle. It's been solid as a rock for nearly 6 months. It could be the TB electronics, or the wiring harness or the connectors.

 

V38 definetly made my problem more noticable. I'm not sure why a compression issue would have reacted that way, but who knows. It's kinda scairy info.

It reminds me of the knocking thread a little though. Most of us finally got relief from replacing the harmonic dampner.

1 user posted how the problem had been diagnosed as piston slap or a failed wrist pin. He received a new engine. I nearly received a ulcer.

A compression test is at least within the grasp of most owners, so that's easily confirmed or dismissed at least.

 

I don't think it matters if the car is cold or hot. My "04" does it at least 3 times/wk. I agree with Rye with regard to the ecu. It's a "cough" or "chug" if you will. It doesn't seem to hurt anything. It's more of an annoyance than anything else. One tap on the gas and it's gone...

 

Mine has always been a slight "cough or chug" too until today (1800 miles). For the first time, the engine rpm dropped soooo low, that I actually felt like I had to pump the gas to keep it from stalling. It had never been this bad. It didn't stall, but it let me know that the "slight" problem can get worse and probably manifest into a possible stall. Can you believe MINI keeps pumping out these new cars with an obvious problem. If a MINI stalls, and leads to an accident, there will be hell to pay...

 

NEVER happened before my 10K service and v38 upgrade (at 11.5K), then it happened twice in the two days after the upgrade.

 

This problem seems to so common that MINI has to address it soon. I had my car in for service a couple of weeks ago for cold start issues and now this problem has come up as well. So now I still have the cold start problem, idle problems that come out of no where and a jerky throttle that was not present before this last service visit. The car now drives alot like my old 1980's BMW 3 series. it had so many problems with idle and jerky throttle that it had to be sold. What happened to the good old days of getting out a screw driver and adjusting the idle. I should have never gotten rid of the old BMW 2002 with a reliable carb!


Cheers,


Jay

 

Happens on my '02 also. It only started happening when I moved to Phoenix - where it's much hotter and I have my AC on more often.

 

add me to that list of choppy idle i got the new software upgraded too v38. doh! just had it for like 3 weeks. I had it before the upgrade too!



motor on

ant

 

I've been having a rough idle every time I'm idling, when its hot and the AC is on.
I can turn off the AC, and while the tach doesn't appear to increase rpms, the idle smooths out. Turn the AC back on, the rough idle reappears (and shakes and rattles ).

Loss of power taking off from a stop with the AC on in the heat is also pretty consistent...

I'm running v36 since December, and haven't upgraded....not very eager to go back to the dealer, even though I guess "now is the time" with this problem...arrgghhh....

BTW, do you think all of us here have the same problem? Numbertwelve's post sounds like its acting like mine...others seem much more unpredictable and unrelated to heat/AC....

 

In almost two years and 25k miles I *never* had an idle problem until v38. There may be other issues that people have, but the rough idle is solely a software problem. I haven't changed anything on my car in months and as soon as v38 was installed this reared its head.

There's such clear evidence of this I'm not sure why it's still a subject of debate. (Here's a better topic: why didn't they choose motronic instead of Siemans for their ECU vendor?)

Jeff

 

It is not just v38. I have had rough idle in v.34, v.36, and v.37. I don't even have v.38. My choppy idle has been documented since July 2003. I really think Siemens hired the old Lucas engineers.

 

I don't have v38, and I have experienced the stall idle a couple of times too. Not lately, but of note, I am in the tropics, and temps are 80s+. Could it be a heat related issue, when the underhood temps rise when stopped and idling?

 

I’m with MINI USA. I’m sorry to read about this problem with your idle. If you want our assistance, please phone us at (866) ASK MINI and mention Reference # 200425100269 so that we can help you more efficiently.

 

How did I know this would be the reply.

 

Ok. I called ASK-MINI. The person that took my call said "this is my first call regarding this complaint, but we are aware of the problem and we are tracking the calls about this problem."

They apparently have not had many people complain.

She followed by, "we're sorry we don't have a solution right now, but we are working on one. As soon as a fix is available, your dealer will be notified. Keep in touch with your dealer"

Gee, thanks.


Please call them if you have this idle issue, they can't procrastinate forever.

 

i'm experiencing this issue, too. and have been since my upgrade to v 38. i just called askmini to report the problem, as advised in the previous post. they weren't exactly helpful. what gives? i just wanted some info and acknowledgement of the issue. all i got was a "well, i haven't heard that issue before". if that's the case, why askmini's post??

 

That has been MINIDivision's generic, non-commital response to any and all issues that they find in the forums. The exact same response is given each and every time. It will only change by reference number. When owners call with that #, they are told that MINI does not have knowledge of the problem.......nor do they have a fix ........but have a great day!


If you want to see what I mean, view their posts in their profile.