Brake & Clutch Problem
 

Hello All!!

To start with, we have a 2009 Mini Cooper S 6 speed. It has been pretty decent in the year and a half we have had it. We went through the work timing chain tensioner issue and other then that have had just normal wear item issues.

Now we have a new problem. My wife drives this mostly when she doesn't want to drive her X5. So I don't always find out about issues until there is a small list. The issue started as a small braking issue. It usually happened around slow speeds i.e. pulling into/out of drive way or parking spaces. You would apply the brake and the brake would be hard and the car would still roll until you pressed the brake harder, but then still not usual stopping power. The second issue related to this is the trans started getting harder to shift in and out of gear. It acts as if the clutch is not being engaged all the way. It finally got so bad the car would not start due to not engaging the neutral safety switch.

I live in a small town and work with what I have. That said, they said they think the flexplate is bad and needs replaced. They think the braking issue is totally separate. They quoted $1,900-3,900 to fix the trans issue. They said it depends on what all they have to do while in there. They bypassed the neutral safety switch to we could bring the car home as I am not 100% sold on both that being the issue or wanting to pay them that much to fix it if it is the problem.

I feel the braking and clutch issue are somehow related. Can anyone help me here?

Thanks and sorry for the long post, I wanted to give as much info as possible.

TL;DR - hard to shift, clutch won't engage neutral safety and brakes not working right at a slow roll. Help! LOL :lol:

Vacuum pump
 

there is s vacuum pump assembly on the drivers side of the engine cylinder head. It's driven off cam shaft and supplies vacuum to brakes. When these fail your engine will lock up or break off the cam shaft end. Well documented and cheap to replace.
tranny issue- automatics can be a bummer. Most shops don't repair these well internally. You can do a filter and fluid flush IF you have the scan tools and proper equipment. Not a repair to bankroll at a shop that hasn't repaired 50 or more. Lots of ways for them to rob you with bad quotes and wasted parts.
if it's not an auto- you can bleed the slave cylinder for the 6 speed when you flush brake fluid.

It is actually a stick, not auto. Could these two issues be related? I do believe I have vacuum as my turbo and wastegate are functioning fine. Also, the brake issue is usually only at low speeds. Could this pump be going out or possible vacuum leak? Again, could the two be connected? Doesn't the slave need vacuum as well?

Thanks!

Dual mass flywheels
 

you might read up on dual mass flywheels and what happens when they fail. That will be straight forward for them if needed. You will still want a shop that has done MANY of these so you get an accurate quote.
A compromised slave cylinder can cause wacky behavior. How is the brake fluid reservoir? Full, dirty, leaking? Bleeding them to renew fluid is cheap- a good place to their start! The vacuum pumps usually show signs of oil leaking and make a bunch of noise. Proper oil levels are said to prolong their lifespan.

The clutch and brake share the same fluid reservoir. Check the fluid level immediately, you potentially have a major safety problem.

How many miles on the car? Any idea when the brake fluid was last flushed?

1) check brake fluid level
2) have a shop (or DIY if you know what you are doing) do a brake fluid flush and also bleed the clutch circuit. Check condition of brake pads and rotors and check for leaks while they are at it.
3) check the vacuum pump, if that fails it is new engine time. If you are at high mileage then consider preventative maintenance, way cheaper than a new engine.
4) check for vacuum leaks
5) you may be due for a new clutch anyway, but based on your description of the problem the clutch master/slave and fluid are the first things to check.