i have v38, and ater reading this thread, decided to reset my ecu hoping for the car to drive like a completely new car, and well, after about 1 week of driving w/ the reset ecu, i feel no difference. i am going to try resetting it again in about a week or so, and hopefully i did something wrong.


and just a q for ryephile, what do you consider to be a short drive, once th ecu has been reset?

thanks!

 

I’m with MINI USA. I’m sorry to read about this problem with your MINI. We are here to work with you and your Dealer. If you need our assistance, please phone us at (866) ASK.MINI and mention Reference # 200433800234 so that we can help you more efficiently.

 

To the MINIDivision person: Why are the reference numbers different from the last post and your previous post at 9:40a? Which one do I reference when I call about my issues?

How about letting us all know what to do on this forum instead of having to call this number. Since this software was installed on my car on 11/09/04, I've had a hard time driving it smoothly as I once did. And, intermittently, the idle is rough. My gas mileage has also decreased since v39.3 was installed.

 

Domincminicoopers, I too have been incredulous over the amount of time it takes to address service issues. Two weeks for my last visit, four weeks the time before that and so on. I’ve had hardware issues manifest themselves at the same time as software updates and the problems associated with each became very frustrating to un-tangle. My limp mode experience (V.31) was traced to a faulty engine wiring harness connector. The list of hardware replacements and corresponding fixes is long and I’ve had most of the software updates since V.31, each one adding new problems or exacerbating old ones. I’m on the third re-flash of V.39+. However, after replacement of a leaking fuel injector the car ran as well as it did circa V.31 era without the double start. Only the dropping idle, a legacy from V.36, remained. After again installing the Shark Injector program, I haven’t had a rough idle situation at all. So at this point, in spite of V.39+, the double start, cold start stall, drive through lane stumble, traffic light hic-up, mid range flat spot, herky-jerky partial throttle and high end surge (whew), are just a bad memory. Of course the car performs better in cooler weather and problems have been known to re-surface, but it is possible to be optimistic.

 

You're talking to deaf ears. In case you guys haven't called about a reference number before, the MINIUSA will actually take the number from you AND know the topic you're referring to. But they will tell you that your dealer will try to help you with your issue and there is nothing MINIUSA can do to help you.

MY take on this whole MINIDivision thing is someone who works for MINI is going on this site - ON THEIR OWN TIME and maybe b/c they want to help (but can't) and feel helpless OR maybe they have nothing better to do OR want to feel important so they act like they're someone important from MINIUSA and write those silly reference number posts. But having a reference number doesn't do you any good. And neither does calling MINIUSA saying some droid told you to call about this problem.

 

They called me today at noon and told me what code they found and actually tracked down the cause of the issue!

It appears the 39.2 software is much more "finicky" than the 36 version I came from. So a problem that may have gone unnoticed with 36 might show up with 39. The fault code was P 0300 "Misfire", which can be caused by a lot of things including belts. It appears the belt has "chunks" in it causing rotational abnormalities which lead to the ECU thinking misfire. They re-flashed my ECU and strongly recommended having the injectors cleaned (since I have over 41k miles)

I get to go down tonight to pick up my car. I will tell you about the drivibility issues later on this evening.

As far as the way they talk to me, it is really nice. I had been called not only by my service advisor, but also by the head tech. They both were very polite and answered all of my questions. So no hard feelings. I'm just glad they figured it out. Bummer the belt, injector cleaner are NOT covered under warranty.

I wonder if the "chunky "belt or clogged injectors had anything to do with the drivability issue, or is it the reflash of the software that "fixed" the drivability issues (well the drivability issues fix status can't be determined until I get to drive the car).

 

OK, car runs "smoother" in all RPM ranges. But I woundn't consider it "fixed".

The mid-throttle bog is almost all gone. This is a huge releif. I wonder if the Engine decarbon and Fuel Injector cleaner service? or if it was from the re-flash of the software? or if it was from replacing the worn belt?

However, the jerkiness when picking up the throttle and letting off is very apparent especially if you let the car run on the freeway for a few miles to get the engine warmed up really good, then get onto suburban street or caught in heavy traffic where speeds are down to around 30.

 

DMC --

Don't forget to do a reset again. I expect that the dealer may have done this before you picked up the car, but a reset for v.39.x seems especially useful.

FWIW,

Theo

 

Thanks! Totally forgot about that. I'm taking the car out on a nice long freeway trip tomorrow so I can get some MPG readings, etc.

 

I'd consider this a good thing. Once upon a time I drove an '04 Jaguar XJ8; when you let off the gas pedal, it would STILL ACCELLERATE for a fraction of a second, then sloooooowly and cautiously transition to coast. I was freaked out that it would try to run into someone in front of me. I want to know what the engine is doing. If there's a bit of jerkiness, so be it, at least I'm controlling it! But beyond that, if you're sitting there stabbing the throttle, OF COURSE it'll be jerky, you're confusing the crap out of the ECU. Be smooth with your gas pedal and your car will be smooth back. Goes for everything else too when you're driving; steering, brakes, shifting......be smoooooth....and be happy you're inputs are instantly responded to, unlike that Jaguar!

 

The jerkiness my car has since the upgrade to v39.2 is new to my driving experience. I believe I drive with a fair amount of smoothness (I am sure I could improve, though) but the feedback my car is giving me makes it seem like I am not smooth at all. Example, lifting off throttle slowly gives a response like I am jabbing the pedal quickly. Same with applying light amounts of gas - makes my car jerky. This was not present prior to the new software.

This occurs across all driving situations. Lifting slowly and light application of the pedal causes the jerkiness. It is especially apparent in stop and go driving. For me now, it's really hard to keep the car from bucking, sometimes to the point of embarrassment, in heavy traffic.

Ryephile - I agree 100% with your example. I would prefer the jerkiness instead of unwanted acceleration. I don't think what I am experiencing is caused by my style simply because my car didn't do this before.

 

Ryan, come down to Phoenix and I'll show you that I am NOT stabbing the throttle. I totally resent the remark of you accusing me of jabbing the throttle. The throttle inputs in my tests are smooth. We're talking moving the peddle mere millimeters of distance in a full 1.0 seconds of time. Like you're taught to drive in slippery condition (ice snow)...I come from the NW where lots of slippery conditions exist. I have NOT lost the ability to be smooth on throttle just because I moved to a dry environment like PHX.

 

Agreed 100% with the above analysis.

SwingMCS03, do you have a pulley and/or intake? I'm wondering if this has more to do with the one who're experiencing NO issues or IMPROVED issues with the new software have the original stock pulley. Meaning those of us who've upgraded the pulleys have these issues.

 

To All,

This is something I noticed after I was updated from v.36 to v.38. I have called it the "on/off throttle hiccup". It is definately a product of the updates and not one's driving. Updating to V.39.x did help this somewhat, especially during the throttle on situation.

I wonder if any of you who HAVE NOT felt the on/off throttle hiccup with a confirmed v.38 or v.39.x ECU version have also modified your ECU maps (UNIChip, MTH, etc.). Conversely, are those of you who HAVE felt the hiccup running standard ECU maps?

Just a thought...

Theo

 

Sorry Dominic, no offense intended!

Just covering all bases - you know I'm always the Devil's Advocate!

 

Nice to read that some folks are hearing that MINI has finally recognized there is a problem with the upgrade on some cars, instead of treating us like we're crazy people. From the dealer I used, I'm still hearing "we've never heard this happen to any car". They want me to leave my car with them for an unspecified amount of time. Yeah, like that is going to happen.

ASK MINI called me a couple nights ago for the survery on the dealer and I gave them an earful. First they called at 10:30pm , but someone was to call me back regarding this matter and I've yet to hear anything. I highly doubt I will.

Anyway, my question is: those of you who have had problems, what all have you noticed starting to act up since this upgrade introduced problems into your car?

Thanks!

Q

 

I wonder if this jerkiness is due to oscillation in the SCBPV under partial open condition? For example if SW upgraded throttle response is dampened enough to stop the yo-yo (repetitive oscillation) but not enough to dampen the initial overshoot. We'd need someone with vac/boost guage to monitor while transitioning from boost to low vacuum (~5"?) where the SCBPV is still partially open - should see some serious fluctuation under these conditions. Stock SCBPV springs only please.

 

Please see my posts regarding this issue. I've been asking the same but not one has replied directly:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=33837

 

Bradley99 & MSFITOY: Hopefully this post will at least provide some insight.

 

I tried the ECU reset trick near the end of last week. I'm still holding out to say yay/nay on any difference (my prime reason is to see if it improves mileage any). The jerkiness I've already grown pretty accustomed to and my friends just quietly assume that I suck at driving a manual . I often wonder what my car looks like from the outside when in traffic...hopefully it doesn't look as bad as it sometimes feels. The throttle response on the MINI does leave a bit to be desired , but pretty quickly you become numb to it. The 3-series with DBW doesn't seem to have the same problem, but it's also heavier, has larger displacement (naturally aspirated) inline engines, and is RWD too...so I guess it's not the best comparison.

Drive by wire throttle...welcome to the future. Mercedes wants to use linkless tech for your steering too. That was an instantly chilling headline.

 

gah! Hope you get better results than I did. When I did the reset, I thought it seemed to run a bit better. After running an afternoon on open highways and doing some rather aggressive driving I was back to the same ol same ol piece o' crap sputter sputter sputter idle.

I just realized when my MCS starts to do this, it reminds me of the feel my 78 vette has to it ... when the headers used to separate from the manifold. Thank got it's not as loud as that car.

how come I'm not reading about anyone with a fix from the dealers? am I missing something or did everyone abandon hope?

 

While I am VERY, VERY sorry for your situation (and the many others affected by this), I don't think it is a drive-by-wire problem. Not ALL MINIs have this problem - mine being one of them. I have not and will not upgrade my software, but whatever software they put into my MINI at the factory 2 1/2 yrs ago works very well. So they can do it, apparently they just can't do it consistently and maybe that's a big part of the reason why they're switching engines soon. They have a hard time getting software for this one just right. If it's not the stumble, it's a rough idle or a cold start or a hiccup. It is pretty ridiculous that they can't get it right though.

 

Waiting on my RyePhix 2 to come in the mail. If that doesn't fix it, I'll go back to the dealership and have them run some more diagnostics.

 

HOLY CRAP

Im gone for awhile and it seems that MINI has taken a giant dump on our heads...


I got the recall notice... but Im still trying to get my life back together post hurricane IVAN... Ive got some reading to do it appears. Hell... Im still pissed about the v37 crap that got loaded on my MCS.. Gald to see they got that all squared away

 

I have not looked in for a long time but see that the BMW software fiasco continues. I guess inconsistancies in the cars performance really are a "characteristic of the car" as BMW stated during the lead up to my Lemon Law case. Glad I Lemoned it when I did. Condolances to those of you who have banked on BMW being able to fix it - who would have thought?