Hi. I'm wondering if any other MINI owners have experienced this: I drive an 03 MINI CVT (May 03 build). It has about 30,000 miles on it. It's been pretty much problem-free, save for a faulty HK Stereo Amplifier which was replaced at around 20K miles, and a faulty power-door lock mechanism (driver side!) which was also replaced, at around 24K miles...

Anyway, I've noticed that it used to start right up, I mean immediately: turn the key, engine starts right up. Recently, the car has to "turn over" for a few seconds before it will "catch" and start the egine. Worse on cold starts (first start of the morning, first start after sitting in parking lot at work all day). When engine is hot, starts right up at first crank. It's not right, I can tell you that, although I have a feeling dealer will say "cannot replicate problem." Heh.

Yes, it starts, it just has to crank longer...like it is hesitating to start up... what could cause this on an otherwise perfect-running car? Wires are tight, oil has been changed religiously every 5K...

Thanks,

-boognish

 

I have the same sort of issue; it begins in Spring and lasts 'til Fall. I think it's caused by the reformulated summer gas.

The work-around is turning the key to the second position and waiting for the fuel pump to spool up before starting.

 

My '03 MC does the same thing. Most areas roll it out in May. The summer blend has a lot of the hydrocarbons (that evaporate easily) removed. The lower evaporation-rate fuels can make a car more difficult to start if the weather is even slightly cool. It should get better with hotter weather...and...there are different blends in different areas.

 

Forum Search worked again

Been having the same problem for the last week or so. Especially if cold and rainy (which it has been here in New England)

Is this a unique to MINI thing? I've never experienced an issue with summer gas in the past, but it seems LOTS of MINI's are being hit by it at the same time...

 

It's a relief to hear I'm not the only one.

My MINI has been exhibiting odd cold-start behavior since mid-March. On the first cranking attempt, the engine often does not "catch" at all; sometimes it does, but then I wish it hadn't. It coughs and sputters for a few seconds, chugs violently, and dies. After this, on the second cranking attempt, the car starts normally. I have tried turning the key to the "On" position and waiting 5 seconds for fuel pressure to reach normal levels before turning the engine over, but this seems to have no effect.

I've tried a few different brands of fuel to see if that helps, but it doesn't. I think at this point that the only thing that will make a difference is if spring would actually show up to stay, or if the seasons would just get on with it and move on to summer. It's almost June-- the DC metro area should not still be waking to sub- 50 deg. F mornings!

I plan on inquiring about the cold start symptom on my next scheduled service visit (oil change due in 3500 or so per the service indicator on the speedo LCD.) It's not enough of an issue to warrant it's own trip to the dealer yet.

For anyone interested, the DME in my car is currently running v.39, as it has been since it was updated due to the emissions recall.

Has anyone tried mixing a spot of Sunoco GT 100 unleaded with their usual fill? That's my next move, if the weather doesn't improve soon.

 

This is an interesting MINI phenomenon. Hmmmm. I hope it *is* due to the fact that the "summer gas" here in the Northeast (is it sold throughout the U.S.?) is a different formulation than the "winter gas".

But it is my understanding that higher octane fuel (like the 93 I have always put in my MINI since day 1) is "harder to burn" than say, 89 or 87 octane fuel. So would not it make sense that 87 octane could/would clear up the hard-start issue? Anyway, it has been unusually cold here in Jersey this spring...23 days out of 26 in May have been below normal, temperature-wise. It's hardly reached 60 F. every day...in the mid 50's at night. Hopefully when the weather heats up, the cold-start issue will also clear up.

Rock on,

-boognish

 

by definition. That's it's job, but if you aren't incurring hard starting issues with the high octane in the colder winter weather, then there is no reason why it should contribute additionally to starting problems with the summer blends. I'm not sure that I would run lower octane because then you are relying solely on an electro-mechanical system to save your engine from detonation. I like the additional insurance of a slower burning mixture, as is with the higher octanes. The summer gas is simply harder to vaporize, which is IT's job.

Don't know why it seems that MINIs are affected moreso than other vehicles.

 

I've noticed it too. Have mentioned it before at CooperSpeed.com

And I'm in Houston, so not sure if it's a gas thing unless the entire country gets the same gas...

 

Had the same problem when I first picked it up..

waiting a little for the fuel pump helped a great deal.
I barely notice it these days..
Maybe my dealer put some low grade gas in it.

 

No starting probs as yet, but with other vehicles in the past I have had minor problems when buying gas from low volumn stations. I suspect the gas doesn't get turned over enough in the tanks. Could this be the problem?

 

The EPA mandates a summer fuel mixture that will burn more cleanly in warm weather. I guess it only figures that we would not get any warm weather.

Actually, it warmed up a bit today in DC, and my MCS started better than it has in days. For me, at least, it looks to have been a fuel mixture issue.