Not just BMW. MB, Lexus, and others. Clearly, with the quest for convincing us of more value, and perhaps the pursuit of lower cost, the auto firms are packing way too much software into our cars these days. BMW ate how many cars due to iDrive? Not because it doesn't work but because users couldn't figure out how to use it.

We buyers should let the auto firms know we don't like the current state of affairs. They'll listen.

Sure, and wild monkeys will fly out of my butt!

Wouldn't it be cool if you had enough money to take a lemon to the dealer lot and burn the car to the ground? That would be sweet....

 

I agree that such problems are not limited to the likes of BMW/MINI. It's a sad fact that complex electronics are becoming ever-more integral to modern cars - for various reasons.

It's scary that a cheap piece of plastic, such as in a circuit board, could fail and disable an entire car. Regardless of how simply/cheaply such a problem can be fixed, the customer is still left standing by the side of the road when such devices fail.

With emissions and fuel consumption becoming more and more critical, electronic engine management will become more sophisticated; sometimes with less-than-perfect results. Car companies would be ill-advised to ignore the quality of the little gizmos that control the car.

Despite my little rant, I'm still very excited about my MINI -- it should be here soon! :smile:

 

Hopefully you will continue to have good luck with your new DME. Computers tend to fail early on - if there are no problems soon, you are probably going to not have further problems with the DME replacement. When I first started reading your thread, I was wondering why the problems since my MCSa (3/23/2005 build date) has been problem-free. A defective DME, while serious, can be fixed and is not necessarily indicative of lemon. Here is hoping you have no further problems.

 

You may not be out of the clear just yet. I had the same problem and there are something like 7 others here in San Antonio with the same problem. I was told the hot weather raised the intake temperatures to a level that was outside of the boundaries set in the software. The sensor is sending out an error and then that circuit shuts down. However, the auto transmission is on that circuit and then goes into limp mode to protect it. That's the way I understand it from what I was told. They are supposed to be replacing the two map sensors, the throttle motor, and updating the software with a wider temperature range to avoid this problem.

 

Um........that comment makes me wonder about the origin of your username!

And kellis, hopefully, your woes are now over! Keep us posted, please. :smile:


Clover

 

Actually, it's not complicated at all. My mother had a '93 (first year) Dodge Intrepid bought back by Chrysler due to electrical problems. She went through a Lemon Law Lawyer. Annoying yes, but not complicated and no out-of-pocket money from her.

Hopefully, it will not come to that and you can be yet another happy MINI owner. :smile:

 

Sure hope you're right about computers failing early on...what a surprise to have a brand new car in for service for 3 of the first 4 weeks! I'll be very happy when I've been driving the car for a month or so with no problems! And, now, I'm officially past the break in period...the fun begins!

 

I might be OK since the 2nd time the car was in they replaced the throttle body and the two map sensors. Whether or not the updated the software, I don't know.

It's been hot here in Charleston, SC also so I may have had the same issue. The limp mode, etc did not happen again after the 2nd service visit. It was a transmission error the 3rd time...

Thanks for the input! Did your car fail more than once or did they fix it the first time?

 

It has only failed once and been in the shop since then. V42 software is supposed to fix the problem, but they are still waiting on that from BMW NA before they will give me the car back. I had it for a month then this happened and it's been in the shop for about 2 weeks. It's really frustrating since it's supposed to be a brand new car. I'm considering getting angry and asking for a complimentary JCW intake for all the hassle this has been. That would be sweet!

 

My wife has a story very similar to what others have told. I bought her a Mini S auto for her birthday. She had it for a week and it lost power while driving at city traffic speed during rush hour traffic, wouldn't rev, EML and SES lights on and max speed of 5 miles/hour. She pulled into a parking lot after almost getting crushed by a pickup behind her, killed the engine and called roadside assistance. She was told to restart it and that the lights should go off and she could drive it home. The EML went off, but the SES stayed lit. She had normal power and drove home, called the dealer and they sent a flatbed to pick it up (with a grand total or 64 miles on the odometer).

It has been at the dealer for a week now and may be ready today. The tech says he has to replace some sensors and perhaps the throttle body.

All I can say thus far is that the dealer (Ferman Mini of Tampa Bay) was very anxious to sell me the car, but service apparently also has a "limp" mode like the car. We've had to make all the calls to find out what is happening, promised return calls haven't been made and there has been no explanation for why her car with less that 100 miles on it is acting like this. I'm getting a bad feeling about this whole deal. It's smelling more and more like the Saturn we had which we sold back to the dealer under the Florida Lemon Law.

 

There was a Volvo assemby plant up here in Nova Scotia,not sure if it still exists. Many years ago a fellow I work with's brother had a Volvo that was nothing but trouble. He got so frustrated, he drove the 3500 miles from here to the east coast, and burned the car in front of the factory
.

 

My wife's car remains at the dealership. The Mini service manager has returned from vacation and we have at least started getting phone calls to report progress...or the lack there of.

The new software has been loaded, but the SES light continues to reappear. Apparently, MiniUSA has decided to use our car as a test mule for this problem as the SA can only try a fix as recommended by MiniUSA, road test the car and, when the light comes on again, try another fix as directed by MiniUSA. If they don't get it fixed soon, our car will likely qualify as a used car because of all the miles Mini is putting on it to fix their defective product.

During my last conversation with the SA, I requested a call from the regional manager of MiniUSA. We'll see if it materializes. Perhaps they will respond better when my lawyer calls them.

 

Unfortunately, we had this very same problem (plus some others) with our first 05 MCS (which was built in October of 2004). It lasted only 168 miles before it died. The car ended up being bought back by MINI/BMW. It took us nearly six months to get a replacement car, but we were lucky enough to receive a loaner MCS for the entire time.

If I were you, I'd demand a new car.

 

Peverett,
Check w/ the people over at www.sunshineminis.org, many of them have purcased cars from Ferman and might have some insight into dealing w/ them. Good luck.

 

Supposedly our car is now fixed. The SA called today to say the the software patch has solved the problem. I can't believe that (a) it took almost two weeks to load a software patch (unless it was a patch based on Windows ME!), (b) that they didn't do the software upgrade BEFORE they sold the car, (c) that they were so busy fixing my car that they couldn't pick up a phone and call me to tell me what was going on, (d) that just a software patch is going to fix this, (e) that MiniUSA is so unconcerned about their customers that the district rep for Florida couldn't call me as I requested to discuss my concerns about the car and the slowness of service and (f) that they can't deliver my car back to me, but instead expect me to drive a hour one way back to the dealership to pick it up.

We'll see if it's fixed. Having dealt with BMW and BMW dealerships before, I have my doubts. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

A quick update...after replacing the DME, my car is running great. No more problems and hopefully, no more to come. My SA dropped my car off at my house and left a letter thanking me for the patience and asking where I liked to shop or my favorite restaurant. Apparently, they want to do something for all the trouble. Then a week or so later, I had a message letting me know that there was a software update available. They want me to call to let them know when they can pick up the car at my house and leave a loaner. Seems that service is now bending over backwards to make me a happy customer. I must say, I appreciate the efforts.

What a great car to drive!!!

 

Do you have your car back yet? Has V42 fixed the problem? My SA called and wants to do an software update on my car even though the DME replacement seems to have fixed the problem. I need to check if it's V42 that they want to do.

 

Reprogramming with V42.1 seems to have the car running like new and after I got through chewing on the manager at Ferman, I even got the call I wanted from the regional manager from Florida. Unfortunately, I was out, but my wife took the call. She learned something interesting, though. It seems that there at about 3800 cars with this potential problem, but MininUSA isn't going to recall those cars nationwide - they are going to depend on the individual dealers to do the right thing and contact their customers.

Bottom line - if you've got a MiniSa, call your delear immediately and schedule your ungrade because if you wait on them, it may be too late and you'll be stuck on the side of the road.

 

Well, just when I thought it wouldn't happen again...it did. I started from a complete stop (just starting out after the car was parked all day) and the EML light & the SES light came on, car went into limp mode. Fortunately, after all the experience with this, I knew exactly what to do. Shut off the engine, started it up again and called my SA. He said that they have had so many MCSa's that they've sold doing the same thing. They apparently did a software update on some of the problem cars with no fix. So, now they're waiting for another update to come out (1-1/2 to 2 weeks from now) and then they'll do my update.

MiniUSA has a problem on their hands! My SA did say that Mini was going to "do something" for all of the owners. He did not know exactly what that would be but he mentioned the possibility of a warranty extension. We'll see...

 

Mine was in for a month and I got it back the week of July 4th. 5 days later the same problem happens(SES and EML light on again). I brought it back to the dealer last Monday and they weren't surprised because all the ones they gave back to customers had come back in. Some they never even gave back so they were still there. When I brought it back in last Monday they said they were in Florida trying to fix the problem. The dealer here wouldn't give me any sort of time period...I really hope it doesn't take more than 2 weeks! MINI had better do something for it's customers. I know I am very frustrated and displeased with all of this and some others in San Antonio are very upset. My car has been in service for more time than I've been able to drive it. I got it a little more than two months ago and it's been in service for a month+. I don't enjoy paying for a brand new car that was sold to me defective. This is a problem that should have been fixed in testing before the car was available to consumers and it seems they did an extremely poor job of testing the automatic. My hunch is they just stuck the auto in to replace the manual trans and just did a little testing around England or Germany to get it running, but didn't fully test it since the cooling system and most other systems are the same as the manual S. Now they have a big problem.

 

The e-mail I received today from the MINI Area Manager:
"I am the MINI Area Manager for The MINI Center and am in receipt of your letter you sent our customer relations department. First off I want to thank you for your patients with your new MINI and MINI USA. As a mechanical engineer, you probably know the difficulties that are faced with designing & bringing new products to market and how differing environments can impact performance.

As of this morning I received an internal note that our team of engineers returning from Florida, (hot & humid area) may have a fix for the problem you are experiencing with your vehicle. The repair will require the DME, (computer) to be reprogrammed. The note stated that we might have the answer by Wednesday this week. If this becomes reality, I will have someone from the dealer contact you, (or I will) to have you drop your vehicle off at the dealership so we can send your DME to MINI USA for reprogramming.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and patients in this matter. I look forward in having MINI USA and The MINI Center resolve your technical issues.

Happy Motoring,
Dietz L. Froehlich"

 

Nice to know we are helping MINI do R&D

I went through my share. Extreme cold tranny seals. The seals would fail, dump fluid, and wreck the tranny. New seals are worth $100 installed. New tranny $3500+++ installed.

Why do a recall on the seals, when you can charge more up front to cover the expensive warrenty costs

 

It's back in the shop again. It was the same story- accelerating away from a light, power fell off and the lights came on. Fortunately, restarting the car restored power, but the flatbed came and took it away again. It would seem the V42.1 is not the answer. However, we been assured that they now have the answer and were just going to call us to get the fix.

I was afraid this was going to happen. My wife was so excited when Coopers came back on the market and I knew at some point we'd get her one, but when I found out that they were BMWs, my heart just sank. BMWs have to be the most over-rated cars on the market and for the life of me I can't understand how they stay in business. Suckers like me, I guess.

We'll see if the next software version works. If she had only wanted a Subaru WRXti...

 

I got mine back yesterday after having the DME sent to New Jersey for reprogramming. So far no problems yet.

 

Stopped by Mini Service yesterday...found out that a few days ago, they received an online update to v42 software. They have other automatics scheduled for the update. I'm holding off till mid August to see if it's really a fix. Car has been fine since mid-July; even then, it just did the limp mode thing, I shut it off, started up again and went on my way. No problems since but I know it could happen any day, any time.

Need some input from other MSCa owners...when I'm accelerating all the gears shift smoothly except from 3rd to 4th. The rpms go up to nearly 4500 before it shifts into 4th; then quickly shifts from 4th to 5th because of the speed I'm going by that time. Is this normal?

Thanks for replies...