Oh yeah...my 2002 MCS started the squeaking clutch noise in 1st when cold at about 15,000 miles. Dragging a lawn chair across a concrete floor -that's it.

Took it to the dealer a few times - always "could not replicate" The car now has 68,500 miles on it and the noise is either somewhat quieter now or I have really gotten used to it.

The clutch is in great shape otherwise so when it does finally go out, its lighter flywheel , Spec 2 clutch and Quaife for me.

Discussed this point with dealer,next day Mini is covering clutch assembly too.I think if you explain that you would like to be there on clutch removal and measure the remaining material against the Mini service limit.Now all of a sudden its covered.It makes sense that it would be covered since a bad flywheel can cause wear to clutch ,as well as a bad throw out bearing.:impatientThe squeal is caused by one of these or a combination of these problems.

It seems to be lost but in spring of 05 Mini team posted a campain #200507600043 for this problem.Mines in tomorrow to get clutch, flywheel, and throwout bearing.This re-appears every cold weather period on s models.Some others have posted after last weeks cold weather.It is characterised by a OOOOOOORT sound for the first few clutch engagements after cold start,usually dosnt happen after car warms up. It is not model year dependent or mileage related.

I already posted earlier about the noise I had when engaging my clutch... to remind you though, the noise began with around 28k miles and now it has about 47k on it. I finally went to my dealer, Mini of Nashville, to get my last free scheduled maintenance this last Monday. I told them about the problem that I was having along with a piece of paper with the website of this thread written on it hahaha; they went ahead and changed the oil, etc. then about an hour later they told me that they are going to replace my throwout bearing under warranty! Even with all of my mods, they were nice about it too! Whoohoo! I dropped it off overnight because it they said it takes around 8-12 hours of labor to do the replacement. The next day when I came to pick it up, I talked to the mechanic for a few minutes; he told me that I was lucky because the throwout bearing was just about to break and would have gone out anyday. He also said they looked at my clutch while they had it out and it looked just fine . He also told me a few more helpful tidbits... Now my car is back and running great! I hope you other people have no problem getting your squeeling clutch fixed under warranty. If you have any problem, just show them this thread!

Update:Got car back today,clutch, updated flywheel, and throw out bearing done.Excellent work squeal gone.Also got door handle update,and window seals replaced.Car drives like new.Just a note updated clutch kit feels exactly the same as our 05 mcs.I think it is a different design than original 03 kit.

This is a problem with manual shift automobiles that goes back to the begining of time. It's a worn throw-out bearing and it usually only develops if you ride the clutch pedal. Most of the time you are doing this and don't even know it. I've had this happen on American cars as well as foriegn. The bearing gets a little worn and causes relative movement between the pressure plate and the bearing housing when you first push on it. This problem usually does not do anything other than make the noise you are hearing. It is part of what allows the clutch to be shifted from one gear to another and has nothing at all to do with the clutch itself. Eventually I suppose the bearing could get worn through the housing but that would be an extreme case. The problem is worse when it's cold and only on the first shift because the bearing grease isn't warm and evenly distributed throughout the bearing, causing it to have a little more "drag" than normal. My 03 MCS started doing it just about two weeks ago. It's got 60K mi. now. The clutch doesn't slip because it has nothing at all to do with the clutch. Unless the noise is unbearable - I wouldn't do anything.

The thread has been around for a long time but Mini has acknowledged the problem since it has occured in vehicles almost from new all the way back to 02.Are you saying that the mini throw out grease is the only one that squeals when it gets cold.We have owned 4 manual transmissioned vehicles and never replaced a clutch during the ownership so I doubt that this is caused by "slipping the clutch without knowing it".

Not saying the problem is with the grease. The grease isn't distributed throughout the bearing itself until you shift it once - particularly on cold mornings. With not as much grease to lubricate things in the bearing you have more drag in the bearing. More drag means a slight turning motion is imparted to the outer housing which ceases once the outer housing contacts the presssure plate resulting in a squeal just as the pressure is applied.

It doesn't happen when I engage the clutch, but rather when I release the clutch to get the car moving in first gear. My 45000 mile service is coming up and I will ask them to address it then with the service reference number in hand.

The thread describes releasing the clutch ie puting it in gear releasing the clutch upon which you get a squeal.It usually goes away after a few cycles when clutch warms up.Dosnt happen in warm weather just spring fall or winter.

My '03 Cooper S is in the shop right now for a flywheel replacement. The squeel is definetely not the throwout bearing. It is the dual mass flywheel and it is impossible to see the damage to the flywheel but replacement makes the noise go away. When I pick up PeeWee on Friday I am going to try to take a couple of pictures of the flywheel. The replacement is also covered under the warranty up to the 50,000 mile mark.

I'll post more about my experience over the weekend including a sound bite I recorded today on the way to the dealer. Again, this noise is NOT a worn clutch or bad throwout bearing. It is the flywheel.

Rich

Im not trying to disagree with you Rich, but my dealer only replaced my thow out bearing, and since then the noise has completely stopped for me, so...

lots of interesting info and comments on this.... First off,,,I would like do dispell a possibility of cluth abuse in my perticular case... as stated eariler, I have only replaced one clutch in all the vehicles I have owned in the past 28 years of driving standard shift. ( that being the 4runner after 110k miles. ) ( obtw, in 190k of owner ship cost 1500.00 in repairs and 600 of that being the clutch in a 13 yr period and only 3 trips to the repair shop )

my car started this cluth howl at 17k miles. sad. Ok with that said, i have not yet got up the nerve to take it back to the shop ( my bi- monthly adventure ) ( note the toyota comment above... ya know, 13yrs...3 trips ) to have them tell me that they cant do anything till it actually breaks... maybe im jumping the sarcastic button too soon, but we will see. for 3 trips in they kept telling me my power steering noise was in my head.... till they found all my p/s fluid missing with no drips... then found alll the fluid in the rack with the boots swelled up like a tic ready to pop....

Oh well, im at 19kmiles, and 2 yrs on the warrenty to fight this battle...( but, at my age, I seem to stop fighting early... HHmmm... maybe back to my roots )I allways did like the twin turbo supras

I posted a service note with # in my previous posts and this will reference this exact problem and fix.Just quote the service # they shouldnt fight with you after that.As I said in yesterdays post if Mini want to replace all these parts under warranty I am happy.Our dealer is great but I am not a whiner and since I run a service business its not as hard for me to get along with these guys.My observations are as follows:noise gone,clutch engagement more like our 05 s -longer travel,much lighter engagement.Checked clutch disc after it came out, very little wear ,flywheel good no heat marks or scoring,throwout loose,some wear.Happy with the results.

See post #28:impatient

I too am in the service field... was a technical service engineer for 18yrs fixing large computer systems, pcs, ATMs, high speed sorters and printers, plotting printers ect.. I have my fair share dealing with " Its making wierd noises " and its just not working right. I am very specific on details when I go for service... I know my car and dont cry wolf... on the other side of this, being in the service field, I also know when i get bs excuses of why they cant fix it something..

Thanks for the # 28 post... will give it a shot

Thanks,I can tell we both speak "the unspoken language" of people that have to deal with the public.You know what I mean.The bottom line if they want to replace all parts of the assembly so they dont have to go in again who Iam I to argue the point. Squeek

Just got my MINI back from the dealership where they fixed this same issue. Original word form them was that the clutch was bad and would be replaced under the maintenance plan. After they took it out, saw the clutch was OK, and throwout bearing was bad...they replaced them both under warranty - not the maintenance plan...

Who did it Momentem?

we will have to see how North Scottsdale Mini handle this one....we will find out in 2 weeks.... Oh yea... have to see if they can also fix my A/C that has also just gone out ( yea i use it... it was in the 80s the other day..but was more for my out of country guests.)

Ok,, well that was a pleasnt visit for a change. NSM had my car for 2 day, and I now have a New Clutch/throw out bearing, new A/C evaporator, and noise dampener on my dash centering pin.... No questions asked...

Now lets hope It can go couple months with out any more trips to the doctor

Well Im glad all of you are having such good luck with your cars, hopefully some of yours will rub off on me and Crowfoot MINI will fix my stuff. I just sent an email to BMW Canada, cross your fingers!

I posted a thread earlier about this. The response I got is that it is probably the flywheel. I had this same problem 2 weeks ago with the installation of a Sachs racing clutch, pressure plate, throw out, flywheel. I brought the MINI back to the tuner. The mechanics took it apart and put it back togehter. So far no noise.

3 weeks and 1 return trip to florida and a bunch of cold starts no more squeal from cold start.So far looks good.

See post #28 it has the campain # for the problem we are all having.