[font=Arial]Hi:
I need some advice here. Just had my 2002 MINI Cooper S serviced at the local dealer. There were three driveability issues reported:

1. Surging on acceleration
2. Bogs on start up from a full stop especially on hot days with AC
3. At a full stop idle will suddenly get rough, and if you blip the throttle, it clears right up. What all this seems to be attributed to is the software. Anyone who has a 2002 knows these issues.

So, the only mod on my car is a after market pulley installed by Randy Webb. The technician reported that ALL the problems were caused by the pulley upgrade, and refused to reprogram or diagnose the issues under warranty!

Should I pursue this? Or am I wasting my time? Anyone who understands the pulley upgrade knows that this is total BS and a cop out on the part of the tech.

Any advice would be appreciated before I go to MINI USA.

Thanks.

Viraf [/font]

 

can you corellate the onset of the problems with the pulley install? it is not typical, but there may have been some un-intentional and undetected mishap during the pulley install...like a loosened sensor wire, intercooler boot, bypass-vac hose, etc.,

 

These problems have plagued the car intermittently since new. Every time they reflash the ECU it seemed to help, then the problems would resurface again.

Pulley installed a year ago - car is 3 1/2 years old. There was no difference after pulley install.

Viraf

 

Yo-yo, hesitation, and rough idle are indeed caused by bad software. Do a search here and you will find tons of people without reduction pullies complaining of these problems. Bottom line is years of complaining has done no good because BMW is unable to reliably fix the problem for everyone even after ~43 software revisions--and don't bet that they will even keep trying after the Peugeot engine arrives! But you will note that many have fixed the problem with aftermarket software that also produces more HP...

 

Tweaking the vacuum to the bypass valve will smooth the surging (search VGS). It's real easy to do & quite reversible. I did it myself & it's a cast improvement.
You're likely stuck with the poor idle and bogging, as most of us are. Lighter wheels help that a bit.
They have no legal grounds to refuse service & they know that. Some dealers are just d___s about modified cars. I will not comment further on this aspect of my statement, as some just love to argue about it. Whatever.
Anyways, I'm sorry you're having trouble. Any other dealers in your area?

 

Frankly, the dealer/MINI may be pushing a line of bulls**t, but unless you want to go through the expense of a lawsuit, they are in the power position. For the expense involved, you should probably try other approaches. If there is no modification-friendly dealer near you, then you probably are looking at finding an independant mechanic who can sort the problem out with aftermarket software as bodinski mentioned. Or, you can reverse the pulley install and let the dealer/MINI try and convince you that the problems you reported are normal....