OK, here's another one: Some have reported that their car has better preformance for having been driven hard right after a computer update. The car adapts to that style, and then (hopefully?) retains that learned behavior. Is this true? How long does the car have to be driven hard, in order for the car to remember? Will it later forget?
Close.
The computer adapts to your driving all the time. So if you drive hard for a while and then drive stuck in city traffic it'll adapt differently under each environment.

The only permanent (sort of) solution will be one of the ECU remap products. They're fairly new and not a lot of real world data on them yet.Not cheap either.

Really? How does it adapt? What does it do differently? (The only thing I can think of are shift points for an auto transmission. Is there anything else?)

March '03 build - Had 1st gear hestitation from time of delivery. v.36 update applied yesterday and the stumble appears to have been cured. One caveat...with the cold weather here in the Northeast the problem seemed to have lessened. It'll be interesting to see what happens in July.

Really? How does it adapt? What does it do differently? (The only thing I can think of are shift points for an auto transmission. Is there anything else?)

It's been explained much better than I can do but I couldn't find the post.
RPM, shift points, MAP sensor, O2 readings all combined can pretty accurately define your driving habits. I'm sure I've missed a ton.

March '03 build - Had 1st gear hestitation from time of delivery. v.36 update applied yesterday and the stumble appears to have been cured. One caveat...with the cold weather here in the Northeast the problem seemed to have lessened. It'll be interesting to see what happens in July.





I'd like to welcome our newest member, Actual Size to the 'V.36 Club!' :D :D

My initial impression is this. V36 has cured the stumble. It has also made the traction control less responsive, which is good, as I think that was the cause of the Bog. My yoyo is still as bad as ever.

Guess I'm stalking cpeters1 ;)

Well one day under v36 so far.
Car is different. Not sure if I like it or not. Seems a little better at take off but also seems a little more sensitive during clutch engagement. Also the RPM drop off at 1800-2K is more evident. Instead of a roll off it's more like a cut off now.
Haven't had the stumble since having 32.1 installed over a year ago. The yo yo is almost imperceptable.
Power delivery seems a bit smoother now. That part is very nice.
We'll see in a couple hundred miles.
Pulley and One-Click next.
Guess I'll have to answer my own question about mileage :rolleyes:

I'm waiting to answer the poll though. Maybe in a week.

Just got V36 installed today (takes the mini dealership 30-45min to perform this).

Right off, stumble and yoyo is gone. What a difference! My service advisor says that it will take approx 300km of driving the MCS for the software to 'adapt' to my driving style. So I will wait a bit to give my two bits on any other 'improvements' from the software.

There is a separate thread going on the CVT with CD#36.0. The new software offers subtle change, unlike 32.1 and 33.2 which seemed to give us a new CVT-equipped car after the software was loaded. It seems to give important driveability improvements in the CVT, and overall 36.0 just plain works better.

Differentiator: Tachometer redline reads 6000rpm versus 5500rpm in previous versions.

A big one so subtle that you may not even notice, is applying small additional throttle while driving along. Speeding up, as an example. In the earlier versions, the computer calculated and issued processing commands that you could feel take place. Now it just happens. Throttle is more progressive, more linear with the driver expectation, much more subtle. Normal driving is less segmented, the car does what you'd expect it to do.

And then a surprise, overdrive mileage (cruising in D) may be improved based on some initial freeway runs. I expected lower mileage with the new software.

.....A big one so subtle that you may not even notice, is applying small additional throttle while driving along. Speeding up, as an example. In the earlier versions, the computer calculated and issued processing commands that you could feel take place. Now it just happens. Throttle is more progressive, more linear with the driver expectation, much more subtle. Normal driving is less segmented, the car does what you'd expect it to do.
Nonsequitur, you took the words right out of my mouth!!! This is exactly what I am feeling with my MCS, on the second day of having V.36 installed.

The linear progression of the throttle makes the car drive more smoothly for daily city driving. I haven't had a chance to take the car out on the highway/open road, so it remains to be seen whether this linear progression might in some way actually be detrimental to spirited driving. By becoming more 'normal', I hope the unique characteristic of the MINI isn't diluted somehow.

One thing I have noted is the lower idling speed. Whereas my MCS was idling at 1000-1200 rpm, it appears to be idling now at 800rpm. Enough to make the car feel like it has stalled at a standstill, that's how smooth the idle speed is now!!!

v 36 is not the solution fore many of us. It's the vacuum control shutoff valve affecting the supercharger.

See Ryan's lengthy and complete research, explanation, pictures, and the fix at:

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB_14&file=index&action=viewtopic&topic=21063&start=125

V.36 instaled Friday on my 6/03 build MCS. It's still relatively cool here in South Texas, so I'll have to revisit this when it gets hot (not if, when!)...
Before, I was having cold start problems, and the stumble in first gear as well as a very pronounced flat spot in the torque curve at 2000-4000 RPM. So far, the car starts better when cold, and there is more pull in the 2000-4000 RPM range (as in it feels like it has more power there than before).

I feel a bit more confident pulling onto a highway from a stop now. I'll see what happens when it gets hot around March.

I had it loaded on Friday, and 150 miles later, the car is running great. I can't believe how much my driving style had evolved, devoted entirely to minimizing the stumble. Now, I get a lot more enjoyment from standing starts, as I can concentrate on getting the power down in the manner desired, without accomodation. Other than lack of stumble, I've noticed no other changes in the car's performance or character.

My '04 MCS (9/03 build) is booked tomorrow morning at the dealership to get version 36 installed. Per MINI service bulletin SI M 12 02 03, my MCS' build date range falls under the time period for cars that are in likely need to get this update. I do not believe my MCS has version 36 from either the factory or VPC (Version was not made available until late December) and rather my car must be running with CD 35.x which had just been released at the time I took delivery (Late Sept/Early Oct).

Anyway for those of you '04 MCS owners whose cars where built before November 2003 and has the 36 update done, what were the main differences noted? Smoother launch out of 1st gear?, less/more yo-yo? Higher RPM idle with or without A/C.

I notice that with CD 35.x (Which I will find out tomorrow the exact build version number currently installed in the car) I have to rev the engine north of 1,500 RPM to ensure a smooth takeoff from 1st gear. I have read that under CD 36 the need to rev the engine past 1,500RPM is minimized and car takes off smoothly from 1K instead of 2K RPM.

I would appreciate any side-to-side comparison pre CD 36 and after CD 36 was downloaded.

Will post a follow up tomorrow afternoon.

Per bulletin SI M 12 02 03, it appears to be that CD 36 was installed at the oxford assembly line on cars being built as of November '03. MINIs built before 11/03 do not have 36 from factory.

Just had my dealer (Lauderdale MINI) update the EMS2000 computer in my '04 MCS and lo and behold the car came from either the factory or VPC with the "interim fix" software CD 35. The update to CD 36 took aprox 30 minutes and the car is even smoother...like butter but with strong torque/acceleration from the get go and no yo-yo (never really had a problem with yo-yo with the factory software)

Anyway, I am very pleased with the update to CD 36 and highly recommend it to any owners of Cooper/CooperCVT and MCS built prior to October 2003. Cars built since 11/2003 have CD 36 installed from the Oxford factory.

Two weeks ago I had v36 flashed to my 2003 S. I was not experiencing the stumble but the yo-yo was present, and still is. I was hoping for the best but was disappointed in the results; give me an e for effort. Yo-yo still present. Looking forward to the day when BMW solves this issue...

Well my yo yo is back for sure :rolleyes:
I do like the other improvements it's made though. Definite improvement in the traction control.
Can't wait to see if it's helped fuel economy.

The update cured my 1st gear stumble, made throttle response and power delivery more responsive and smooth, and removed the 'flat spot' around 2800 rpm. Also noticed interior lights to be brighter.
Have not seen a change in fuel economy, but only 1 tank burned since updating. My dealer recommended the update to me. Said I was certain to notice a difference and response from other customers was real positive. -Sidenote, my entire glovebox was also replaced under warranty and now everything is perfect.

After having my problems re appearing a few hundred miles after installing V36 software.I had a phone call from my dealer who had just been sent V36.1.Hot off the press!!! Sending car to be reprogrammed in about a weeks time(working on oil rig just now). Don't know if anyone has heard of this yet but it has literally been released by BMW in the last few days! Would love to hear about anyone getting it installed. Hears hoping this is the final solution!!!!! :)

Just had V36 installed today (Crevier MINI in Santa Ana) - Difference is quite noticeable, much smoother in acceleration and auto downshift (from 3-2, i believe)... that used to bug the heck out of me! I'll call and see whether that was v36.1...

Another bonus the update did - The overhead clock can now display in 12 hour format!!! horray!!! The 24-hour format display was another annoyance for me...

Just had V36 installed today (Crevier MINI in Santa Ana) - Difference is quite noticeable, much smoother in acceleration and auto downshift (from 3-2, i believe)... that used to bug the heck out of me! I'll call and see whether that was v36.1...

Another bonus the update did - The overhead clock can now display in 12 hour format!!! horray!!! The 24-hour format display was another annoyance for me...

I should mention, my Cooper has a CVT (which is why the comment about the auto downshift...

There must be some specific bug in v36.0 with one of the cars. I'm curious about this v36.1 because the software maintenance fixes did make the previous major versions better (as v32.1 and v33.2 proved so well). What is v36.1 supposed to do?

I've been writing praises of v36.0 because it builds on v33.2 (the last major leap forward) without losing anything except some slight additional pause at launch. This is a very subtle, but important update.

The ZF gearbox simply works better than the previous versions for all Selections and all Modes of operation (in the CVT). We even have a couple of owners seeing improved mileage (I was one; more exacting test now underway).

WOW 36.1... wonder what this one really fixes... but 36 is still fine for me so far so unless the stumble comes back.

After having my problems re appearing a few hundred miles after installing V36 software.I had a phone call from my dealer who had just been sent V36.1.Hot off the press!!! Sending car to be reprogrammed in about a weeks time(working on oil rig just now). Don't know if anyone has heard of this yet but it has literally been released by BMW in the last few days! Would love to hear about anyone getting it installed. Hears hoping this is the final solution!!!!! :)


What issues are you talking about?

From what I can gather V36.1 will hopefully sort the yoyo effect.Seemingly BMW engineers have been out in force around London testing faulty cars & hopefully this is the fix????????????? Wait & see! Thought V36.0 was the answer!!! Though the stumble has gone totally.Already had my hopes dashed once.Just wish I wasn't stuck out on this oil rig!!!

Go here:

bridger.us/mini

The yo-yo issue is not solvable only by software means. There is also a hardware design issue, although minor, that BMW should be able to quickly implement in the field.

I said that other than lack of stumble, v36 hadn't changed anything else. I forgot to mention that it eliminated the deceleration hiccup, as the tac passes below 2000rpm, too. Perhaps a bit too early to tell, but it appears my gas mileage has improved from the 27mpg that I've had since new, to a bit over 30! I've gone only 300 miles or so, but the last two fill-ups have been over 30, and I haven't seen that since my break-in mileage days.

That just proves how F'd up this stuff is.
My car now HAS the sudden RPM drop between 12-1800 RPM. Didn't do it before. And my mileage is worse. Only been one tank but it was almost 2 MPG worse.
Car now stalls easier as well.
Quite unhappy with v36.

I said that other than lack of stumble, v36 hadn't changed anything else. I forgot to mention that it eliminated the deceleration hiccup, as the tac passes below 2000rpm, too. Perhaps a bit too early to tell, but it appears my gas mileage has improved from the 27mpg that I've had since new, to a bit over 30! I've gone only 300 miles or so, but the last two fill-ups have been over 30, and I haven't seen that since my break-in mileage days.

From what I can gather V36.1 will hopefully sort the yoyo effect.Seemingly BMW engineers have been out in force around London testing faulty cars & hopefully this is the fix????????????? Wait & see! Thought V36.0 was the answer!!! Though the stumble has gone totally.Already had my hopes dashed once.Just wish I wasn't stuck out on this oil rig!!!


I called my dealer, East Bay Mini, and they said that the latest version is 36. They knew nothing about v36.1. Has anyone in the U.S. heard about v36.1?