Got v36 put on my MCS yesterday and I cannot really notice a big difference. No stumble or yo-yo before and none after. Deceleration IS a bit smoother but not much else. It will be about a week before I know if it helps mileage at all.

2004 MCS owners (Builds beginning 9/2003) will not notice a significant difference because '04's build during 9/03 and 10/03 came with an "interim" software fix release known as version CD 35 which cured the stumble 90% of the time but still was there on ocassion. CD 35 was a stop gap release until CD 36 (The final fix) became available to customers at the end of 12/03.

MINIs built since 11/03 already have CD 36 from the factory.

For owners of MCS with older "stumbling" version software (below CD 35), going to CD 36 is a significant change because it cures the stumble and some of the "edginess" driving charactheristics of the car.

We 2004 MCS owners are fortunate and lucky that we never really experienced the stumble problem and never had to live with it on a day to day basis for months to no end like so many '02 and '03 MCS owners did.

Last week I had my dealer upload CD 36 on my '04 MCS (9/2003 build) and I am very happy with the results.

I was in at my dealers today (nasty puncture in a runflat - waves bye bye to £112 :eek: :( )

Anyway - I have a Jul/03 Cooper with the stumble - I was chatting to the mechanic and mentioned v36, to my surprise he'd heard of the issue and they've already done a few MCS upgrades to v36. However, it's not yet available (or they can't get it to load) for the Cooper or One. BMW tend to release the S version first and then update the disk for the other versions later on.

So they know about it now at least, and said they'll let me know if they hear any official BMW news - even though the S seems to suffer this more often, they do know of Coopers too.

Seems like you S folks are the guinea pigs...... hopefully you can iron out all the bugs before the rest of us get our hands on it! :D

Your dealer is lying. MINI released CD 36 in the United States for all MINI models sold here, Cooper/Cooper CVT and MCS.

I don't see how this would be different in the UK.

Just thought I'd let you guys know, aweek ago I had my dealer upgrade my aug03 cooper s to Version 6 and a 150 miles later I'm still without my stumble!!!! The car is totally different. Yoyoing is still there abit but only seems to rear its head when I have a car full of people

If you have the stumble and haven't upgraded to V36 do it!!!

Greg

Your dealer is lying. MINI released CD 36 in the United States for all MINI models sold here, Cooper/Cooper CVT and MCS.

I don't see how this would be different in the UK.

Or they just screwed up trying to load it then? :confused:

He did say they commonly get updates to the updates which are not a "new version" - whether bmw uk (or munich) distribute them differently I don't know. Then again, there's a v36.1 now - maybe that's the one he was referring to. I have read posts here which show that some dealers in the uk have trouble uploading the new versions when they first come out.

Customers/consumers being a little less likely to take crap in the us than here - they probably look after you guys better too :D

Customers/consumers being a little less likely to take crap in the us than here - they probably look after you guys better too

I wouldn't say that. If I could sell the crap I've gotten, by the pound, I could take a really nice vacation.
crap in the us <---- :) Sounds painful.

I've had v36 on my Cooper (not S) for weeks now. Improvement in cold weather idle, big improvement in ASC+T (much less intrusive). Saying it doesn't work on the Cooper is pure BS.

Harry

Weather here in Miami today is around 85F and 75%+ relative humidity. Today I drove my MCS all over the city in all kinds of traffic conditions (Stop-n-go traffic often) with the A/C at full blast...the car performed beautifully in these conditions with CD 36. So for those of you wondering how CD 36 will perform during the upcoming summer months, based on todays experience, I can say that you'll be very pleased with the car's performance with the A/C in very hot weather.

Glad to hear....that was one of my primary concerns since the hesitation I had prior to v.36 seemed to lessen somewhat in our New England freezer. About 400 miles now since the update and still no problems. Acceleration is smoother as others have reported although no increase in MPG has occurred.

Now for the important question....where are you located in Miami??? We'll be right down! :D

Several hundred miles since V36. I am finally learning to drive all over again. Much better ASC+T response, and NO STUMBLE. Also, I have yet to have a bog. As before still have yo-yo.

Actual Size: When are you coming down to Miami?

Please send me a private message.

I've done 2000 miles since having V36 installed, and the characteristics have been transformed on my MCS Works with no more stumbling. I've also noticed that the H/K stereo seems to have been updated. Since new the sound system had an exaggerated bass, requiring a reduction in the settings. After the software update the bass is now perfectly in proportion at the flat settings. I'm not sure if this has been corrected by v36, or whether an additional patch has been installed to fix this. Anyone else experienced this?

Nick, I also have HK stereo in my '04 MCS but haven't really paid any attention to the flat bass settings to see if they changed after the v36 update.

Since new the sound system had an exaggerated bass, requiring a reduction in the settings. After the software update the bass is now perfectly in proportion at the flat settings. I'm not sure if this has been corrected by v36, or whether an additional patch has been installed to fix this. Anyone else experienced this?
Humm really? I gotta check that out more closely.. i dont htink I've turned the stereo up that much sicne my upgrade...

Hi can anyone tell me how to find out if i have got this v36 or not??
my car was nov 03 build. how can i tell?? :confused:

My understanding is that all cars built from the middle of October on have v36. My car was built in September 03 and has the pre-v36 version. It goes in on Thursday to have v36 installed.

Cars built from and after 11/2003 have v36 from the factory. If your car was built during 10/2003, it will not have it, at least from the factory.

Does anyone know whether the v36 or v36.1 s/w will work with the upgraded JCW ECU to cure the stumble in the MCS?

Does anyone know whether the v36 or v36.1 s/w will work with the upgraded JCW ECU to cure the stumble in the MCS?
yes, I had mine installed yesterday. Now it runs like silk.

Having the v36 today. S gone in for some rattle/squek issues and will have the new software loaded if its not fixed they dont get the beemer back!!!

Shaun

I don't think the the answer in the poll (yes - drives like it did when I brought it home) does the v36 upgrade justice.
What a difference it's made. I loved my 02.03 build MCS beforehand, but now I realise it has never driven like this. No scary loss of power half way out of a difficult junction, and smooooth too.
Despite taking an technician out in the car, nothing got done about the problem until I told them I wanted v36 having read the threads on here. Thanks MINI2 for being here.

Are there any figures on whether mpg is improved, or would that be asking too much.

The mileage hope seems inconclusive, but several people are still testing this idea. Some of us on the CVT Forum are seeing a small apparent improvement (the opposite of what was expected), but it is not huge.

Your point on the nature of the improvement by v36.0/36.1 is a good one. This release carries a huge bucket of subtle changes that make the cars all-around better than they were before. The drive is simply better, more like we all expected upfront. But ... it is very subtle, hard to quantify ... kind of wholistic sort of comment, eh? ;)

Are there any figures on whether mpg is improved, or would that be asking too much.Ya too much... :p hehe would be nice tho... but I would give some up just for the better drive.

Got JJ back tonight feels much better I am waiting for the clunk but it dosent come. The beemer has been returned un hurt.

Shaun

I got it installed last week and the car is smooth as silk now. The 1st gear stumble is gone :D

I had the stumble and the only thing that helped it was a reprogramming of the computer at bmw in NJ. Maybe they learned something from the week or so they had mine? I still have a cold start issue.

I had JCW v36 installed on my MCS (build 09/03) @ 800 mi on the odometer at MINI of Mtn View and the stumble is gone now. Power delivery is smooth through 1st and DSC seems less intrusive. Power seems to remain the same up through 5000rpm.

As a side note, I had the dealer remount the exhaust hanger so it was out of the way. Seems like when the Works exhaust was mounted, the hanger was rotated so that the bolt pointed straight down and was the lowest point on the car. Other JCW owners may want to check this out on their car. Also, I had them order a replacement windshield wiper washer fluid hose. Mine was pinched at the factory on the bonnet hinge and I repaired it temporarily with a bicycle tube repair kit.

Had V36 installed today at Ferman Mini (Tampa FL) - Thanks to Victor Figueroa for the help- Seems to have fixed the stumble from the 45 minutes of driving I have done so far. Victor said that there is a separate version of V36 for each model (Mini, Cooper S and JCW). Highly recommend Ferman Mini for service - Victor clued me in to a lot of other info as regards tire pressure, oil changes, etc. Looking forward to many miles of stumble free Works driving.

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.

I am going in for service tomorrow. Sure would like to have this bulletin with me!!!

Jakearama. :D