[Sejanus]

We've had a fair number of people lately who been experiencing CVT failure, or have we? It seems like there is a problem, but since reports of trouble are by definition self-selecting and often come from new members it's hard to know if these are just isolated cases or a signficant number of failures. I know of one or two CVT owners who were posting on here and then had trouble, but I also know of several, Willy first and foremost, whose cars have been fine. What I suggest is that all of us who have CVTs that are running fine post on this thread saying just that, CVT year, X thousand miles, date, no problem. And we keep doing this every month or so and see how many and how long we all go with or without problems. The more CVT owners who "sign on" the better sample size we'll have and maybe we can get some sense as to how big a problem or not CVT failure is. Many of us have posted this sort of thing before, but it's scattered in various threads, this way we'll get all our "data" in one place.

OK, me first.

Sejanus-'02 CVT, 68,000 miles, Nov. '06- no problems

[nonsequitur]

I'll take your lead Sejanus...

2002 MINI Cooper CVT (a very early car)
56,000 miles
No Transmission Problems
No general problems since the software issues were resolved.

[MINIRichmond]

2006 Mini Cooper CVT
13,350 km
No Transmission Problems

[Tio Barry]

Traded in '03 CVT - no problems at 44,000 mi.
My '06 CVT has 10k - no problems.

[Paul!]

'04 CVT, 82k miles.

No engine / transmission problems whatsoever. (Knock on wood)

To say that I drive spiritedly is an understatement!

And I actually had a conversation with my MA just yesterday, and he did say that to his surprise, he has seen relatively few CVT's come back with transmission trouble. In his original opinion, he felt that the CVT was a weak transmission. But he knows of a bunch that are routinely tracked, driven hard, etc, that just keep on going!


-Paul!

[Sejanus]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul! (original)

And I actually had a conversation with my MA just yesterday, and he did say that to his surprise, he has seen relatively few CVT's come back with transmission trouble.

My service advisor said he hadn't seen many with problems either.

[Sejanus]

We need more to make this work so I'll throw this one in since he posted it only a few days ago (and to bump the thread)

Willy- My 2003 CVT is at 136,725 and is still chugging along.

[MINIRichmond]

Seriously.. I think you need to drive the way that CVT are meant to be driven...
I think if you use it and maintain frequently, then you'll be OK.
I know some MINI owners doesn't even use the Sport Drive mode or Shift made... it's kind of sad to hear it!

[minitoo]

02/03 build. Only 16300 miles so not much of a testament. Never been to a dealer, since driving off the lot, for anything. No dealer within several days travel so I do my own maintenance. Car has original software and other than the slow speed jerkiness to drive around it has been fine. I use SD often but of course cruise in D.

[Sejanus]

Quote: Originally Posted by minitoo (original)

Only 16300 miles so not much of a testament.

Ah but it will be one day. One way or another.

[Vanwall]

2002 MINI Cooper CVT (also a very early car!)
91,000 miles
No Transmission Problems, also no general problems since the last software update. (Touch wood!)

One thing I noticed by chance just recently: over the past year, I've had some niggling electrical problems unrelated to the tranny, or at least not at first glance. It was especially noticeable on AMVIV and the MTTS, where I had her throw a code on me both times after long freeway runs culminating in stop and go traffic, with no cooling off period between. The car suddenly began running on about 3 cylinders, the check engine light came on in both cases, and in Vegas I limped to Desert MINI, who couldn't find anything concrete, but put in new plugs and coils.

The car still didn't feel right, and i threw some dough at Long Beach when I got back to do a diagnostic - nothing. I lived with it and sure enough, at Santa Barbara, same 3-cylinder problem and the check light came on again. This time I let the car cool down for an extended period, and tho the light was still on when I re-started, the car ran pretty well. The next time I started her up, no light, and she ran well. I had heard of these self-analytical fixes B4, so I was lucky, but she was still a little off, so after consultation with a mechanic I trust - plugs sez he, so I replaced the spark plugs with Denso Iridiums, and boy howdy, she had all of her pep back, and more. It was like a new car, and strangely enough, the tranny felt smoother - the little mis-fires were evidently having a secondary effect on the CVT, there was no doubt about it. There was still a bit of mis-firing at certain revs, but it was almost unnoticeable, except thru the accelerator pedal.

Now for the kicker - I had my original factory battery finally croak on me, so I bought a non-factory replacement put in, and a number of things became very clear. All of sudden, no mis-fires at all, no curious vibrations, and the tranny was like butter. My take is this: the engine has to be running smoothly, because it transmits the power pulses into the CVT in a like manner; and above all, since the whole shebang is electronic, you have to have plenty of juice. I think the battery was just failing enough to cause little electrical faults, but holding a charge just enough to start up every time, until it failed completely. The amount of electronic control on the CVT mandates we keep a close eye on the plugs, coils, and battery - they all have to be in tip-top shape, or not only does the engine suffer, I'm convinced the CVT has to have that level of smooth input to be at its best, and perhaps that adds to its longevity, as well.

BCNU,
Rob in Dago

[Sejanus]

The jury may be out on the CVT system, but I'm convinced the batteries BMW uses are crap.

[JEFF10049]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sejanus (original)

The jury may be out on the CVT system, but I'm convinced the batteries BMW uses are crap.

Oh no! that sucks the dealer just took my interstate battery out and put back in one of theres and told me I should not of changed it to a aftermarket one....I told them it should not have gone bad so early. so now I have a new crap battery in the car and my good interstate is probably in the service mangers MINI.

It was at service# 1 34,000 MI that they changed the battery I put it in at 29,000 MI when it failed completly while driveing shorted out internally!!!!. My dealer is a day drive so I do most my own service but service 1 calls for a cvt fluid change so I took it in and they did it.

back to the topic.....we have a 2004 CVT at 37,000 MI works great no probs. at all.

1977 MINI
2004 MINI
Jeff

[kgouin]

2005 CVT
42,000 miles
No problems

[ontheroadagain]

I had an '04 with just shy of 50k miles - no problems whatsoever, but I traded her for an '06 which I took delivery of at the end of April and now have just under 9k - great MINI and no problemos.

I will admit that the negative posts made me nervous...and I miss my Indi Blue, but I got a brand new CVT PWB/B for a very good price, so I felt it was an offer I couldn't refuse, if you know what I mean. Love my CVT and hope to keep her around for a long time.

[strz0001]

5/02 build CVT failed at 110,642. I bought it and put in a reman CVT and have put 10k miles since.

[mini_macky]

12/01 (2002 model) CVT
21,000+ miles
no problems (knock on wood)

i use it only on the weekends, you can say i drive my CVT pretty hard on fun runs

[courtinnyc]

2004 CVT
42K miles on second transmission...
original transmission was replaced at around 800 miles.

[Sejanus]

Figured I'd bump this thread every time I passed a 10K mark. My '02 just past 70,000 miles today, which means I'm entering into the apparent danger zone for CVTs. We'll see.

At the moment we have 14 currently operating CVTs posted on here and no reported problems after 5 weeks. It's a start.

[cbudt13]

This is a long CVT story but if you have one you will find out how badly BMW dealers treat Mini owners. You will also learn how to get a CVT fix and how to do it yourself. I have a 2002 MC with a CVT. I drive totally in “Manual” mode. Purchased July 2002. In January 2003 the EML light came on and Mini “went into Limp Mode” (BMW terminology), twice. The fix was replacement of a “wiring harness”. not otherwise defined. In Warranty so the fix was fast and easy. In October 2006 (three months out of warranty) AT 46,500 miles, the CVT went into “Limp Mode” and the EP warning light came on. The BMW dealer said the CVT was burned up and it would cost me $6,000 but the good news is that they have the CVT units in stock. Who stocks transmissions??? I elected to have my foreign car specialist replace the CVT Position Sensor and the Range Sensor $640.00. Mini ran great for ten days , then back to Limp Mode and EP. Then the battery died and would not take a charge. Called BMW dealer. “Have it hauled in and we will analyze it.” AAA hauled it thirty miles to BMW. After ten days BMW called and said that the CVT is OK after all it was just the dead battery that messed up the “Fault Codes”. New battery $96.00, no labor charge. Drove Mini home and ran great for five days and then it would not start in Park and would not release the key. Must start in Neutral and leave the key in the ignition. Web search found a Mini owner with the same problem and got a fix from him (more later). BMW wanted me to drive it back in and to pay for analyzing the new problems that started after they installed a new battery and reset fault codes. I mentioned the fix from the web guy and they said “Oh Yeah that might work too!" After all this and talking to my local foreign car specialist, who recently sent his son Eric to Germany to the BMW school, I can share the following information with Mini CVT owners and all BMW owners.
1. Never allow a BMW, product with and auto transmission, to idle for any period of time more than absolutely necessary because the trans circulating pump is driven by the drive line. Idling in stalled traffic etc overheats , and burns up, the trans due to cavitation by the torque converter. Mini owners: Check out your Owner Manual where it says “Do not warm up your Mini, just start it and drive off”. This is why.!!
2. BMW dealers tell you that the transmission fluid never needs to be changed. Wrong, the BMW school teaches the mechanics that the original fluid is “break-in fluid” and must be changed at 30,000 miles and that it is not lifetime thereafter but good for 300,000 miles. Mini owners: did you notice that you have no trans dipstick???
3. When your Mini “goes into Limp Mode” your CVT is fine, don’t buy a new one. It probably is a weak battery that trips the default codes. That is what the EP warning in place of the “D” “SD” or “1’ on the instrument panel means (End of Program = EP) .
4. If you can’t start in “P” or can’t remove the key, your program is telling the Mini that you are still in gear when you are not. Believe it or not the easy fix (confirmed by the BMW dealer) is to pull straight up on the shifter as if you are pulling the CVT up thru the floor. It will pop out ( just like the old Ford Model A did). Put it back onto the spindle that is left sticking up from the CVT and pound it back down into place with your fist or a rubber mallet. This should fix the problem (it did for me). If not, then pull it up off again and remove the round collar and leather boot by hand. You will see a wiring harness connection. Unplug it and replug it to clear corrosion etc from the contacts. Put the collar, boot and shifter back on. This will fix it. You can also have any mechanic do this for you if you don’t want to do it.
5. If you plan to keep your Mini past the 50,000/4 year warranty, buy the extended warranty before it runs out. I tried to buy it now at 46,500/ 4 years + 3 months and balked at the $2000.00 price tag.
I’m selling it and no more Beemers for me ever.