MINI2

AUSMINI · Jul 30th, 2004, 03:23 PM

After 1 week of ownership, I have found 2 problems with the car.

1. Steering wheel does not point straight. It is a few degrees off to the left.
2. Surging / unintented acceleration when coming to a stop. Basically when slowing down (either with brakes or engine braking) the car in any gear, the car seems to accelerate slightly by itself as the revs drop just below ~1400rpm. Try it on your car and see if it happens.

Are these common problems on Australian delivered cars? Has anyone had these problems fixed by their dealers under warranty? Any feedback appreciated. Thanks

Todd! · Jul 30th, 2004, 03:51 PM

This steering wheel issue seems to be common... I have to ask, is it the camber on the road surface, casue mine glides dead straight!!

As for the surge, I'll check later today, but nothing obvious...

Todd

poki · Jul 31st, 2004, 10:25 AM

Hey Ausmini - get your wheel alignment checked out. I am up for a new set of tyres after 20000kms (was expecting to get twice that) because when I picked up my November 03 build car I thought it was a quirk of the car that it pulled left and didnt have it seen to straight away.

n00b · Jul 31st, 2004, 03:10 PM

Re: the car pointing to the left, mine does that too and have the alignment plus the tyres checked out - everything's as per factory intended to be. The only excuse I can think of is the nature of the driveshaft length - one length is longer than theother as well as weight distribution (the gearbox is offset mounted) so that's one reason why it's like that. The left tyre does wear out quicker according to the tech I've spoken to.

Once I swapped the rear up to the pointing end, the problem seems to almost disappeared but soon it will come back as the tyre starts to wear again.

Hope that helps

Mike Clarke · Aug 1st, 2004, 02:53 AM

poki and dairyboy,
it might be wheel alignment, if so it should be an easy fix for the dealer, however; do a search of this forum for left pull problems, use the thread tools to take a copy and take the information to your dealer and insist on getting it fixed.
The fix is a complete replacement of the front suspension.

If they tell you "they all do that" or "it's just the camber" they are lying or incompetent.
Take your car to an empty carpark, line it up in a marked bay and drive forwards very slowly across the carpark with your hands off the steering wheel. Does the car pull left? If so turn around and line up in the same set of bays and repeat in the opposite direction.
Does it still pull left? If it pulls left in both directions then it cannot be due to the camber/slope/whateverthedealerispushingtoday.

Get another MINI owner who does not have the left pull problem to take their car along and repeat the test with car in the same carpark.

n00b · Aug 1st, 2004, 05:30 AM

Under which subforum are those threads in?

One problem with my car though, it's bought as a used car.

Mike Clarke · Aug 1st, 2004, 10:05 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by dairyboy

Under which subforum are those threads in?

One problem with my car though, it's bought as a used car.

Faults and Fixes - just search this forum.

Is it still under warranty? If not you might have to live with it.

AUSMINI · Aug 2nd, 2004, 01:34 AM

Its not actually pulling to the left.. Its just that the steering wheel is not pointed straight when the car is going straight. It is pointed slightly to the left.

Anyone have problem with issue 2? This is REALLY ANNOYING and potentially dangerous.

2bob · Aug 2nd, 2004, 11:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by AUSMINI

Its not actually pulling to the left.. Its just that the steering wheel is not pointed straight when the car is going straight. It is pointed slightly to the left.

Anyone have problem with issue 2? This is REALLY ANNOYING and potentially dangerous.

This is a common problem when having a wheel allignment. If the steering wheel is not exactley centered before you get the problem .Go back to your dealer who can fix it with a wheel allignment!

n00b · Aug 2nd, 2004, 01:23 PM

Still got about another 2500km worth of warranty left - might try my best to get it sorted before it runs out...

JME · Aug 3rd, 2004, 12:50 AM

It's just a wheel alignment issue. Take it to somewhere decent when you get the wheel alignment and they will fix it. I can see how it would be really annoying, but potentially dangerous?

AUSMINI · Aug 3rd, 2004, 05:57 AM

I was talking about where the car surges forward while braking..

poki · Aug 3rd, 2004, 11:44 AM

Believe me, I did my homework. By the time I got it seen to though all the damage was done to my tyres. Given that the car was delivered with the wheels out of alignment and it was 5000kms before I had it seen to because I thought it was more serious than a wheel alignment, my front tyres were shagged after 20000kms

It was definately a wheel alignment problem for me. Got new tyres and a wheel alignment today and the car does not pull left anymore.

Jul 30th, 2004, 03:23 PM	#1
AUSMINI MINI2 Regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 92 Offline	Aussie MCS faults After 1 week of ownership, I have found 2 problems with the car. 1. Steering wheel does not point straight. It is a few degrees off to the left. 2. Surging / unintented acceleration when coming to a stop. Basically when slowing down (either with brakes or engine braking) the car in any gear, the car seems to accelerate slightly by itself as the revs drop just below ~1400rpm. Try it on your car and see if it happens. Are these common problems on Australian delivered cars? Has anyone had these problems fixed by their dealers under warranty? Any feedback appreciated. Thanks Last edited by gazah : Jul 30th, 2004 at 09:15 PM.

Jul 30th, 2004, 03:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
Todd! Boy who made the wolf cry Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Geelong, Vic, Aus Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 10,892 Offline	This steering wheel issue seems to be common... I have to ask, is it the camber on the road surface, casue mine glides dead straight!! As for the surge, I'll check later today, but nothing obvious... Todd PROJECT POLARIS - Die Wiedergeburt eines kultautos

Aug 1st, 2004, 02:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mike Clarke You are number 6 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Perth WA Local Time: 09:26 AM Posts: 5,222 Offline	Left Pull poki and dairyboy, it might be wheel alignment, if so it should be an easy fix for the dealer, however; do a search of this forum for left pull problems, use the thread tools to take a copy and take the information to your dealer and insist on getting it fixed. The fix is a complete replacement of the front suspension. If they tell you "they all do that" or "it's just the camber" they are lying or incompetent. Take your car to an empty carpark, line it up in a marked bay and drive forwards very slowly across the carpark with your hands off the steering wheel. Does the car pull left? If so turn around and line up in the same set of bays and repeat in the opposite direction. Does it still pull left? If it pulls left in both directions then it cannot be due to the camber/slope/whateverthedealerispushingtoday. Get another MINI owner who does not have the left pull problem to take their car along and repeat the test with car in the same carpark.

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Jul 31st, 2004, 10:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
poki Whatev. Join Date: Sep 2003 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 2,993 Offline	Hey Ausmini - get your wheel alignment checked out. I am up for a new set of tyres after 20000kms (was expecting to get twice that) because when I picked up my November 03 build car I thought it was a quirk of the car that it pulled left and didnt have it seen to straight away.

Jul 31st, 2004, 03:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
n00b Twincharge??? My Classifieds Join Date: Jun 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 2,462 Offline	Re: the car pointing to the left, mine does that too and have the alignment plus the tyres checked out - everything's as per factory intended to be. The only excuse I can think of is the nature of the driveshaft length - one length is longer than theother as well as weight distribution (the gearbox is offset mounted) so that's one reason why it's like that. The left tyre does wear out quicker according to the tech I've spoken to. Once I swapped the rear up to the pointing end, the problem seems to almost disappeared but soon it will come back as the tyre starts to wear again. Hope that helps

Aug 1st, 2004, 05:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
n00b Twincharge??? My Classifieds Join Date: Jun 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 2,462 Offline	Under which subforum are those threads in? One problem with my car though, it's bought as a used car.

Aug 1st, 2004, 10:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
Mike Clarke You are number 6 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Perth WA Local Time: 09:26 AM Posts: 5,222 Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by dairyboy Under which subforum are those threads in? One problem with my car though, it's bought as a used car. Faults and Fixes - just search this forum. Is it still under warranty? If not you might have to live with it.

Aug 2nd, 2004, 01:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
AUSMINI MINI2 Regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 92 Offline	Its not actually pulling to the left.. Its just that the steering wheel is not pointed straight when the car is going straight. It is pointed slightly to the left. Anyone have problem with issue 2? This is REALLY ANNOYING and potentially dangerous.

Aug 2nd, 2004, 11:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
2bob MINI2 Master Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: bilgola plateau nsw Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 1,028 Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by AUSMINI Its not actually pulling to the left.. Its just that the steering wheel is not pointed straight when the car is going straight. It is pointed slightly to the left. Anyone have problem with issue 2? This is REALLY ANNOYING and potentially dangerous. This is a common problem when having a wheel allignment. If the steering wheel is not exactley centered before you get the problem .Go back to your dealer who can fix it with a wheel allignment!

Aug 2nd, 2004, 01:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
n00b Twincharge??? My Classifieds Join Date: Jun 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 2,462 Offline	Still got about another 2500km worth of warranty left - might try my best to get it sorted before it runs out...

Aug 3rd, 2004, 12:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
JME MINI2 Regular Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Canberra, Australia Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 151 Offline	It's just a wheel alignment issue. Take it to somewhere decent when you get the wheel alignment and they will fix it. I can see how it would be really annoying, but potentially dangerous?

Aug 3rd, 2004, 05:57 AM	#12 (permalink)
AUSMINI MINI2 Regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 92 Offline	I was talking about where the car surges forward while braking..

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Aug 3rd, 2004, 11:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
poki Whatev. Join Date: Sep 2003 Local Time: 11:26 AM Posts: 2,993 Offline	Believe me, I did my homework. By the time I got it seen to though all the damage was done to my tyres. Given that the car was delivered with the wheels out of alignment and it was 5000kms before I had it seen to because I thought it was more serious than a wheel alignment, my front tyres were shagged after 20000kms It was definately a wheel alignment problem for me. Got new tyres and a wheel alignment today and the car does not pull left anymore.