CVT Mini Cooper when cold

[David Cable]

Hello

This is my first thread, so be gentle with me!

My wife bought a Mini Cooper with CVT, in April 2003, and its brilliant! For 23 years before that she owned an Isigonnis original Mini, which is on its way to the Good Ol' USA.

The only slight quirk, is that when starting from cold, ie when the car has been standing overnight, reverse enages rather sharply and has a tendency to lurch backward. Shifting into drive is fine and smooth. Letting the engine idle for a couple of minutes, before engaging reverse, helps.

Everything else is great!


Has anyone else experienced this?

David
PS: This is a fantistic web site!!!!!!!

[PigLick]

Do you mean it lurches when you actually put it on gear (ie brake pedal is down, shift from P to R, and get a lurch), or that once you've put it in reverse and step even slightly on the gas, it lurches (ie accelerates very quickly) backwards?

If you mean the second scenario, mine does this a bit too. I've found, hoever, that if you just put it in R and don't give it any gas, it will slowly creep backwards after a few seconds.

I've also noticed that when it's cold, slow-speed driving in general (whether reverse or forward) is very lurchy, ie the gas pedal is very touchy and the transmission kind of struggles with managing rpms and such for a few minutes. However, if I instead slowly creep in reverse out of my parking space (as I mentioned above), once I switch to D and start driving, it's much smoother. My theory is that when you start moving quickly, the CVT fluid is still cold and hasn't had a chance to completely cover all the necessary parts, so things are a bit touchy. Once its had 30 sec or so though, everythings all nice and warm and lubricated, so its all smooth.

PigLick

[punkeyfunky]

Quote: Originally Posted by David Cable

Hello

This is my first thread, so be gentle with me!

My wife bought a Mini Cooper with CVT, in April 2003, and its brilliant! For 23 years before that she owned an Isigonnis original Mini, which is on its way to the Good Ol' USA.

The only slight quirk, is that when starting from cold, ie when the car has been standing overnight, reverse enages rather sharply and has a tendency to lurch backward. Shifting into drive is fine and smooth. Letting the engine idle for a couple of minutes, before engaging reverse, helps.

Everything else is great!


Has anyone else experienced this?

David
PS: This is a fantistic web site!!!!!!!

Yeah, I'm seeing the same thing in my car (a month older than yours). Let the box warm up for a short while first (30-60 secs) and be very gentle on the pedal until you've covered a short distacnce (half a mile will cover it).

Lee

[David Cable]

Its the second senario, where it lurches backward after selecting reverse and accelerating a bit.

I suspected that it may need warming up a bit too, and will try the "warm it up a bit" suggestion.

Thanks for the advice

David

[My MINI me and me]

Quote: Originally Posted by PigLick

Do you mean it lurches when you actually put it on gear (ie brake pedal is down, shift from P to R, and get a lurch), or that once you've put it in reverse and step even slightly on the gas, it lurches (ie accelerates very quickly) backwards?

If you mean the second scenario, mine does this a bit too. I've found, hoever, that if you just put it in R and don't give it any gas, it will slowly creep backwards after a few seconds.

I've also noticed that when it's cold, slow-speed driving in general (whether reverse or forward) is very lurchy, ie the gas pedal is very touchy and the transmission kind of struggles with managing rpms and such for a few minutes. However, if I instead slowly creep in reverse out of my parking space (as I mentioned above), once I switch to D and start driving, it's much smoother. My theory is that when you start moving quickly, the CVT fluid is still cold and hasn't had a chance to completely cover all the necessary parts, so things are a bit touchy. Once its had 30 sec or so though, everythings all nice and warm and lubricated, so its all smooth.

PigLick

Mine did this and was getting worst making manouvering out of tight spots very trick without practically standing on the accelerator. My dealer reprogrammed an ECU that looks after the Transmission and clutch (yes it has a clutch and not a torque converter). "Mini me" now just has a slight nudge when the D or R is engaged after a cold start and creeps even when cold.

[rainbowdreamer]

My CVT lurches a little when cold, but it is within acceptable tolerances. It goes when the engine is warm.

I also notice that (say) when looking for a space in a car park and you are really going slow, the system can't decide what you want to do. At times it can become irritating but I've just got use to it. I do not want any garage tampering around with the settings; so it won't be going back!

[Dirk-Jan]

I am from the Netherlands and I have the same "thing" with my Mini.
but it also almost stalls when driving when it has been really cold and you stop after a few meters.
Furthermore (It doesnot stop haha) If start the engine and start drive immediately the engine of CVT makes a high peeping noise when I use the throttle. And it doesnot go away. The sound is like an airplaneengine only not so loud. Anyone have the same problem.

[MiniDoug]

My car occasionally behaves a bit strangely when cold, but it's usually going forward that's the problem.... I reverse out of my driveway and then drive forward onto a traffic calmed street and have to slow down for the humps! It then becomes a bit lurchy, but settles down a bit when warm. It is still not as smooth as a normal auto when travelling slowly. The revs are also highish at start up and about the first 500 yards ('bout 1500 rpm).

The car was built in July 03. Would the v36 upgrade help this drivability do you think??? I don't know what version I have but I'm deffo not 100% happy with the way the transmission performs.... I'd like more smoothness in traffic; after all I live in London and that's one of the main reasons I bought it... not to have to fiddle around with a clutch when driving in hellish congestion!

Doug

[Dirk-Jan]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniDoug

My car occasionally behaves a bit strangely when cold, but it's usually going forward that's the problem.... I reverse out of my driveway and then drive forward onto a traffic calmed street and have to slow down for the humps! It then becomes a bit lurchy, but settles down a bit when warm. It is still not as smooth as a normal auto when travelling slowly. The revs are also highish at start up and about the first 500 yards ('bout 1500 rpm).

The car was built in July 03. Would the v36 upgrade help this drivability do you think??? I don't know what version I have but I'm deffo not 100% happy with the way the transmission performs.... I'd like more smoothness in traffic; after all I live in London and that's one of the main reasons I bought it... not to have to fiddle around with a clutch when driving in hellish congestion!

Doug

What is the V36 update? A software update for the gearbox?

[MiniDoug]

Apparently!

don't know what version I've got!

[minifrog]

Mine fits the second scenario but a kilometre or two and everything is smooth and silky. No sign of any stalling at any time. It is a great eperience to own a Cooper but the CVT puts the icing on the cake!

[Spookyfish]

No problems here on a (probably) v36 cvt. Picked the car up yesterday. This moring, it was about zero degrees centigrade and it started all fine, driving was smooth. The engine idles around 2000rpm when it's that cold.