Cold start problem....again!!

[LuckyRVA]

Ok, this is the second time I've dealt with the problem. I've had my car for about 11 months now and had the orginal cold start problem fixed after about 2 months of ownership. Now recently again it has resurfaced. I work at home 3 or 4 days a week so it's possible for me not to drive my car for 2 days at a time. And I'd say half the time I go to start my car it fires right up then about 2 seconds later starts to shudder and cuts off , not again.

Is anyone else having to deal with the "cold start problem" again?


Jason

[minitech]

we dont know why the hard starting problem is back.it could be related to the winter-summer fuel at the gas stations.in mid april the fuel was changed over to summer fuel.i dont know what the differance is but i know the fuel companys do have different fuel blends for the different seasons.

the fix is the newest software from bmw/mini.its called (33.2).it was downloaded to the dealer in the middle of the night around 5/24/03.they might not even know they have the newest software.good luck....

[LuckyRVA]

Thanks for the help, I'll call now!



Jason

[LuckyRVA]

Well I just called Crown MINI service. The earliest date I could get was 6/16 jeez! Anyways, the service guy somewhat admitted this was a problem. I told him I have the yo-yo effect too and he said the new software updated would cure both of these problems, FYI.


Jason

[Byte]

I ALSO HAVE THAT PROBLEM AND I HAVE HAD A WIRE HARNESS, AND THE "NEWEST" SOFTWARE INSTALLED AND IT IT STILL DOES IT.. MY LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER( LAST THURSDAY) THEY REPLACED A VALVE FOR THE FUEL INTAKE. GUESS WHT STILL THE SAME. I HOPE THE NEW SOFTWARE WORKS FOR YOU. BECAUSE OF THE YOYOING I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN 2 CARE ACCEDENTS. NOW I JUST DRIVE ON THE SIDE ROADS.

[RBEmerson]

Quote:

Originally posted by LuckyRVA
Ok, this is the second time I've dealt with the problem. I've had my car for about 11 months now and had the orginal cold start problem fixed after about 2 months of ownership. Now recently again it has resurfaced. I work at home 3 or 4 days a week so it's possible for me not to drive my car for 2 days at a time. And I'd say half the time I go to start my car it fires right up then about 2 seconds later starts to shudder and cuts off , not again.

Is anyone else having to deal with the "cold start problem" again?


Jason

Sigh... me, too. My experience is basically the same as yours. When I bought JF last September, it took at least two and sometimes three tries to get started. A computer update cleaned up that problem.

Within the last month the problem is back with the difference that the engine always starts on the second try instead of needing two or more tries. I had the ECU updated about a week ago and it seemed to be OK for a day or two and then it was back to "grind, grind, grind; snarl; grind, vroom".

Also, JF has developed a sometimes nearly violent (well, hard enough to trigger the shoulder belt restraint) lurch in first gear while motoring away from a standing stop. As best I can tell, it happens just as the clutch is fully engaged and only from a standing start. Dropping back to first and speeding up won't do it. At lower engine speeds it's annoying, at 2500-3000 it's Not Nice.

I took the car back to Princeton MINI who, when I called to say this was a "bring back" said, in effect, "how soon can you be here? We'll have your loaner waiting for you". Gotta love those guys but this business of seeing old problems come back on top of new ones (SRS warning light staying on, split expansion tank, defective driver side door lock actuator, cracked throttle body ) is beginning to become a crisis of faith (I test drove a GTI 20th Anniversary Edition today - definite turbo lag, not as crisp as my MCS, no RDS on the Monsoon radio/CD/tape thing, looks a little too much a like a "boy racer" car but a fun ride - if I bail on MINI, this is a close second).

[LuckyRVA]

Ok, I took my car in for service this morning...got there at 6:30am and planned on dropping it off using the early bird drop off thingy...well I'll be god-damned if they weren't out of drop-off slips to fill out .So, I sat in my car for an hour till they opened up(if anyone dropped there BRG Cooper of at Crown MINI, I stared at the rear of your car for a solid freaking hour! As I parked right behind you)

Anyways, I'll let you guys know how things turn out when I pick the car back up.


-Jason

[RBEmerson]

My MCS is back at Princeton MINI and the cold start problem seems to be either the fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator. The parts are due in today (6/16/03). The nasty hesitation/lurch experienced from a standing start is now being assigned to the fuel pressure issue which sounds plausible at first glance but which doesn't strike me as being the most likely candidate (ECU s/w issue, maybe?). I'll know more when I get the car back.

[Byte]

Quote:

Originally posted by RBEmerson
My MCS is back at Princeton MINI and the cold start problem seems to be either the fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator. The parts are due in today (6/16/03). The nasty hesitation/lurch experienced from a standing start is now being assigned to the fuel pressure issue which sounds plausible at first glance but which doesn't strike me as being the most likely candidate (ECU s/w issue, maybe?). I'll know more when I get the car back.

Ok, a fer weeks ago i went to the dealership for the 5th time and they were convinced that th problem is the fuel purge valve was sticking so they replaced that, they were cobnvinced that that was the problem. it seemed to run well for a while, then that night it started, the yoyo/stalling/shaking/crappy pick up. Spoke to KIRA @ mini and she advised that a tech see it, make story short, I am going AGAIN for the 6th TIME to the dealershipto meet up the factory tech. I will keep you posted on the laest and greatest on this problem, this is there last attempt to fix my car and because of the laws here in Texas they must replace it if not fixed tomorrow. So, i guess that is all and i wil see what happens.