Rough Idle While Stopped

[Beaver04]

Greetings. My wife picked up our new MCS on July 2nd. She has put about 300 miles on it so far, and three times while stopped, the engine idled very low and sputtered as if it was going to stall. After 10-15 seconds, it returned to normal. This occurred with the engine warm after 15-20 minutes of driving. The A/C was on each time. Once, the car was sitting idle while she was standing outside the car and two other times it happened while sitting at a light waiting to turn green. Anyone else with this problem? I have yet to drive the car as I am in Iraq, so sorry I cant give better details. Thanks.

[kyriian]

rough idle i got plenty of that but my ac is never on

usually when it happens just tap the gas gently and it'd go away...

[MINI-stir]

My car has done this as well-- Sitting in Neutral, car suddenly begins to stutter, almost stalls, but if I give it some gas it goes back to "normal" idle. It's only happened a couple times, both times the A/C was on. Temperatures outdoors were probably high 70s-low 80s F. I have a 7/03 build MCSWorks.

Anybody know if this is something to worry about or try to have fixed?

[CARVNIT]

I have had this issue for quite a few months now. Has happened with both the AC on and off, in neutral, blip throttle and returns to "normal" idle. Usually happens a few times a week, however I have grown used to it. My MCS is a March 03 build.

Dealer is clueless, lazy, and ignores my concerns so I don't know if there is a fix. It has ocurred with v.36 and v.37 ECU programs. See if v.38 fixes the problem at my next unscheduled maintenance annoyance.

All I can suggest is the next time you are at the dealer or perhaps call them they may offer some advice other than "come on in and we'll look at it" approach.

[pefloresjr]

I have the same thing happening on my May build Cooper S. Had it in this Saturday and had v38.1 installed. The problem seems to have resurfaced again already. It has mostly happened shortly after starting up with A/C on but has also happened with A/C off and after a two hour drive. It has never stalled and does go away with a tap of the gas pedal. It is mostly just disconcerting and a little embarrasing when I am trying to show off my cool new car to a friend. I guess it's time to see if the service dept. has any ideas.

Any ideas from any or you auto experts out there??

Cheers,

[Jen]

I've had two idle related issues

1. I had an isue with funny idling on my Jan 03 build MC last month. It was idling very hard and reving in idle higher than usual.

Dealer said this was becomming a common problem in the mid-Atlantic area due to high humidity and the high octane gas combo. I usually put in 93 octane. He recommended switching to 89 octane through the summer and they also did a software upgrade on the car.

Been three weeks since I was in and no problems since.

2. When I first got the car- in the first 500 miles it sputtered and stalled on me several times. No pattern to this. Sometimes when engine cold, sometimes warmed up, sometimes AC on/sometimes off. Dealer did a software upgrade and the car never stalled again or sputtered, but 10,000 miles later I ended up having my gearbox completely fail. It's been replaced now (1,000 miles ago.) I have read threads that funny idling/rough idling and transmisson problems can be linked. I also had problems at times getting the car into reverse - which went away after the break in period - but might have been a sign of things to come

I'd talk to your dealer about humidity/gas mix, software upgrades that might be available and have them take a look at your transmisson too. No harm checking.

Still love my car. Wouldn't give it up for the world!

[MiniE]

I have the same problem with my June 2002 build MCS. 38.1 didn't change a thing. I only put 94 octane. haven't try the lower octane.

Jen are you using 89 octane now?

yes, i still love my mini, just fixing idle would make me love it just that much more

[Jen]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniE

I
Jen are you using 89 octane now?

Yes, still using it. Not sure if it is the software upgrade or the octane that is making the difference, but have not had the problem in about a month now.

[GTmini]

mine's done this before...noticed it again quite a few times today. The oddest thing is that the RPM needle doesn't budge while it's going on. I was staring at it and didn't see it twitch at all...perfectly steady. I was using the A/C today though, which is out of the ordinary and I think the first time I noticed it I also had the A/C on. Although, I'm happy that I don't have any stumbling problems with the A/C on anymore.

Upgrading MINI ECU software kind of reminds me of an optometrist visit and the lens measurment machine. "Which is less annoying...A or B? <switch> OK, again...A or B?"

[EBMCS03]

I've also had this happen but not very frequently... only a handfull of times from new. maybe 6 or 7 times... and like everyone said a blip on the throttle fixes it. Feb 03 build... and i can only recall it happening after V36. maybe it happened before but dont remeber.

[goldcountrymini]

I have the same problem. It seems to be consistant with all MINIs.... I talked to the dealer about it and they told me it was the first they have heard of it. They reset the system software... I thought I may have had the older version, but they checked it out and reset it to be safe. I still have the problem every once and a while. Its ok though... give me an excuse to hear the exhaust and engine... I do want it fixed. If anyone gets more info please share...

[GTmini]

It's definitly recent...first time I experienced it, I started up a thread

http://www.mini2.com/forum/first-generation-faults-fixes/60699-car-drivetrain-shake-mini-cooper-s.html

...which was almost two months ago. It's not very frequent and it seems to be on really hot days that I've noticed it. Correlates well with the theory someone posted about it possibly being the extra current load of the fan on the electrical system unsettling the engine. The fan has never been on once I finally parked, so I'm not certain about that.

[EBMCS03]

I dont know if its heat... one of the bigger incidents that i felt was in the morning... at 745am... and it was a cool gloomy day. somtime last month...

[MiniE]

I filled a full tank of 92 octane today over the usually 94 i put in,
kind of not sure about putting 89 octane in my mini.
put will see if the 92 will change abit.

[ranger70]

My 04 Mini has this same problem and it only happens occasionally when the car has been running for a while and the a/c is on. It drops from about 900 rpm's at a stand still to somewhere around 700 rpm's, acts like it is going to die then the idle picks back up to normal. When I am at a stand still with the a/c on, I always have to "rev" the engine to make the car have enough get up to actually go, otherwise it will stall. I am calling to have it looked at immediately.