Gearbox

[balmy1]

Hi all
I have my cooper clubman in at the moment for a few problems one of them is the gearbox it basically feels like a stick on a bucket of marbles, when you change gear it feels very lumpy especially between 2ND and 3rd sometimes grating to get it in.The mechanic tryed it yesterday in the car park and said this was normal but I'm not convinced I have a diesel cubman at the moment and although the gear box feels the same as mine when stationary it feels totally differant when on the road it feels smooth and only a slight trace of lumpiness. so is it lumpy normally or am I expecting to much as I thought a BMW gearbox would be slick and smooth and you could change gear with your fingertips not having to force it in. Will be going back this afternoon to see what the outcome is.
Barry

[CooperDee]

Gearbox on my Cooper D was a little crunchy for the first few thousand miles. Eased off now it has 5000 miles on it but still ever so slightly not quite slick. Not complaining about it until past 10k miles if it doesn't go of it's own accord. Have you ever driven a BMW? Can't say I found the gearchange to be anything special, smooth enough but they seemed (3 touring and 3 compact) to have a two feet long shift between top of the gait (1st and 3rd) and the bottom (2nd and 4th).

[mjlong]

I too find the gearchange on my Cooper Clubman D delivered in March 2008 lumpy and notchy, not a slick as I expected. The quality of the gearchange varies, but there does not seem to be any logic to the variation. I have now done about 3000 miles. I have not noticed any real improvement.
I also have a noise/vibration from the gear stick, mainly in 3rd and 4th gears, but also in 5th/6th. This is also variable and difficult to reproduce to order for the dealer to check. So far, it has been attributed to the handbrake, but I do not accept this. It stops if I hold the gear stick. It is definitely getting worse. Anyone else had these problems?
I have driven another car from the dealer with similar mileage. The gearchange is better, but also a bit notchy.

[balmy1]

Hi
Ive just come to the conclusion that you just have to take it carefully and gently and it works OK which is a bit disappointing when you want to drive sportingly .
Barry

[paule3]

I struggle getting my Dooper into 2nd gear - either changing up or down, it doesn't matter, its difficult I find! Although when the engine is warm or it is really revved before change it moves easier, but I don't see how that's very good.

Mine's booked in for diagnostics tests on monday but they're also having a look at the gearbox as I had said I had trouble with it.

[TheBini]

i was having a similar issue with my MCS. The problems also included a screeching noise when changing down to 2nd gear during quick deceleration. This is apparently a problem that is significant enough to warrant changing the whole gearbox! so that's what they did... luckily the car is still under warranty... phew! As I was told the part alone costs AU$10K!!

Just a note, I heard (off the record from a service provider) that the Mini assessors will not approve replacement (or work for that matter) on the gearbox if the car has done less than 10,000km (that's in Australia though,...)

[Feline]

I've got exactly the same on my S.
Lumpy and difficult to change - especially going into second.

I took it to my dealer and they test drove it and said they compared it to another car and it is normal.

I've done abut 10,000 miles and it's 18 months old.

I rang another dealer for a second opinion and they made me feel a bit stupid.

Now waiting for BF to phone up - have a feeling they may take him a bit more seriously.

[paule3]

I never updated my post....

My Cooper D went back in for the gearbox trouble last October while I was in New York. It turned out mine had got a fluid leak (off the top of my head I cant remember what it was right now) and had leaked over the gearbox and flywheel. I ended up having a new clutch and flywheel and the gearbox being cleaned up.

Anyway, I've just gone over 7,000 miles (in 12 months!) and my gearbox is still awkward - but mostly around 2nd. Although it does get better once the car warms up I've found.

[dr Dunkel]

Quote: Originally Posted by Feline (original)

I've got exactly the same on my S.
Lumpy and difficult to change - especially going into second.

I took it to my dealer and they test drove it and said they compared it to another car and it is normal.

I've done abut 10,000 miles and it's 18 months old.

I rang another dealer for a second opinion and they made me feel a bit stupid.

Now waiting for BF to phone up - have a feeling they may take him a bit more seriously.

Did you get any other response from the dealer? I think my car is also a bit jerky goig into second gear...

[Feline]

Quote: Originally Posted by dr Dunkel (original)

Did you get any other response from the dealer? I think my car is also a bit jerky goig into second gear...

Not yet - I need to get BF to call them and see what they say

[Troy]

Mine is quite still going into 2nd also. I find it is much better, sometimes flawless once the car has warmed up. It's to do with the heater that warms the oil in the gearbox up or something not being as effective as it should be according a good friend who's also a mechanic.

[dr Dunkel]

But why only when going from 1st to 2nd? Oh, we are having a small run in a week and I will be trying some other MINIs then to find out if it is a fault or a design fault ;-)

[mjlong]

My car has now done about 9k miles. I took it back to the dealer sometime ago to have a few glitches (Manufacturing defects) fixed, including the poor gearchange operation. They adjusted some cables, which improved the change, but it is still stiff and awkward, especially when cold. I find that the gearchange is very positive, but requires some effort to effect smooth changes. I also own a classic Mini (1992 with 27k miles). It is a pity that BMW could not replicate the gearchange on the original as it is slick and positive and requires only minimal effort to get a positive and smooth change.

[Jimuth]

I'm having the exact same issue as Troy - once the car has warmed up 1st to 2nd is fine, but beforehand it's very clunky.

2nd has popped out a couple of times as well just after the gear change and before I've released the clutch - very annoying as I always get a comment off the wife!

I've also had a real scraping/screech of gears when braking very hard and changing down a couple of times... but again, only going into 2nd.

Seems that 2nd gear is the bad boy in the gearbox?

[Mawdsley]

Hello All, Sorry for the bump, but I guess its better than creating a new thread.

My 2007 cooper has similar problems with 2nd gear. It doesn't happen all the time, but mostly when changing down. You can feel it get stuck briefly, then click in correctly. Sometimes it requires me to take out of gear again, and try a second time. Really annoying, because once or twice, It's popped back out.

I took it to the dealer the other day and they gave the gearbox an external check and also checked fluid levels, while having two technicians take it out to try and replicate the problem, but were unable to replicate. I was busy (part of audience for this weeks top gear!), so couldn't be there to show them.

They want me to take it back Saturday and to take a technician out in it, but it hasn't happened since.

Just wondering, as it's been a year or so without an update if anyone has anything more to say? Did you ever manage to get it diagnosed or fixed?

Thanks in advance,

Chris