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Photographic evidence of LEFT PULL fix!!!

7853 Views 42 Replies 22 Participants Last post by  minimug
After over 7 months of waiting, my MINI has been fitted with Mk3 front suspension which actually works!!!!!:D :D :D

The steering is now so straight that the car will travel in a straight line for at least 1/4 mile with no need for correction. Hard braking from 60 mph may be performed with no need to correct the steering. Turn in is just as sharp as before and very quick. In a word, BRILLIANT!:D :D

Some of you may be wondering what work was done. The front top suspension mount, the shock absorber strut, the springs, and link arm have all been changed. This process took 2 days to complete. One day was taken up by the car having to go to Thorne for the suspension alignment to be done on the BMW KDS machine.

The most obvious difference is to be seen in the engine bay. The tops of the front suspension design has changed radically from a protruding top to a sunken design with an allen headed bolt top.

An additional white plastic gater top has appeared on the top of the struts.I hope this aids identification for you.
Better still, take a look at my gallery for all the pictures.Click here for the pictures.

All has not gone well though. On return of my MINI, I started up the engine and now the airbag warning light has come on and refuses to go out. Also on turning at almost full lock to the right, a terrible scraping metallic rattle noise came from the nearside wheel!:eek: (mr.bill,this car needs an exorcism, I think.)

After telling the dealer that he would be seeing me again, I went to investigate. His suggested loose airbag wire under the drivers seat was discounted, so tomorrows visit is still on.

The rattling metallic noise was found to be a disc backing plate that had been bent backwards so that it almost made contact with the track-rod end. On full lock the two actually touched and made a noise like a Steel Bands drum being scraped. A quick bend and all was silenced.

These pictures are conclusive proof that there HAS been a steering problem with earlier (OCT 2001) build cars. I have been told that this MK3 design was being fitted from week 9 build on the MINI production line. Can anyone confirm that the Mk3 design suspension parts shown in my Gallery are the same as their post week 9 build MINI?
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Mini_me said:
Apial,

what was the problem with the airbag light? I had that problem but couldn't quite figure out what the service guy was telling me about a cable. I'm not technically stupid, just not yet fully bilingual. :)
The problem is in the connector beneath the drivers seat. Once triggered the ecu fualts have to be cleared doen to reset the airbag light. This problem has happened twice. The next time that it happens that section of wiring loom will be replaced.
Quicker rectification on left pull fix NOW!

The previous system of ordering a replacement front suspension is now changing. Originally BMW had to be sent the chassis number so that the correct springs could be calculated according to the spec of the car. Now the dealer is responsible for the calculation according to a points system, so many points for a/c etc. Points=spring colours. This should speed up the rectification process.
The Pull !!

I bought a Cooper mid feb 2002, the Pull was that bad that on getting home from the showroom we phoned and complained that the pre delivery check could not have been done, and with 19 miles on the clock we were not happy, so car went back and were advised that KDS was done and car was "within" scale, we were that unhappy with the Pull, and developing massive right arm muscles, and that if they did not fix the car that we would reject it, and demand our money back, we also put this on paper to BMW, and only then after the service manager made some calls, did the dealership admit a "correction" was being made and would we wait for it....this we agreed, and in mid March they took the car in, and changed the struts/top mounts and re did KDS. ....car now drives straight.
I can not say that BMW have been that helpful, but if your car "pulls" then stick to your guns and demand action.
Apial and his photo's are a credit to his Mini...good job mate !
A great car, may well have one or two teething probs, which for a new model one expects, but shame on your customer service BMW, on reading this site over a couple of hours there are alot of people out there who are not happy with the way you don't except responsibilty and FIX IT.
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