I've spent the past few days driving on the latest firmware update, and let me tell you it's a huge improvement.

What was the problem? For some reason, the calibration engineers decided it would be cute to "tailor" the accelerator pedal torque request tables to vary between gear, drive mode, and clutch position. This means there are no less than 42 different ways the engine will respond to your foot, however as some of you have noticed, the transition between 1st and 2nd gear can range from annoying to infuriating.

The long-and-short of it is: 1st gear feels lazy, and 2nd gear is disproportionately like a rocket. Well, the latest firmware update significantly quenches the vast torque delta between 1st and 2nd. It also appears to make Green mode's throttle response much more linear/less exponential, and Sport mode more consistent. The primary objective of the firmware update is to address some F56's wonky Stop/Start not working effectively, however there are clearly changes to the torque request maps as well. So, if you're frustrated with the accelerator pedal feel, book a service appointment to get the new firmware. You'll appreciate your MINI all over again.


Cheers,
Ryan

 

How do you find out about a new firmware update?
I have a car being built right now. Is it likely to come with the latest firmware?

 

Thanks for the post! I believe this update also applies to F55. I have the second date scheduled so I shall request the update then.

 

If you haven't taken delivery of your car yet, the dealership will ensure you have the latest firmware prior to delivery. No worries!

 

I won't be taking my JCW in until this summer for an oil change, so I assume they will take care of my updates then. Or, should I request it?

John

 

Depends on the service writer. I requested the update despite the update stating it was intended for those having trouble with their Stop/Start functionality. It clearly has undisclosed drivability improvements, however.

 

I have a 13 month old mini cooper s (2015). Is the firmware update covered under warranty or is there a charge?

 

Good to know. I'm going in next week for the dealer program the rear fog light switch. Thank you

 

Ryan - is there any way to tell what firmware version you have? I'm OCD and convinced my service advisor to update the firmware on my R53 back in 2003 and it introduced a stumble in my car. It took months before MINI issued a new one to correct the issue, but I kicked myself every time I took off from a start and the car hesitated.

I have a 2016 manual JCW with a 7/2015 build date.

Thanks

 

Should shows the firmware on the Gen 3 MINIs. On the older MINIs you could see it, i know I had my R52 flashed for the clock loosing time issue.

 

I got the new software installed during my "2nd date" visit. I had thought that it would take ~30min and was wrong. It took three hours to complete the update!!! Worse than Windows update imo. So plan your visit accordingly.

I drove home for an hour and am not sure what it did to car's performance. It is hard to tell but if anything, the torque surge that I used to have between 2000 ~ 3500rpm in the 2nd gear might have been "flattened out" a bit. It certainly did not make my MCS as fast as the JCW for sure :(

Anyway, thanks again OP.

 

If the dealer performs this update in my car will it erase the custom coding I have done on the car? I have a 10/15 build date in an F55 manual. Not certain if I am effected by this issue or not as I haven't noticed the issue as I wasn't looking for it.
What is the date or number of the firmware so I can check it against my current firmware. Thanks.

 

Do you have a flash tune or piggyback, if a flash tune , you might have an issue. Or just take it off and then have it reflashed afterwards.

 

I have been having an issue with my new 2016 F55 Manual Transmission since I drove the car off the lot 3 weeks ago. I have encountered a serious problem that while in Sport mode, accelerating out of a parking lot into oncoming traffic, when I try to shift from 1st to 2nd and I don't shift to second quick enough, it won't go into second at all. I was forced to coast onto the shoulder of the road the other day because it wouldn't go into second at all with oncoming traffic forced to brake hard, because my manual transmission flaked out on me. I wonder if this is a flaw in the current firmware. I too have noticed that 1st feels lazy and I have to get out of 1st really quick if I want to keep constant acceleration. Anyone else had this problem of not shifting to 2nd quick enough and it won't go into second at all?

 

What do you mean won't go into second? That the shifter physically won't move into the position for 2nd? Is that something that firmware can control? Sounds like something is wrong with your transmission to me. Do you have the clutch fully depressed? Could the clutch be misadjusted so it isn't disengaging the engine?

I have a new F55 2016. Built early February. I haven't noticed an issue like this.

 

I mean that the shifter won't physically move into the 2nd position. This has happened to me 3 times so far in 3 weeks. I have been driving a manual transmission for the past 30 years and have never seen this in any car. I have tried to reproduce it on demand and haven't been able to do it. When it has happened, I have been forced to let the car coast until it is going slow enough to move back into first comfortably and then start the gear progression from first all over again. What I have been able to notice is that when I put the transmission under high torque in 1st and then attempt to shift to 2nd too quickly (i.e. the actual action of moving the gear shift from first to second, not the interval that I leave the transmission in 1st gear) there is a resistance to moving the gear shift lever into the 2nd position. It almost as if the transmission is protesting the speed of my shifting action from 1st to 2nd. Very bizarre.

 

I'm in Raleigh as well. I'd take it into the dealership, presumably Flow Mini. Sounds like a mechanical problem. Gears need to synchronize to let you get into gear. Maybe something is slipping and not letting it sync up.
Thankfully, I haven't had this issue on my new manual F55.

 

My SA says that the software update exists, but they do not yet have instructions from MINI to apply the updated software to owners' vehicles. So, "no software for you!"

 

That sounds like a load of horse pucky....it's not a special software update, it's just the latest version of software that comes out every few months. Programming the car with the latest update is REQUIRED for a lot of repairs and retrofits so of course they know how to do it.

I know there are some dealers out there that will not do software updates unless they need to, due to complications that can arise (headunit issues seem to top the list), but at least they should tell you!

 

Agreed, which is why service documentation information trumps all... and we are at a decided disadvantage in that regard...

 

So I had the crankshaft recall, they replaced my engine. Then j was getting drivetrain malfunction messages, the SA said it needed the update. So I get the update and I guess it remapped something so now it back fires and burbles constantly not just in sport.. I brought it back next day like they didn't believe me. Sure enough they took it back in for service. I've owned my mini about 7months and it's been in for service over 30 days...

 

Do you have the paperwork that shows exactly which update you got? Mine was serviced yesterday, and I requested the car be connected for the update. My paperwork listed DME-VANOS as the updated system.

 

While mine was in for stinky A/C fix yesterday I asked if there were any software updates. "Nope".

 

We really need that technical detail. Most dealers won't offer these updates unless there's a specific complaint. It's time for them that can't be charged to customers (and MINI has a much lower reimbursement).

Follow the money, always.

 

Is there a way to tell which firmware/software version is installed?