I recently traded in my two-year old BMW X3 for a 2006 MCC manual chili red, black, with various options. I've absolutely enjoyed each of the now 2k miles the mini and I have driven these past two months. I thank so many on this board for the help in deciding to order the car, what to order it with, and aftermarket items such as Ian's auto-up circuit, and european parcel shelf.

I have one nagging issue in an otherwise fantastic car. There's a "squeek" that eminates from behind the driver on the upper left side, up somewhere where the rear window and drivers window meet the convertible top. This squeek is consistent and obvious. Seems to be worse with the colder weather here in New England. Do any Convertible owners have any insight or knowledge to share on the cause and solutions?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

This is going to sound funny. I have a similar rattle/squeek on my right side. The tech at the service department said it is coming from an "anti rattle" bolt specifically designed to prevent such things. They can fix it. I haven't done it since it requires the soft top removal and I haven't had the time yet.

 

Mine is super squeeky on the right rear window and top. I thought it was the seal between the front and rear window seal but noticed it still squeeked after the front window was down. I then realized it was between the top and rear window. If I lower the rar window slightly it stops. Needless to say very annoying in an otherwise perfect car.

 

Driving over bumps, I get rattles somewhere in the vicinity of the rear seat backs behind the trim panels, on both the left and right sides of the car. It's annoying but I'll probably wait until the first service to bring it in.

 

I get rattles and squeaks too. Especially in cold weather.

Had one behind the rear seat backs on the right side of the car that was driving me crazy every time I hit a bump - till I figured out it was the seat belt! plugging in the seatbelts when they're not in use eliminated it.

 

I get the same squeaking sound from both sides, from the same location as you describe. I will probably complain about it pretty soon - I've had the top down often though, so I don't hear it much. I also get a bit of leaking in touchless car washes from the same spot where the squeaking is coming from.

It is pretty annoying - hopefully they can find the problem.

I also have the crescent scratches on the rear windows. I was hoping that wouldn't happen, as my car was a late oct-early nov. build, but they are there.

 

I had the same squeak/rattle in mine. It was right over my left ear. Worse in the winter during cold weather.I would stuff one of my gloves in the area to make it go away. Since I've had my top replaced, it's gone

Lois

 

we have the same issue, glen. passengers side rear window squeaks like crazy. last time it went to hc, they lubed the window and the squeak went away. lube wore off, and it's back.

 

I have the same problem. It comes from both back windows but largely from the rightback. But mine sometimes turns into a 'fingernails tapping against a window' sound. I tried wd40..lol. That doesn't work. The only 'fix' I could think of was to lower the back windows half an inch or so. That stops the tapping, but then you have the turbulence problem between the front and back windows when you're driving on the freeway. Almost makes you wanna drive with the top down in the freezing cold SoCal winter weather. Hey. Cold is not defined by a set range of temperature; it is defined by the observer. I had it checked out by the dealer. Unfortunately, they couldn't diagnose the problem and I think I know why. I left my back windows in the lowered position to illustrate to the dealer the problem before I left my Mini for for repair. I think by leaving perhaps all the windows down for an extended period of time (say like 10 minutes while driving) and put it back up while the car is at high speeds, the rattling/tapping stops. But only for like 30 minutes. When you lower speed or go over too many bumps it comes back. I've been juggling with this problem since a few months after I got my car (05' in May) improvising many techniques to 'cope.' After reading some of these forums I've felt vindicated that my problems aren't imaginary. I love my Lady, but geez. I was warned a little bit about the rattles in the Mini, but I didn't realize how true they were till a few months after. I fixed a rattling misplaced driver's piller near the dashboard by jamming a piece of foam from a bike helmet in between. I've also had success with eliminating a glove box rattle by applying Vinylex on the two lowering hinges. I look forward to a quiet ride with top up, windows up, and no climate or sound systems on to drown out the rattles. Just the beat of my heart and the purr of the engine. Oh ya. HELP.

 

My wife's MCc was quiet until they replaced the top (twice) - then it started to 'rattle' from both sides like cables bouncing around inside. On our last service visit, I complained and they fixed it (they had to peel back the top to get to the mechanism). Unfortunately, the rattle is back on one side and will be brought up with our SA on our next visit.

The top used to squeak something terrible when opening / closing, but that seemed to go away after the top replacment.

k

 

Has anyone found a permanent solution to the Cabrio rear window squeak problem?

If it's just lube-wait-repeat... What exacly gets lubed?

 

Wow! You guys are great at figuring out where the sound is coming from.
I have three squeaks:

1. When the top is going up/down is squeals from somewhere in the back.
2. When I put my drivers side window down on a cold day it squeals.
3. When I apply my brakes softly on a winter day they sound like the pads are wasted (but they are not).

I can live with the top making some noise as you put it up or down but the brakes are an embarassment, I often find myself explaining to bystanders that its foreign brake pads that are designed to make that noise.

 

A application of anti squeal lube to the BACK of the pads will cure this. Should have been done when they were installed but some people skip. Assuming they are clean of course. If a lot of brake dust is built up that'll make them squeak too. Or if they weren't bedded in correctly...

 

I have a squeak on the passengers side when the top is up. Right where the top connects to the car. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

For about three weeks, I had a rear squeak similar to the one described above (only with top up and on cold mornings). It cured itself before cool season was over so I am hoping it is solved. I had another car with a squeaky dash and it could not be solved with multiple trips to the dealer but after 1.5 years it fixed itself. Good luck!

 

For about three weeks, I had a rear squeak similar to the one described above (only with top up and on cold mornings). It cured itself before cool season was over so I am hoping it is solved. I had another car with a squeaky dash and it could not be solved with multiple trips to the dealer but after 1.5 years it fixed itself. Good luck!

 

I see several people had their tops replaced. Is that normal? Mine is out of alignment and not closing well on the passenger side, which makes the window leak air and some water at the top...

Nano

 

I've had my top replaced once due to wear spots. I think it is fairly common.

 

Well, the car went in to have an oil change and I mentioned:

1. the weird top wear spots and the top alignment issue - it does not close all the way on the passenger side.

2. hard shift of the automatic transmission from 1 to 2.

I get a call the next day from the dealership saying that MINI is putting a new top and that they are evaluating my hard shifting further. Next day, call sys I am now getting a new transmission as well...

I dropped the car of Wednesday of last week and got it back today. Top is new, transmission is new, but top is still out of alignment.

2 questions:

1. has anyone had the automatic (CVT) transmission replaced with less that 40K miles?

2. Anyone knows how / is there a way to adjust the top?

Nano

 

not to sound rude but its a convertible...rattles and squeaks are to be expected