So...

I've been pining away for the fixed JCW spoiler. In the mean time, I have been playing around with having it in the up position. Recently I read on one of these boards, that someone had had their Coupe in for maintenance, and after the ECU was flashed, the spoiler stayed up permanently when manually raised.


Well, I had my Coupe in the shop last week for the well known weeping windshield washer nozzles (still got to go back, as they didn't have the part in stock). I didn't think anything about it, but since then, once (and only once) I put the spoiler up manually, and it stayed up; even when stopped at a street light. Since then, I haven't been able to replicate that behavior. The only thing weird I can think that I did differently, was that I accidentally had the car in Neutral while putting it up. I haven't checked to see if I can replicate it this way, but was wondering if anyone else had seen weird behavior like this? Perhaps there's a "secret squirrel club" "super decoder ring" way of making the spoiler stay up when manually raised?

Scratching my head here...

 

So your saying that you put your spoiler up manually and it stayed up until you reached your destination? If so, did your speed go above 51 mph?

 

Yep, it was coming down a mountain road, with speeds ranging from 70mph, down to 25mph and back and forth (even came to a stop at a street light in one small town). It stayed up the entire time. Weird.

 

That's very interesting. That's my worry about my spoiler staying up when I want it to. Otherwise I would need to make my own modifications.

 

same thing here love the look with the spoiler up. I've found that since the last service the spoiler will go up and stay up until i hit the 51 mph, then it seems to resume the automatic up and down
are you getting warning light also if leaving spoiler up and removing key?

 

This was an instance of it staying up, even after going over 51mph. That being said, the one time it did it, I didn't notice whether the alarm sounded or not when I shut Betty down... I'll have to pay closer attention the next time it happens.

 

I was the guy whose spoiler started staying up after an ECU update for the radio replacement. Only stays up if I raise it manually before it has a chance to come up automatically, and after I shut the car off, I DO get the "Spoiler Up" warning light. And the next time I start the car, "normal" auto spoiler activity resumes.

But the thing is, this behavior is infinitely repeatable, and not a fluke.

Since replacing windshield washer nozzles wouldn't require an ECU update, I'm guessing yours was a one-time glitch. Couldn't hurt to ask about ECU updates when you go back in, though. They won't necessarily apply an update just because you're there.

 

Thanks bill couldn't quite figure out why it worked some times and not others.

 

I wonder if the 2013 will with the upgraded ecu issue on the wing? That would be sweet if you are able to over write and leave the wing up as long as you like.

 

I would also like to be able to lower it for long highway cruising for less drag and better mileage. I would love to see a software update to address these issues.

 

Well, mine did it again yesterday (and I haven't been able to reproduce it). Stayed up, despite the speed fluctuations, and it did give me a warning notice when I shut the car down...

 

The car is not stable at highway speeds without the spoiler deployed. This is the same issue that Audi had with the TT until they added the small spoiler piece to the deck lid several years ago. People were simply losing control at highway speeds caused by several issues such as trucks passing them, cross winds, etc.

 

Just curious. Does this info come from MINI or just an observation?

 

I still think the rear spoiler is mostly a gimmick with little real value.

 

It reduces lift and helps keep the back end firmly planted at high speed. This is not a small thing. Admittedly, though, in the US it's not of significant benefit because there's no place (other than a track) where you're going to be driving the car hard enough (and fast enough; from what I've read it generates under 20 lb. @ 70 MPH) for the downforce to really matter.

The "pop up", on the other hand, is an expensive gimmick. I'd rather just have the fixed JCW spoiler and be done with it. As a matter of fact, if my spoiler ever fails, that's exactly what I'll wind up with; it'll probably be cheaper than repairing/replacing the motorized one.

 

Had my coupe (Build 12/2011) in for service this week. SA confirmed there was a software update available for my Mini. After installing the update, the manual deployment of the spoiler works as MarinePMI described. Had to pay $80 for the patch since it was not a required update. Worth the money to be able to keep the spoiler deployed during track days and autocrosses.

 

That's great news! I've been hoping for this to happen since day one.

 

No kidding, eh? Broadspeed is going in to the shop on Friday for the temp sensor recall, as well as to look into why she threw a P0301 code the other (miserably cold) morning. I wonder if they'll have to do an ECU update for the temp sensor thinger? Because a more "manual" wing would certainly help with my commute to work, where I hit 80kph (deployment speed) and come back down below 60kph (retraction speed) at least three times each way.

 

That's the route I ended up going with and couldn't be happier (of course, now I have an active spoiler unit sitting in my garage, but...it's a back up).

 

I tried this on my 2013 roadster. When I raised the spoiler manually, either in neutral standing still or in gear while moving under 37 mph, the green indicator light by the toggle came on. When I exceeded 51 mph the light went out but came back on when I dropped under 37 mph. The spoiler stayed up the entire time even after stopping and shutting off the engine. When I restarted the engine, the indicator light didn't come on but the spoiler still stayed up even while backing up and pulling forward out of a parking space. After I started driving it dropped. I didn't notice the speed where it dropped but I had only gone a half block at a relatively slow speed.

This is my first MINI and I have only had it a little less than two months but I am constantly amazed/befuddled at the way various functions are programmed to operate!

 

This is how my 2012 functions now post update. The reset after turning the car off doesn't surprise me. It follows an odd sort of logic when compared to the sport button and traction control buttons.

 

This is probably due to the boot up sequence of the Mini's computer; i.e. it's iterative. The "keep spoiler up" setting/argument/attribute is probably only held in RAM. Once the Mini is powered down, that setting is lost. I'd be willing to bet, that buried in the code is a health and status check of the spoiler as the car moves forward after start up (about 15mph is what I recall when I still had the active spoiler). When that speed is reached, the computer checks the health & status of the spoiler, finds it still deployed, which then creates an error and the computer resets (retracts) the spoiler for "normal operations".

I've noticed similar behavior with the Sport mode. When activated while driving, it kicks in, but the accelerator remains "mushy"/non-linear, until you take your foot completely off it; it then resets and becomes linear and much more responsive (lighter feel). I'd bet there's a health & status check of the accelerator whenever the foot comes completely off it (which makes complete sense from a safety, "air worthiness"/"in-flight safety" perspective; if we were talking about a fly-by-wire aircraft).

Just my observations and opinions based on just playing around on the roads with the Betty...

 

I called my dealer service dept. and they knew nothing about a spoiler software update but this doesn't surprise me honestly.

 

Never mind, mis-read the post. Duh. Need. More. Coffee.

 

here is an interesting tidbid....if you leave your spoiler up, ( green light on), and you park your coupe...when you start it the next time, flip the toggle forward ( not towards you, as you normally do) and the spoiler will stay up as you drive away...