So I just took delivery of my 2009 MCS on Friday- just two days ago.

No problems.

I think I've put 170 miles on it since.

Today, I start the engine, drive out and pull up to a stoplight. At idle, the whole car starts lurching back and forth, the engine RPMs look like they're bouncing between 600 and 1000RPM, and it just feels like it's about to die. As soon as I hit the gas, the it all disappears and while driving it drives just fine. But as soon as I hit another stop light and I go to idle, everything starts all over again!

A few lights later, I get the message "Increased Emissions" on my nav screen and the check engine light comes on.

Grand total, I think the odometer only reads 210!!! AND IT'S HAVING PROBLEMS ALREADY!?

Needless to say, I'm a little bit aggravated after plunking down 27k only to have issues with a brand new car...



Taking it to the dealership tomorrow. I've seen threads on cold start issues but I'd imagine that a new car wouldn't have these issues.

 

British-built cars have so much character!

 

too much sometimes good luck

 

I think my wife experienced this as well when she was driving one night. It initially was hesitating when she pressed the gas, and the rpm's were up and down. The engine lite went on then went away when she restarted it. It started up fine the second time around and was ok after it warmed up. My guess is that it might of been just bad gas that was passing though the ignition, as it was sitting for the entire day. Probably just a little moisture due it getting cold for the first time? So far nothing again.

 

make sure your mini sips premium

 

This is likely a very minor sensor or solenoid problem and easy to fix. Take it to the dealer and you'll be back on the road in no time. Time to take the long view - there will be problems and they can came early or they can come late, but most are not that big a deal.

- Mark

 

This is the "take two aspirin and go back to work" advice trivializing the problems and patronizing the owner of the car.

And this is as restraint as I can be.

LumpOfCoal, advice to you: start documenting and keeping paperwork, business cards, dates and times on everything. I wish for you that the problem gets fixed and never comes back but be prepared to handle the issue from a position of force in case that it does not. Be factual and without emotion in your dealings with the dealer and be sure to meet and greet the managers of the Mini sales and service departments.

 

This is always good advice regardless of whether you anticipate the worst. I always keep dates and some details in my maintenance folder for each car. It helped one time when a dealer stripped the lug nuts on our minivan. I didn't find out about it until the next maintenance and the records saved me from having to fork out several hundred dollars (the dealer paid for his mistake - but only since I had the records).

 

He's got a stupid CEL light in the first month of ownership of a car. I'd bet that happens to 1/3 of all new car owners. The problem IS mostly likely trivial - that's the whole point. Yes, he should take two aspirin, take it to the dealer and get if fixed.

Jeez.

- Mark

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my Mini and besides my Jeep Liberty I wouldn't want to drive anything else (ok, maybe a 135i) but every time I start her up I think I subconsciously cross my fingers and hope for the best. She hasn't let me down yet (knock on wood)...

 

Mark, in the great scheme of things all car related issues are indeed trivial as they do not have any life changing consequences.

It is however frustrating for anybody who has paid hard earned money for a product, any product, to see their acquisition not performing to reasonable expectations. Add to this the inconvenience and the logistics involved in taking a car to a dealership which often involves a 100+ mile round trip and you can appreciate the OP's disappointment.

As for what is reasonable the level standard is set by the best performing products in the category. If a Hyundai can do it one expects other cars to measure up to that standard.

You like your Mini and you rise to the defense of the marque, many owners consider their cars as an extension of their personality, but you should be able to see that others may not harbour the same sentiments and rather view a car as tool. Often times a faulty tool that lets them down in the middle of a job and the rest of us have no grounds to belittle them.

 

As someone said above... look into a quality fuel... at a newer gas station. I once ran my Jeep without a tank filter,,, my next fillup at a non preferred gas station got me a Ton of sludge. my car started running like crap after an hour after fillup.. Look into a good gas station with new pumps and name brand gas... But then to contradict everything i just said... I thought a cure for the idle problem which is typical is changing to a lower octane for awhile..


Another thing is your computer constantly adjusts for every variable. So its learning for the fuel you are using at whatever tempature it is in your area. Odds are it already went away.

 

Thanks for all the people who took me very seriously, and those who gave me a slap on the back.
I think I was just freaking out at the time and wanted someone to tell me that my 27k investment wasn't in a pile of junk.

I called the dealership the next day and they said that it's likely the fact that it's a new O2 sensor and the sudden drop in air temperature which caused the issue and that it'll go away in a day. True to their word the light disappeared the next day, and that problem has yet to resurface. I thought it was gas but seeing how I was still using the gas the dealership put in the tank it didn't make much sense...
They said if it did come back, to bring it in, which I will be doing anyway this weekend since I live nearby the dealership and I need to pick me up some floor mats!

 

If you recall, my comment was to take a long view, don't worry too much about the problem, and it was likely a simple/easy fix. If I had a problem, somebody telling me that it was likely minor would be reassuring, not "belittling". Others instead started talking about keeping careful records in anticipation of a big fight with Mini and the dealer. While I'll certainly salute the "keep good records" flag, that sort of reaction to a problem like this is chicken-little alarmist in my book.

Enough already, the problem apparently fixed itself. If that doesn't fit the label of a trivial car problem, I don't know what does.

- Mark

 

Another thing that can cause that kind of idle is an ill fitted oil dipstick or filler cap causing a vacuum leak. A bad seal will cause a CEL to come on after about a day and have a terrible idle bouncing between 600-1000 rpms. I did it once where I didn't properly reseat the dipstick and thought OMG!!! I reseated the dipstick and drove off and everything was fine.

 

I agree with markjenn...mini isn't out selling pieces of crap..I don't think any company with todays technology and standards is selling lemons like 30 years ago, even kia or other inexpensive companies. Okay, maybe Kia

 

On my 2005 S a jaunt to 14,100 feet and back down to 5,500 feet messed up the 02 sensor. 3 start/stop cycles reset the computer and turned off the check engine light. Not sure if U can do this with 09s but try that if it happens again

 

Or you can disconnect the negative terminal on the battery and hit the brake.