I bought a R50 with the CVT transmition about 6 months ago. My first car. Its treated me well but when you initialy start it and put it into drive it will lurch. When its cold out its so bad the engine even died one time. I have never killed a stick but some how managed to with an automatic. It also boggs down and once again died one time during rapid stops. It seems that it shifts down fine until it's time to shift into whatever the CVT's "nutral" is and it gets sticky. I was just wondering if i was the only one or if i need to get something fixed.

 

This sounds similar to what mine went through. Does it do it when you start out in reverse also? And does it do it EVERY time, or just occasionally?

 

In reverse it starts out at a very very slow creep but when given a little gas jumps like crazy.

 

It does it most of the time but sometimes it only jumps a little. Im also in the delema in weather to put it in drive with the brakes locked or no brake at all. they are both violent.

 

Yeah mine was violent too. It was never determined if it was the CVT or the engine harness for sure because I traded it in while it was still going (just in case it was the CVT). Have you tried the engine revving trick? I figured out at one point if I put the car into gear and lifted my foot off the brake, I could tell if it was going to go or not...it was almost like it wasn't fully engaging and then giving it a little gas would make it lurch into gear. So I would put the car in gear, take my foot off the brake, and see if it just rolled on it's own in gear. If it didn't, I would put it back in park, rev the engine a little, and try again. Repeat until it would go into gear. I drove it like this for almost a year...it kept it from lurching, which I was afraid was damaging the CVT...but it was a total PITA.

Has it done it as long as you've owned it?

 

With mine it is an instant lurch when you put it in drive. In reverse it takes just a feather of throtle to get it in gear. It hasnt escaladed at all in the past 2000 miles either. What did you trade yours in for?

 

I also live where its between 20-50 degrees in the morning year round so it might just be thick fluid.

 

It actually doesn't sound too bad then...the CVT *is* a little bit lurchy by nature, especially at low speeds, and especially when it's cold. If you do a search, you can find the steps for resetting the ECU - that can help. It will cause the computer to relearn your driving style, rather than the previous owners, and may help some of the lurchiness. In addition, you will want to have the CVT fluid flushed and refilled if the car has more than 60k on it - it'll cost you about $200 but is worth it and also helps with some of the symptoms.

I traded in for a 2010 Cooper about 3 weeks ago.

 

Congradulations. Do you like the older or the new style better? Thanks for the help by the way.

 

Thanks. I prefer the older; the only thing I like better in the newer one is that the transmission is more reliable. But it's growing on me as time goes by. The CVTs are problematic and I just wasn't willing to deal with the replacement, if that's what it turned out to be (they are anywhere from $5500-7500 to replace, and they are unrepairable because they are discontinued and the manufacturer doesn't make replacement parts).

 

I think a drain+refill of the CVT will run over $200, since the procedure is more involved than just an oil change. $200 would be a bargain.

It isn't because ZF doesn't make it any more, or that spare parts and not made --- it's because Mini chose to not repair it. ZF will sell some parts, but not retail, and I have seen postings which offer to repair the transmission.

I got my CVT with 40K miles, and I did the fluid change right away. ZF recommends every 25K miles. Feel lucky?

 

I'm feeling lucky. I just did the 60,000 mile service myself and checked the transmition. The fluid resivor was full and it looked perfectly fine and besides the cold start it works great. I wont hesitate to change it if i start having problems.

 

You can't tell by looking. Also, there is no reservoir.

 

I paid $180 for CVT flush/fill at the dealership.

And there is a poster who has contacted ZF regarding parts and was told they are not made any longer. Someone else makes a couple of repair kits (usually for the soft parts) but it's not ZF. It's why there is a major premium on the CVTs from salvage yards - the pieces/replacements/units to refurbish are becoming fewer and further between.

 

Not correct sir....

I took this for Gospel as well until I was faced with a dealer that wouldn't swallow the replacement cost. I'm kind of a tear it apart and see what makes it tick guy anyway, so I searched for a couple of days and found a place to buy all the parts from.....

Chad

 

Chad,

Can you post or PM me with the place you bought the CVT parts from?

Thanks!

 

I was re-reading some old MC2 mags the other day and ran across an article on repairing/replacing the CVT. It reported that they are repairable, but it's quite involved, and it's mostly the mechanically inclined with wholesale parts sources that have gone that route working on their own cars. Most dealers and independent shops apparently consider the repair route not worth the trouble.