According to MINIDivision CD 38 was released to all MINI dealers in late June. I called my service department (Century MINI in Greenville) about an unrelated problem, and also asked if there was any ECU update for the Yo-Yo. I was told that V.38 had not been released yet and that they (MINI) was working on a fix for the Yo-Yo problem. Has anyone else been told that their service departmens don't have V.38?

Chris

 

I've heard from others that Momentum MINI (in Houston) claims they don't have v38 yet, whereas MINI of The Woodlands (on the outskirts of Houston) has it, and has put it on my MCS.

 

Chris --

I just spoke to a contact within MINIUSA in NJ yesterday. See the MINI2 post below for details:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showpost....&postcount=187

Theo 8^)

 

So what can you do if your dealer says they don't have it yet?

(1) Tell them that MINI/BMW has confirmed the CD38 package has been sent to the dealer network via express package delivery. Have them check their incoming mail for a CD-sized package.

(2) Let them know that this is distributed as an update to their DisPlus system and may not have any formal distribution announcement that would have been received (unlike SIBs).

(3) If the dealer represents both BMW and MINI marques, ask if it is possible that this DisPlus update might be in the BMW Service Manager's inbox.

(4) Ask them who is responsible for updating the DisPlus system. If it is not the Service Manager(s), ask them to check with the appropriate person to see if they have received the CD.

(5) Finally, if CD38 is still MIA, have the Service Manager check with their regional service representative to have it resent to the Service Manager.

I'd be interested in hearing the response to these questions from dealers who have said they haven't received this update. Remember, Service Managers are usually extremely busy people; their inboxes probably look as bad if not worse than many of ours! A gentle reminder to check for a CD-sized DisPlus update package may be all that is needed.



So reading that, makes it seem like it is our job to make sure BMW/MINI service employees do their job. Also that we may have more information than they do about their products and services. I am lost for words...

Is it the customers job to open their mail for them?

 

All,

I had an interesting discussion with one of the service techs this morning at MoP. I asked him about having the V.38 software upgrade when I come in for the 10K service, and immediately, he convinced not to get the software change.

He basically said that of the last 6 people who have received the V.38 upgrade, 3 of them have experienced worse problems.

My yo-yo issue is very mild, and I tend to lean on the conservative side of such matters, so I decided not to get the upgrade next week.

Has anyone else had this discussion with MoP techs ?? Have others received this response ??



BB

 

BB: Did the Tech state what the new problems were with those 3 owners?

Chris

 

Hey Chris,

I can't remember his comment about the Yo-Yo issue specifically with the 3 vehicles, but I do remember that he said the cold start problem got much worse.

He also commented that as far as he's concerned, the V.38 doesn't do anything to improve any of the yo-yo.

One thing he also noted was that given the V.38 has been out there for such a short time, he's wondering if many people have truly seen an improvement. With MoP being one of the larger dealers, he hasn't seen this improvement that so many people quote from "various web sites" .

BB

 

I've put at least 5 tanks of gas in Sylvestre since v38, and I can say that the yo-yo isn't gone, but it has been reduced a little. I've also noticed that the RPM range that the yo-yo manifests itself has moved up by about 300 RPM. IE, instead of 2800 to 3300, it seems to show up at 3100 to 3600 RPM now, albeit less intense. The cruise control seems to accelerate and decelerate more aggressively now, and has gone from +/- 4 MPH to +/- 2 MPH when driving on rolling hill highways.

 

I agree the Yo-Yo is much less.
I have nearly 800 miles on CD38 and the difference is tremendous.
I still have the Yo-Yo but it is much less pronounced, interestingly enough it is more obvious in 3rd gear but all together the Yo-Yo effect has been reduced significantly. Some times the effect is more pronounced, other times it is nearly invisible, not sure what is the controlling factor.
The greatest difference is with cruise control. I live in high altitude with no flat ground other than around town. We are located at the intersection of two major Highways I-25 and I-40 and there are many, many fast moving semi-trucks, they rule, so maintaining a constant driving speed is important so they can move through the area. Prior to CD38 I was too scared to use the cruise control because the car speed was never constant, now with the upgrade I feel confident just putting it in cruise control when on the Highways and letting the semi’s do what they need to do.
Another thing is I have been experimenting with taking off in 1st gear. As we all know the car is very sluggish so for me what I used to do was drop the clutch, smoothly, and push down hard on the gas, slowly get to speed and ease off. Now I accelerate by sliding the clutch a little more with starting rev’s higher. It may just be a perception but since I have started the clutch slid the Yo-Yo effect is even less.

Oh another thing which may mean nothing.
Living in the Southwest we are warmer than most so since I got the car I have never run it without air conditioning. Yesterday it was an overcast day and the sun was not blistering down so I opened the top, rolled the windows down, turned off the air conditioning and viola absolutely no Yo-Yo effect!

 

You guys are way south of the Mason Dixon line. I wonder if that has anything to with the success. Glad to hear the V.38 software is working for you.


Has anyone in the Northeast had the V.38 upgrade??

BB

 

BB,

I am probably somewhat responsible for MINI Peabody position on V38, since I had extensive chats with Gary earlier this week. GBMINI did not get V38, neither did Jims car that was in also to attempt to cure cold start.
The Cold Start issues have in the past also seemed to be associated with more northern locations - some theories are that it is related to the MINI engine computer being confused over "winter" and "summer" fuels ...

 

Dou you have Citgo upthere? My '04 MCS with V36 runs FANTASTIC with Citgo 93 octane gasoline and the car starts clean as a whistle on a cold engine with smooth idle quality.

My MCS' computer really seems to like the Citgo formulation over Mobil/Exxon and Chevron.


I have done different brand switches and tankfuls back-to-back and I can tell you that the car runs BEST each and everytime I fill up with Citgo.

 

Yes, I printed the earlier CitGo comments, but GBMINI is 3/4 full at the moment. Just checked the CitGo web site; apparently I drive past a CitGo every day about 1/2 mile from work ...

If the cold start problem returns (after Tuesdays adaptation reset) I will try CitGo gasoline.

 

Ian, please do. I am interested to know if other MCS owners currently running V36 will experience an improvement in the way the car runs after filling up with Citgo 93.


Citgo, is cheaper too.....:smile:

 

Cooper4us, thanks for the suggestion. I'll try Citgo for my next tank as well. BTW, I have only been running Shell 93.

I used to be able to hold the key in the "start" position for 5 or so seconds to "force" the car to start. Lately no matter what I do, the car refuse to start on the 1st try. I am running V36.

 

Not sure about cold start, but it started almost instantly all day today. Had v38 installed this morning and noticed a lot smother take off's. It used to crank for 3-4 secs before starting. Just installed K&N typhoon and I LIKE it, luv the sound!! Only have about 90 miles on v38 so far but did not notice any yo yo or any tach lag.

 

Hi Ian,

What do you mean by "Tuesday's adaptation reset" ? Are you having your computer reset to original factory settings ?

Erick

 

Erick,

Yes. Whenever new software is put in the MINI engine computer, the learned data ("adaptation values") are cleared and the car has to re-learn the "best" way to work.
I had this learned data cleared but I did not have new software put in. My hope was that the new learning process would give me a car that did not stall when first started each morning.

Sadly this morning (only 80 miles since MINI Peabody visit) the car stalled on the first start :(

CitGo, here we come ...

 

Yes, that would be diappointing


Erick

 

I am 99% certain that the morning cold hard start problem/rough idle on a cold engine problem is related to gas formulation and the ECU software algorithm. Levels of humidity, ambient temperature may also play a role in the problem.


So far so good with Citgo. My '04 MCS has never stall upon morning cold engine startup but has had brief rough idle when the engine is warming up (Smooth as silk afterwards).

When I started using Citgo gas, the rough idle while warming up the engine completely went away. It returns every time I use either Mobil/Exxon gasolines.

Keep in mind that my MCS operates on 90F+ weather with 85%+ relative humidity levels.

I am curious to see how folks up north with much drier environments but high heat respond to the "Citgo 93" treatment.

 

Well, I wish this were true...but.
I use Citgo 93 at every fill. If I have to use another brand it makes no difference. Even with 100 octane Sunoco, it runs the same.

 

I'm using 93 octane gas from Chevron exclusively (except in running-on-fumes situations), and haven't had a cold start issue yet. I'm in Houston, where the weather has been hot (upper 90s), and the humidity is a wall. I've only noticed rough idle during last Winter, when the temperature was close to freezing, but the engine never died. A quick tap on the accelerator brought the engine back to normal idle. This happened a handful of times at most.

 

MM2 is a ***** for high octane, so I run almost exclusively Sunoco 94 octane on the street. Seriously, it runs noticably smoother than pick-a-brand 93, even Sunoco. Another bulletpoint proving my car is possessed

There are very few Citgo's or Chevron's here in Detroit, but in any case, I'm not convinced the cold-start has anything to do with any fuel; the engine just totaly fails to recognize what it's doing. Perhaps poor wall-wetting routine?

 

Ryan or Theo,


has v38 addressed the cold-start issue or do you still have problems? Since the two of you have had it the longest, your engine would have adapted fully. Do you still get problems?

 

Funny, I have noticed the EXACT same thing. Citgo 93 is 'da bomb.'

Also likes the Sunoco 100 octane

Marty