Okay guys,

SO.... my 03 mini cooper (R50) drives like a champ, but after a trip out of town and back. on my way home the car started switching out of Automatic Drive into Manual Shift all on its own. I would have to shift into Manual Shift and Back into Automatic Drive, and it would drive fine, until after a attempt or two of switching back into Automatic Drive it would just stay in manual shift even though i was in automatic. When it goes into manual shift it will not let me go past 2nd Gear just 1st & 2nd, but when in Automatic i drives smoothly through all gears ??? is this a sensor a electricial issue, im so lost.

 

Going to move you to the Stock Problems/Issues section. You have the CVT that for the Gen1 cars is similar to the N14 engine in the Gen2s.

 

Any CVT solutions you have found would be appreciated.

My Daughters '05 non-S MINI has a similar problem. It is shifting by itself and only marginally listening to the gear shift (at least it hasn't shifted into reverse on the highway).

I see there are many people selling shaft speed sensors but nobody explains what problems these cause. I've checked the connections on the shift LED display, the shift control unit (next to the gear shift), and the TCU under the steering wheel but all look fine. The car has 70,000 miles and I change CVT fluid every 30,000 miles.

Thanks,
Peter

 

BTW, I scanned the codes with a Schwaben code reader and it said speed sensor so I took the sensor off and the wires were cracked. I then replaced the wires in the connector but the problem persisted. That is, it shifts any way it wants to typically first gear at forty five and 4th at ten mph. I then ordered a new Chinese sensor ($70 versus $370 Mini brand) but it won't arrive until next Friday (seven days in the mail).

Today, I replaced all of the wire from the sensor to the connector but now the problem is even worse. At least that indicates the sensor and not something else. I'll report back when I get the new sensor on.

Regards,
Peter