Hi,

My wife just purchased a 2012 Mini Cooper Clubman S last weekend and when she went out to head to work last night, it wouldn't start.

I jumped in to look at it, check the relays, hooked up jumper cables and nothing......... still just shut off when the start button was pressed.

I decided to try jump starting it, and found that the clutch was engaged when trying to push while in gear with the clutch pedal depressed. I got in and found the pedal to be extremely stiff, not allowing it to be depressed enough to enable the safety switch.

This morning, I had my wife lightly press the clutch while I loosened the bleed screw, after a moment, it let out a spurt of fluid, the pedal dropped to the floor, and I closed the bleed screw and had her try to start it. It started right up, but the clutch remained on the floor. I pulled the slave cylinder and gave it a firm push by hand which brought the clutch back up. I had my wife press the pedal while holding the slave cylinder and applying manual pressure. It pushed out when she pressed the clutch pedal and the pedal came back up when I pushed the slave piston by hand.

I bolted the slave cylinder back in, pressed on the clutch which felt firm but not hard, and the car started, so I took it off the jack stands and got back in and the pedal was back on the floor. Unfortunately I cant remember for sure if it was up after I started it on the jack stands.

I was hoping it would turn out to be the master cylinder as the local parts store has it on hand, but at this point, I don't know if it's the master, slave, pressure plate or clutch fork. I don't want to just throw parts at it, so I was hoping someone here has had this issue and could tell me what they had to replace.

I appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Mark

 

I just went out and tried again.

The pedal was up when I got into the car. There is about 4 inches of free movement, then the pedal is very firm. It does not depress far enough to start the car until I really put pressure on the pedal. The car will then start, but will not go into gear from neutral. it seems the pedal will not release the clutch.

 

My initial gut thought is that the slave cylinder is leaking fluid or there is air in the system or both. A trick I learned from this site for when I changed my slave to prime the system was to leave the clutch pedal pressed overnight with a broomstick or something and the air leaves the system over time.

I apologize if I misunderstood and this isn’t your problem.

 

I'll give that a try... I couldn't find any fluid in the footwell or around the slave cylinder, so I'm not sure how air would have gotten in, but that 4 inches of play then stiff makes me wonder if there isn't air in there somehow. I'll need to go pick up some fluid and get the wife to help bleed them then I'll try the broomstick overnight... the only other thing I can think of is something not moving correctly or binding in the gearbox.

 

Well, I got the wife to help me. I bled the slave cylinder, followed by the master cylinder using the open screw, push pedal to the floor, close screw, pump 5 times. We repeated this 10 times, and then used a broom to hold the pedal down. We will let it sit over night.

The car is back to the original symptoms. Clutch is very firm, and won't depress far enough to allow the car to start.

My feeling is that the master and slave cylinders are working correctly, and that something is binding inside the gearbox, preventing the slave cylinder piston from fully extending. I am ordering a throwout bearing and a clutch, since I'll have it opened up. If the current clutch is ok, I can just keep the new one on the shelf for later. Are there any other problem parts that could cause the clutch fork from smoothly pivoting without binding? I don't want to spend money on parts I won't likely need, but I also don't want my wife to be without her car any longer than necessary in the event I find other problems once I get into the transmission.

Thanks,

Mark

 

Exact same symptoms as me three months ago. Need to replace your broken shift fork and while you’re in there, the clutch, dual mass flywheel and throw out bearing sleeve as well.

 

Finally got everything torn down and found the issue....

The plastic tabs that center the throw out bearing wore down, allowing the clutch fork to rotate about 2 degrees. That was just enough to shift the point where the slave cylinder piston presses on the clutch fork just past the cut out on the inside of the bell housing preventing the clutch fork end to depress. There is a hairline crack on the clutch fork, but I have a new one on hand. I am also replacing the guide tube and pivot pin... her clutch is still good, but nobody carries the throw out bearing in stock, So I've ordered a clutch kit including the bolts and throw out bearing from the local parts place since they can have it today at 5 PM and will just change it out anyway.

Coincidentally, my cat chased a squirrel into the gap between the heat shield and the bottom of the rear of the car while I was underneath the front... anyone got any tips and tricks for extracting an irate squirrel from the undercarriage?