I picked up my new S about a month ago. Sunroof, H/K, Space Cloth...

I've noticed that on uneven surfaces, pulling into a driveway, there's a quite loud creak coming from directly overhead, maybe a little behind me. I'm concerned about weather or not this is chasis flex introduced because of the enormous hole in the roof, or if it's something that can be fixed with a little felt tape? i don't think it's ice in the roof as it's warmed up nicely here in the past several days and the problem persists.

Does anybody else have this problem? I've searched back about 3 months worth of threads and didn't notice any related topics.

Thanks tons

 

One thing that is absolutely minimal in the MINI is chassis flex. i've had 2 SR equipped cars and never experienced this issue. I did have a SR rattle in the '02 Cooper tho.

 

i promise you, i've got torsional twisting that results in creaking eminating from the sunroof. it's really my only complaint (despite a few rattles here and there), the car's an absolute blast to drive.

 

I've got a trying driveway, too - very trying... but that's another story. However, I'm not experiencing any of this twisting or creaking.

 

>>i promise you, i've got torsional twisting that results in creaking eminating from the sunroof. it's really my only complaint (despite a few rattles here and there), the car's an absolute blast to drive.

I have the exact same thing going on. As you've said, it's usually when I'm pulling into my driveway or something else uneven. It's a definite cracking sound. I've put it down to the car just getting used to itself (yeah right!). On another forum other people complained of something similar and a possible answer for them was the two little plastic ***** (that dangle inside the rear hatch) smacking against the side panel. My noise (and it sounds like yours) is far more severe than that. Of course it will NOT do it if I have somebody listen for it with me. There's no point in my having the dealer check it coz you just know it will refuse to cooperate.

 

you have me very concerned then.

what i'm talking about is not a pockmarked, pot-holed road, but situations where the angle of the (smooth) road changes, pulling into a parking garage/driveway (on an angle, not directly) that rises / causing torsinal twisting of the chasis (rotating around an axis running from front to back), this is when i get a quite audible creak overhead.

this is quite disconcerting, quite disconcerting.

 

it happens to me every time without fail.

oh, the heat shield popping just started up (1300 mi), i have an appointment for next saturday, i hope my dealer (Patrick BMW/MINI, Schaumburg IL) is worth their salt.

 

Hmmm... Same type of deal for my "Hill-acious" switchback of a driveway - but no creaking... ??? Not sure what to tell you guys - I'll consider myself lucky!

 

I've got the same klunk when the car is cold and I pull out of my driveway at an angle, but it doesn't always happen. I thought the noise came from the rear suspension or somewhere in the back of the car. I'll try to pinpoint it this weekend and see what I can find.

 

I wasn't getting it, but recently (about 2 weeks ago) it got really cold here, and I pulled out of my driveway, and I heard a pop and then creeck, and it's been creeking on driveways since. Definetly feels like torsinal twisting.

Sunroof creeks when it's cold too.

 

Check out "Recall" on the MINI talk forum. I wonder if this is what is going on. I thought the clunk was coming from the rear suspension. As soon as the rain stops I'll check it out.

 

I've some creaks and squeaks since I picked up my 03 MCS in late January. I do have the sunroof, and the MINI roof rack (currently removed).
Q: do you have a roof rack?
I did have a creak that I would describe in a similar manner to what you describe, and it pretty much went away at about 1500 miles. I did also have another sunroof rattle for which the adhesive strips have been described as a fix, but this also has disappeared! I still have a few other squeaks and rattles.
I have decided to tackle my squeaks and cracks and rattles as such:
I'm gonna give the car plenty of time to 'wear in' a little bit, and will probably not tackle any of this until about 8-10k miles. I am coming up on a longer road trip anyway, that will shake a few more things loose, and eleminate other squeaks.
Once done with the 'squeak in' period, I plan on removing all non-essential items from my MINI, latching up unused seat belts, and then tracking down remaining squeaks to see if I can eliminate them. I may have to ask someone else to ride along front and back to listen to the source / location of squeaks.
The only other thing taht comes to mind for you is to get the front tower strut brace from BMP deisgn or other sources, although from what I hear the MINI is stiffer than just about any other car out there, even WITH the sunroof!
Good luck!

 

My torsional twisting has resulted in doors that don't close easily any more, a creaking and rattling sunroof and a mismatched line-up of the bonnet and fender.

My dealer called MINI to come and look at the car as there has been no damage to the car and it has only 5000 miles. That was 2 weeks ago. Nothing yet.

I'm drafting my letter to MINI (with pictures). :evil:

 

There robotic welders must have missed a few spot welds..the MINI is 3 times as rigid as anything else on the road today and having the sunroof doesnt compromize chassis integrity one bit cause they put extra steel pieces in there with that option and it's probably more rigid than a solid roof car...one example comes to mind...Corvettes in the 90's at the track handled better if they where convertibles because a extra piece of steel runs under each side of the door sills which makes the car more flex free than a coupe...just my .02

 

i don't have any mis-alligned doors or shutlines (knocks on wood), thankfully. i feel for you though.

the sound is definately coming from the divider between the two panes of glass. it creaks even when the roof is open.... i wonder if the rear piece of glass is shifting and causing the groaning.... perhaps judicious use of felt tape is in order?

 

>>I've got the same klunk when the car is cold and I pull out of my driveway at an angle, but it doesn't always happen. I thought the noise came from the rear suspension or somewhere in the back of the car. I'll try to pinpoint it this weekend and see what I can find.


It was cold here in Chicago, and I had the same thing as I pulled out of my parking spot. It appears to come directly above between the glass. But now that it's warmed up it has not happend since.

I am not worried, but if this thread gets any larger I will complain to my dealer.

 

Jorgeaz (and DVLMINI), definitely have that checked out by a dealer! If this was a simple issue of frame flex with the sunroof, there would be thousands of other people with your problem. As it is, you don't seem to be getting too much of a response here. If there's one thing that the MINI definitely is (or should be), it's stiff!

 

>>I've got the same klunk when the car is cold and I pull out of my driveway at an angle, but it doesn't always happen. I thought the noise came from the rear suspension or somewhere in the back of the car. I'll try to pinpoint it this weekend and see what I can find.


If your "klunk" is coming from the rear area, I would venture to say that it is the little rubber ***** on the end of the strings that pull up the boot shelf when you open the hatch.

I only hear those ***** "klunking" on aggressive bumps - so depending on the speed or the angle at which you leave your driveway, they may not "klunk." I generally don't hit many aggressive bumps during normal commuting - so, it may not be related to the car being cold, but more a matter of the terrain you are on while the car is cold. ?? Just thougts, hope they help!

....try to rule out the simple stuff before jumping to conclusions about the complex stuff....

 

I hate to revive an old thread but I have the exact problem Jorgeaz had. Cold weather is not a factor as i'm in Houston. My "cracking" seems to happen mostly when turning left into a inclined parking garage/driveway. I haven't really noticed it when turning right. I also dismissed it as the car "settling" but I'm now wondering if it will just stop or if there's actually a problem. My car is a 2005 MCSa with Sport Package and has 1800 miles on it.

 

Unfortunately, count me in. I would describe mine as a loud, overhead *pop* that occurs while the chassis is under lateral flex, particularly more acute flex like a driveway entrance while leading with one wheel. I'll pay closer attention to whether it happens only while leading with the left or right wheel, or whether it happens both ways.

One thing I do know is that it happens more consistently when the sunroof is open, and the chassis somewhat less rigid, which immediately made me suspect that this may be a problem with more than a simple fix. I hope I'm wrong. Arrgh!

Other than that, the car is great fun.

 

I just noticed that this is a 2 year old thread. Guess MINI got it right in 2004.

I have an MCSa and also experience the creek noise when my sunroof is open. This is my first experience with a sunroof. I was amazed when I first opened the sunroof and it did not make any noise when traversing my town's horrible roads. But in the last 50 miles (I now have almost 500 miles on the car) it began to squeek and creek. At first I thought the noisy cupholder was getting worse (it only creeks when it is loaded--but even an empty plastic water bottle will cause that).

I opined that the MINI's chassis is so stiff it causes loose items in it to bounce on bumps and make noise. But I can imagine it being the other way round too. Perhaps someone from 2003 can post about a happy conclusion and enlighten us.

Happy Independence Day!

 

I have a 2004 and I have the same problem. Were there any results of the dealer experiences? I would be interested to know.

 

i have an early build 04' S that still does it when u first open sunroof i have 25k on it it gets greased at d dealer seems like everytime i bring it in.

no fix i guess

 

Jan build 05 here and though the sunroof sometimes makes a noise upon opening or closing there is no sounds when going over uneven surfaces, even if the frame is really under duress when the short wheelbase causes one wheel to be off the ground as the car traverses a peaked ramp/driveway.

 

There's a strip of adhesive-foam on the either side of my sunroof glass' frame, where it contacts the wind deflector flaps. As long as the foam stays put, my roof doesn't creak. The adhesive has broken down now & the foam slides back a little when the roof closes. Eventually, it starts creaking again (only when closed). I need to re-glue or replace the foam.