Are You Facing Gear Shifting Issues in Your Mini Cooper?
(Here are a few reasons why that happens)
Your car is a reflection of you as a driver and person. When you’re car is a little off, you feel it too, and finding a solution can seem overwhelming. Luckily, when it comes to a Mini Cooper, it can be easy for anyone to recognize an issue and deal with it as needed. Here are a few things to look for, and some reasons you may be having issues.
I’m Feeling Some Trouble in 5th and 6th Gear
Mini Coopers are an easy drive, but that doesn’t mean everyone drives them that way. If you ride with your foot on the clutch, the gears of the clutch can grind more than they’re able to handle, and eventually, even in less than 20,000 miles, you may experience gear failure. This is a fix that requires replacement of the clutch disk, pressure plate, or flywheel: three main parts that help your car shift up and down seamlessly. If you suspect this is your issue, it’s best to take it in and have it looked at by a professional mechanic.
I’m Hearing a Timing Chain Noise
This noise can’t go uninspected. The timing chain rattle is a common problem that doesn’t always mean a big repair is needed, but it’s impossible to know how serious it is without getting it looked at.
Best Case
This problem is usually caused by low oil, or the oil not being changed frequently enough. It is recommend to get oil changes every 6 months or 5,000 miles whichever comes first, especially if you do a lot of city driving.
Worst Case
The noise is sometimes referred to as “the death rattle”. If you’re hearing this noise as you start the car or while the car is idle, you need to take your Mini Cooper into a mechanic immediately. This can be a major/costly repair and it’s best to get it in before any more damage is done.
My Steering Wheel is Pumping
The Mini Cooper’s electric power steering pumps are vulnerable to failure, and in older models were actually at one time recalled. The failure of electric power steering pumps is often caused by low power steering fluid or the failure of the electric cooling fan. If you swing by your local mechanic, they’ll be able to either top off your fluids or solve any issues associated with your electric cooling fan. If it’s something more serious, your warranty may cover a repair, and your mechanic can check with you based on your Mini Cooper’s year and specific model.
You may be feeling or hearing these issues, a combination, or something entirely different that has you feeling uneasy. Luckily, the experts at Beyer are available to check your Mini Cooper out for you and ensure that everything is running as it should be. Worst case is that you bring your car in and they tell you it’s nothing. Luckily, if it is something, Beyer can get you the repairs you need and save you from further wondering and anxiety about your vehicle. Make a call to Beyer today!
Are You Facing Gear Shifting Issues in Your BMW? (Here are a few reasons why that happens)
When you buy a BMW, you’re promised a vehicle with the highest expectations for excellence, high-quality engineering and design, and durability and longevity. While these are some of the reasons that drivers invest in BMW vehicles, BMWs are not immune to wear and tear. When your BMW begins to show signs of gear shifting issues, there are a few different ways to identify what might be wrong. As a BMW driver, it is essential to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of gear shifting issues, and what they might mean for your car.
Shifting Gears Shouldn’t be a Struggle
Whether you drive a manual or automatic BMW, if your car is encountering gear shifting issues you might notice some difficulty when your car shifts gears, especially up around 5th and 6th. You may experience an intense jerking when shifting gears, clutch squeaking or troubling noises, or gear shift hesitation. Even if these are small things you can’t tell are normal or not, think about this: you drive your car more than anyone. The first person to notice a small difference will be you.
When your gears shift, it can leave you at a high or low RPM for an awkward amount of time, or it can cause the car to stall. In worst cases, the car might even go into limp mode, where it cannot be driven, but must be towed to the nearest auto shop. This sort of gear shifting issue is often a result of transmission issues. This can be a horrible piece of news, but it’s better to know than not to know, for your general safety and for financial reasons.
Vibrations that are Too Strong to Be Normal
Your car might shake slightly when you need to rotate your tires and you’re driving at a high speed, but you know the kind of shaking we’re talking about. Often, it’s a type of shaking that can’t be ignored, occurring both when you are stopped at a light and driving around town. A lot of times these issues can be something much more simple than a full transmission failure. In fact, the answer is quite simple in most cases. Each gear you shift to has a literal gear associated with it, i.e. 1st gear, 2nd gear, and so on. If these gears get damaged, or the hub gears that connect two of them together, this can cause friction and that grinding is literally causing your car to shake. The steering wheel is where it often starts, but as it goes untreated, you can begin to feel the whole car shake, eventually causing must worse damage.
Whether its a worn gear or a transmission failure, your BMW’s signs of gear shifting issues is a good reason to stop into FT Auto. Ideally, you’ll stop in for a quick fix, but if it’s more complex, the expert team at FT Auto will assist you in finding the best path forward with the honesty and expertise you’d expect for your high class vehicle. Stop by or give us a call today.
