2003 MINI Cooper S: hesitation when accelerating

6 of the 217 complaints about the 2003 MINI Cooper S describe hesitation when accelerating.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 3%
typical mileage: 4,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 3 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Hesitation when accelerating by model year

2013
1
2008
1
2007
3
2005
1
2004
1
2003
6

What owners say

Filed Jan 29, 2012 · Brakes, Engine · 28,639 miles · TX · crash

Turning from a left hand turn lane on to a side street as I have done at least 4 times a day for over 10 years, I lost all power and the ability to control the vehicle. In the middle of the turn the loss of power, the loss of steering, and the loss of brakes caused me to run into the curb. This accident resulted in the right front wheel and assembly being replaced. Not long after getting my mini cooper s the hesitation of the accelerator when stating off in first gear began. I was told by the service rep at the mini dealership that there was no fix for this problem. I've had too many near accidents because of it. Going back as far as 2005 I have complained about my steering and the noise it makes. The whole steering unit has been replaced 2 times, yet in 2009 I experienced a total loss of power while traveling at speeds of 65 MPH. The power loss was electrical even though my engine was still running. The final outcome was mini replaced the alternator and battery. I've complained time and again yet with no help unless it's coming out of my own pocket. Since owning this mini cooper s I've spent nearly 6000.00 in repairs. Because of the interdependent nature of the asc/dsc on the vehicles braking, electronics, and even starting acceleration from a stop; has this feature been properly studied as the culprit for the many and varied problems this particular car has? In the uk there is a blog called watchdog that has 180 people who posted between february and april 2009 that all had the same problem with the power steering that I and hundreds of others have reported. How can such a serious problem go unresolved for so long. There is no doubt that this problem alone falls under the united states code for motor vehicle safety (title 49, chapter 301).

Filed Mar 19, 2006 · Transmission · 41,900 miles · NY

One morning driving about 100 MPH going up to ct I pay a toll take off the car hesitates in first gear then goes ok about a 2 miles from the toll I am doing about 100 MPH and switch to the right lane and the car just stop giving me power so I go to change to 5th gear no luck so I let the car roll to the shoulder call mini roadside and they tow to nearest dealer to my house. The dealer has my car for a total of 8 days and tell me the l/front axle will not stay in the transmission. Then the dealer say that its not covered@ first then tells me that will cover it a day later after the mini specialist take a look @ it and say we will cover it this time as a favor. Now it is ten days later and the same thing has happen again this time I have to pay for towing and I cant wait to have a talk with the dealer. I will keep u guys posted.

Filed Nov 21, 2003 · Engine · 8 miles · NY

Mini cooper s has severe hesitation when starting from a standing start. The problem is unrelated to throttle or clutch pedal position. Car bogs for a few seconds (when making a left against traffic it feels like an eternity) when in first gear at approximately 1800 RPM then resumes accelerating. Service advisor at dealership told me it's a "characteristic" of the car. Representative at mini USA told me they are aware of the problem and are working on a fix. The is no fix at the present time and no estimate as to when there will be one. For the time being, mini owners have to pray each time they enter an intersection.

Filed Nov 6, 2003 · Acceleration, Transmission · 1 miles · GA

Engine power loss starting off in 1st gear. When stating from a complete stop in 1st gear the car will hesitate for aprox. 2-3 seconds before the rpms increase. There is no combination of clutch and throttle that will alleviate this situation. The combination of warm temperatures and running the A/C contribute heavily to the power loss. Colder weather does improve this power loss.

Filed Oct 30, 2003 · Engine · 500 miles · TX

Vehicle hesitates (stimbles) upon acceleration resulting in a serious saftey concern. Also, the vehicle yo-yos upon deceleration.

Filed Aug 24, 2003 · Acceleration, Transmission · 4,000 miles · TX

My 2003 mini cooper s stumbles and bogs down when starting in first gear. When starting from a dead start and letting clutch out, the cars power cuts off for a moment and then cuts back in. This was not a characteristic of the car prior to my dealer upgrading the software for the engine management system. I've contacted mini USA (aka bmw) and they acknowledge the problem, but have no fix for it. I consider it a safety issue, especially when pulling into traffic and the car hesitates badly.