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Mini, Porsche & Volkswagen Repair
In April 2020, MINI confirmed that it will be bringing back the manual transmission in its vehicles. Manual transmissions were unavailable in MINIs sold in the United States for a while, but thankfully, the old stick shift is back in action. While automatic transmissions actually do have a form of a clutch, this problem is probably more relevant to those who drive a MINI with a manual transmission.
If you’ve had problems with your transmission system, there could be a number of explanations. However, a good place to start your investigation is with the first point of entry into the gear-switching process: the clutch.
The clutch and the clutch pedal are needed for your car to disengage its gears in order to shift or stop. This article will help you identify a slipping clutch in your MINI, but first, we need to understand what the clutch is and how it works so that we can get the full picture of what’s gone wrong.
Simply put, the clutch separates the engine from the wheels. The shaft that comes from the engine is connected via the clutch to the shaft connected to the wheels. That connection can be broken via the clutch as well.
Because the engine constantly generates power, there needs to be a way to stop that power from reaching the wheels and prevent them from spinning. This is the role of the clutch, which is made up of two parts: the clutch plate and the flywheel.
When all parts of the clutch are working properly, you should be able to change the gears in your MINI seamlessly. The switch should be smooth and not jerky as the car comes completely out of gear. Stopping your vehicle should not be an issue. If you experience any of the following, it may be the case that your clutch is slipping.
To say that your MINI’s clutch is slipping is to say that the clutch has worn down. Four of the most common signs of a slipping clutch are listed below. Look out for the following:
The clutch may not be delivering the right amount of power to the wheels. You may notice an overall decrease in power.
A smell of burning rubber is often indicative of clutch problems, as the clutch overheats and the clutch plate begins to melt and wear and tear.
If the clutch pedal feels loose, or the clutch engages after only applying a small bit of pressure to the clutch pedal, your clutch is likely slipping.
If your car reaches higher-than-normal RPMs before shifting gears, there is most likely an issue with your clutch.
Don’t be afraid to try and test out your vehicle in a safe location to properly diagnose what’s gone wrong. If you have any questions, you need to direct them to a trained mechanic. There are also some other potential problems in your vehicle that may seem like clutch issues but actually aren’t, like something wrong with pedal-arm bushings or the slave-master cylinder.
If you believe that your MINI’s clutch is slipping, you need to get it fixed soon, as this is a serious problem that can prove dangerous if not taken care of. But don’t worry, because the experienced, ASE-certified mechanics at European Service Center know how to diagnose and repair or replace your slipping clutch.
We know that you are busy, so we make sure to service and repair your car quickly, but we get it right the first time so that you don’t have to keep making trips to the shop. Don’t be afraid to ask our mechanics what the problem is, because we make sure to practice open and clear communication between our customers and technicians.
Our high-quality repairs are matched only by our next-level customer service. We are proud to serve Alpharetta, Chamblee, Cumming, Norcross, Dunwoody, Buckhead, Roswell, and Atlanta, GA, and we are glad that our customers choose us again and again.
If you have any questions or would like to get your MINI serviced, stop by or give us a call.
