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I am having some intermittent transmission (?) issues with my new to me 2008 Mini Cooper (base) 6 speed automatic. I have found endless amounts of posts here and other places regarding shifting issues once driving/accelerating but continue to fall short with my specific issues. In full disclosure I am a carpenter first and sell building materials for a living, mechanics are touch and go for me (the definition of "Youtube" mechanic"). I say this to preface any incorrect terminology or missing information that might be considered standard.
This 2008 Mini Cooper has just under 120k miles, starts and drives well (I don't experience slipping gears or rough shifting, now and again it is a bit jerky at lower speed but I don't feel anything abnormal. My problem is when I shift from PARK to DRIVE or REVERSE, DRIVE to REVERSE, REVERSE to DRIVE sporadically the car will "jump" when being put into gear. This doesn't happen going into park or neutral only going into R/D from any other position (there is no pattern I can discern). Some drives I start and drive the car without any instance of this happening but MOST times it happens once or twice (the force of the jump/jerk is sometimes more jarring and sometimes just a noticeable bump).
This problem sometimes happens when the MINI is cold (so my first shift) sometimes it happens when the car is warmed up. Most of the time it slides between R/D smooth as butter with no adverse movement whatsoever.
The background on this car:
Bought at auction with a dead battery and CEL. Battery replaced (read lots of posts regarding bad batteries and "forgetful ECUs"), using my cheap engine scanner I read codes P1776 & P1777 - as far as I can tell not transmission related but something to do with speed sensors by the tires? Drove around for a day with a new battery to see if the transmission issue went away - didn't work.
Next I brought it to a transmission shop who works with EURO vehicles. Plan is to have them read transmission with their high end reader, reset transmission computer, drive Mini and check tranny fluid. Scan doesn't show anything unusual with transmission other than code 4EE9 which relates to the transmission speed sensor turbocharger. The mechanic is able to replicate the problem and after he updates the software goes for a 20 minute drive. Car drives great and he believes issue is fixed but upon returning to his shop and moving from D to R to get to P he experiences the same jump/jerk as before. He checks transmission fluid and is satisfied with level, plus indicates fluid looks clean - which indicates to him recent replacement. While reading the transmission "live" he advises all values, solenoids and other components report back that they are working A OK.
His final verdict to me was he believes with an issue like I am experiencing I could drive the car another 50-60k with no worries. At the time when the tranny decides to go out just put a rebuilt one in and call it a day. This is definitely a route I am comfortable taking with a lower cost auction vehicle, but if it is at all possible (skill wise and budget) I would like to identify and fix the problem anyway. I will post my diagnostic report. There are a dozen + modules errors listed non transmission related that might indicate something not thought of yet and in general if anyone sees something they would be overly concerned with I am always happy to take friendly advice when offered.
Thanks in advance for your time and help with my problem,
2008 Mini Cooper (Base) 6 SPD Auto Trans issues
