I just purchased a 2011 Cooper S 3 days ago. I noticed while on my drive way which is a substantial hill that the breaks did not release immediately when I took my foot off the pedal. There was approximately a 1 second delay. I did it again to conifrm that it really happened the first time. Yesterday I stalled after being at a light, not like me as Ive been driving stick for 20 years. Im not sure if it was the break sticking that particular time, but now Im curious.

Any of this sound familiar?

 

Well, I found the answer so I figured i'd share. I have a 6 speed manual. It has "hill assist' when you take your foot off the break on a hill it gives you a second or two to get on the gas without rolling backwards. Pretty neat!

 

I believe you are experiencing "hill assist," which is a break delay on the manual models. The breaks grab for a second or two to keep you from rolling back on hills. My 2011 MINI base model does that too. It takes a little getting used to, but was a great help while I was learning to drive a stick. Now I usually don't notice it, as I have improved my stick-shift hill-skills.

 

OOps! I responded before I saw your next message - enjoy your MINI!

 

it's a clever feature, just giving you a second before it rolls backward.

 

It really is a great feature; particularly since there are so many auto trannys out there (and relatively few manuals). There are some nimrods out there that stop within inches of one's rear bumper--on a hill--completely clueless that rolling back is a possibility.

hill assist has probably saved a few of us from the embarrassment of an unfortunate gravity-induced a$$-kissing by posterior hugging goons

Pardon my French