Unpredictable throttle response shifting between D/R

Not related to this thread, but I see from your picture that you have the iconic trim. I also see that you have a switch where my Sig+ has a gap. That switch to the far left, in the row with the power switch - what feature does that control?

I'm wondering if I can get a dummy switch and throw one of those stickers on it...

 

Oh right. RTFM. My bad, thanks!


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My apologies. When I tested I was in park.

I redid the test this morning in all gears. In Park, it just turns off. In any of R-N-D you must hit the brake pedal as well, as you've shown. I guess MINI takes "parking brake" seriously. This is the first time I've used it, it is a forceful thunk when it engages. It feels like electrical braking, is this finally a car where the parking brake cable won't seize after a couple years?

I'm curious why not use the "Park" button on the shifter instead of parking brake? You have to shift into drive to move but it won't require any brake pedal use.

 

No, no! The manual doesn't do a good job of showing which switch does what; that's why I included the screen shot and photo.

 

I guess it's my habit pattern from a manual with a real (ratcheting, cabled, hand) parking brake. I don't like sitting with my foot on brake pedal for more than a moment at a light or if I'm going to be twisting around in my seat (getting my wallet out or grabbing something from the back, for instance), as a foot-slipping error means the car is now free to roll. So for any stop more than one red light's worth, I'll brake to a stop, keep the clutch pushed in, apply the hand brake, and take my foot off the brake. Now, when it's time to go, the right foot goes straight to the gas while the hand brake gets released. This sequence is also useful on hills, up or down.

Putting any automatic car in Park without the parking brake already applied feels wrong to me, as I never put an automatic car into Park and then let the car roll against the Parking gear. In Scott world, Park is the a place you finally put the gearshift lever AFTER stopping with the foot brake and then setting the hand brake. Also, taking the SE out of Park requires not only the foot touch on the brake, but also the squeeze of the side button on the gearshift lever, so even more stuff to do to just get going.

Now that we're talking about it, I'm going to have to dig into how the "transmission" and PB actually work. Is the transmission just electrical flow to the motors? I know there's a reduction gearbox, but is it connected to any of the flight controls or is it just a dumb mechanical box between the motor and the wheels. And, how does the PB work? Is it a friction brake? Is it a pin that slides into a hole? What a can of worms...

 

This Bimmerlife article describes servicing BMWs that have an electronic parking brake. If the MINI's electronic parking brake works the same way, it uses a motor to actuate the rear caliper pistons.

I want to know how the SE prevents the car from rolling backwards when in drive and from rolling forwards when in reverse. It doesn't illuminate the brake lights when it's preventing the car from rolling, so I assume it's not using hydraulic braking. Is the traction motor using battery power to prevent rolling or is the parking brake used? And why doesn't it prevent rolling in both directions like some other BEVs?

 

A data point to support the rear wheels' being held with the pistons is that, on the occasions I mistakenly try to drive the SE with the PB engaged, the car's suspension "scrunches up" under load, just like in a conventional PB car.

 

The AC three phase technology used in the Mini's drive motor control could easily toggle between forward and backward with out any concern even at higher speed. This technology is used in the electric forklift industry (Its what brought me to the States) shuttling between forward and reverse using one pedal is common place in the commercial work environment. That energy produced in the changing direction is used as a regen for battery charging and longer run times.
I can be sure BMW engineers have looked long and hard and deemed it necessary not to have that feature on the MIni even at slow speed. I would guess they do not want the heat, stress and strain placed on the final drive by such changes in direction at speed, just my opinion.

 

I am not talking about my Mini or the regen setting, I am talking about the vehicle changing direction from drive to reverse, forward to backwards at speed.
If you come to a stop with your foot on the brake from either drive (forward) or reverse and select the opposite direction and you still have a delay then yes I would say there is a problem but trying to shift at any speed (not regen) with out coming to a complete stop may result in what you are experiencing.

 

Good luck! My dealership now has a spare BEV that they are using for demos more. They sold the other SE they have in stock. Wonder if they have Clubman PHEV to use for you at least.

I tried replicating this in my driveway and couldn't. Only issue I had was it yelling at me to put on the break since I still forget from my many years of driving stick that to go from D to R the break needs to be engaged.