Automatic gear box problem

[mihayes778]

Hi all new to the forum and in need of some advice. I have a 2008 1.6 mini one auto and the problem is it won't go past 3rd gear so I'm looking for advice. Can I change out the box for a working one and is there an issue with the ecu coming into play I.e needing matched to the auto box.
Thanks for reading
Mick

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[ianking]

Is it an R56 hatch or an R50 convertible?

You can get both cars on a 2008.
Reason I ask is that some years ago I bought a cheap R50 Auto from the auctions as a run around. Ends up it was cheap for a reason. It would drive for about 5 mins then go into gear box safe mode and not go past 3rd gear/20mph.

Apparently the R50 CVT auto gear boxes have lifetime oil in them. This car at the time had about 80k on the clock. I decided to drain the gear box oil out, which was filthy and had about a half as much as there should be. Replaced with new CVT gear box oil (expensive stuff) and reset the fault code with the laptop and all was fine after that. I then ran that car for a good few months until my new car arrived.

If you have an R56 auto then it might be that the above fix would work, it certainly did for the R50 anyway.

[Mon the fish]

^^^ as above - it really tires me to hear of 'lifetime oil' is IMO no oil lasts forever. Oils and fluids are a lot cheaper than replacing actual parts. In my 530d auto I change the ATF every 60k as I'm not having a broken gearbox writing off the car. I've also changed the gearbox oil in my R53, which TBF is a damn sight easier than mucking about with ATF.

Defo get the car to an auto transmission specialist, quite often a fluid change will be enough to bring the box back to life. How many miles has the car done?