[sinunn]

Hi,

I have posted previoulsy regarding some rattle/noises coming from the dashboard on passenger side.
Its a 57 plate Cooper S that cost me almost £22k. It has been back to BMW to investigae, and after a full days work on it, they could not locate the cause of the problem.

Next step is to take it back in 3 weeks time for them to take the dashboard apart to investigate it further. Its being carried out by BMW, but I must say that I am concerned about this.

Does anybody have any experience of this? I am considering trying to live with it, as worried it may cause more problems than it solves.

Thanks

Simon

[minicabrio]

Hi Simon,

MINI dashboards do come apart and go back together fairly easily... provided they know what they're doing they should be able to locate the cause of the rattle...

Best of luck

Jon

[Benny No.1]

Mine is squeaking like a Spanish galleon at the moment. But i have H&R springs fitted so I doubt they will be willing to investigate under a warranty / I don't have to pay situation. knowing how to take the dash off would be helpful for self diagnosis.

[DerekH]

We had the dash out and they put it back very good as far as i'm concered better than 5 rattles we had for sure

[sinunn]

Thanks for the replies. Goes in next monday, so fingers crossed!

[J8YMP]

Read a similar thread to this on here somewhere. Seems to be 2 little clips behind the dash, a common problem this, but all the posts i read were positive ones, so dont worry too much

[Louj_MCS]

My sept 07 MCS dashboard still rattles and sqweeks after 4 or 5 dismantles - its worse then ever - beware! possible reject coming??

[ALD0]

It's all part of MINI ownership i'm afraid!
They should put it in the brochure!
Agree though for £22k I would be concerned if they had to take my dash apart, you wouldn't get it on a Audi or the likes!

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by ALD0 (original)

Agree though for £22k I would be concerned if they had to take my dash apart, you wouldn't get it on a Audi or the likes!

Not totally true!

I bet if you had an Audi, and searched their forums, you would find people complaining of rattles.

I know my mate's TT had its share of rattles.

My car before the R56 was a mkV Golf. It had a couple of rattles, one really annoying one which I fixed myself.

The UK VW forum was full of threads of people complaining about rattles, even with their £20k plus GTis and R32s.

[andrewcregan]

My Dooper has had the dashboard completely taken out and reassembled. Then on another trip to the dealers, some of it was removed again. I was told they had found 10 sources of rattles. All seems fine now, and an awful lot better than before.

If it continues to rattle just keep on complaining

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Not totally true!

I bet if you had an Audi, and searched their forums, you would find people complaining of rattles.

I know my mate's TT had its share of rattles.

My car before the R56 was a mkV Golf. It had a couple of rattles, one really annoying one which I fixed myself.

The UK VW forum was full of threads of people complaining about rattles, even with their £20k plus GTis and R32s.

True I guess-My previous car was an Audi A4 Avant Sport 53 plate with 110 k on th clock-not 1 single rattle

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by ALD0 (original)

True I guess-My previous car was an Audi A4 Avant Sport 53 plate with 110 k on th clock-not 1 single rattle

Nice car

[GTT 280]

I love rattles, it gives that rally feeling

Incidentally - does anybody know how to dismantle an Oct 2004 dash ??? i ask the question many times but to no avail.

Cheers,
K.

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Nice car

Yeah, was really nice to drive and solid too-unfortunately due to the mileage I would expect something might of failed and didn't want to take the chance, especially when my son was travelling with me.
So it went, but would deffo consider Audi again.

[ONED]

Just had ours back after getting the dash stripped!

OK on the run home last nite!

.....had been vary weary about it though!

[sinunn]

A quick update......

Car went in on Monday as planned for 3 days. Got a call from the dealer after 2 days saying it was ready for collection. Ask a few questions and was amazed!

Here we go. The dealer is Halliwell Jones in Warrington. Car is 3 months old, and the rattle/creaking noise on passenger side of dash has been there since the second day of ownership. It’s been back 3 times without success.

They cannot locate the cause. Nor can (or won't!!) they solve it.

Technician can here the noise but cannot locate it, even after taking dash apart. To resolve it they have contacted BMW themselves. The same technician had looked at a similar problem on a similar spec age car several weeks prior. As a result of that, the BMW area manager attended to try to resolve.

I have been told that the dash is designed to flex/move (now as I have a degree in engineering I understand this). They can hear the noise and it is considered acceptable! Acceptable to whom???!! There is clearly some design fault if the required flexing causes this noise.

Basically top and bottom of it is that BMW will not investigate this further under Warranty it is considered an acceptable creaking noise (load enough to be heard over the radio in the mornings). Of course the area manager did not see or hear my car, but was going of his/her experience of the similar case several weeks prior.

After what started to become a heated exchange (on my part) I was left with no option other than to take the car as I had taken it in. Halliwells will not carry out any further work on it as BWM will not accept any the Warranty invoices they bill for it (this problem anyway). I have been given the number for BMW customer services. Halliwells said I now need to take the matter up with BWM!

I am disgusted that somebody can make the assessment without hearing it, plus tell me, the customer, what is acceptable or not.
Sorry...rant over!

I have not called BMW yet, as I wanted the dust to settle to allow me to put a more reasoned point to them.
Thoughts anybody?

Simon

[ALD0]

Certainly do not accept this!
Call MINI Customer services and escalate, also I would put it in writing to them also.
MINI Uk will take this up with you as the problem lies with the car/manufacturing not the service you have received.

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by sinunn (original)

Thoughts anybody?

The dealer is incompetent!

[ONED]

I agree with Aldo, I also have issues to take up with MINI, and am drafting a letter - not the first time though!

[geoffers56]

My wife's March 07 MCS also exhibited the same creaking problem coming from the left hand side of the dashboard, almost from new.
It has been in to the supplying dealer on 4 occasions and to Halliwell Jones (Warrington) on 2 occasions.
Problem has not been fixed, whilst I have no complaint about the standard of service I am amazed that in this day and age, whatt appears to be a problem caused by plastic rubbing against metal or glass cannot be resolved by packing with felt tape.
I think the same technician from BMW who looked at sinnun's car must have looked at my wife's car as she to was informed that the level of noise experienced is acceptable.
This is my wife's 3rd MCS and is the worst of the lot for creaks and rattles.
BMW should realize that those three letters are synonymous with quality, but this appears to be sadly lacking in some aspects of the MIni.
They really do need to address these issues to make the car worthy of the BMW name.
My wife is now in the process of trading hers back in to the dealer and has ordered a 123d Coupe, which is a little more expensive than the Mini, but the quality is 100% better