MINI2

brakedwell · Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:14 PM

A rattling noise from behind the main instrument cluster can be heard on most engine starts. It sounds a bit like a noisy actuator opening a valve in the heating/cooling system. The car is sixteen months old and has only covered 3000 miles. Has anyone else had this problem?

Herbiea · Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:36 PM

Hi, next time you start it look at the guages (fuel in paricular). If they "judder" before rising to the correct position then you have the same characteristic as me! I've no idea what it is but it doesn't seem to cause a problem. The only connection I can make is that it is similar to the effect you get when re-setting the ECU memory (which I did after reading about the "learning" aspects of the ECU and loading the MTH chip programme) .
If anyone knows the root cause please let me know.

brakedwell · Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:41 PM

Thanks Herbiea, I will do that. Everything is working so I haven't contacted the dealer yet.

Herbiea · Dec 23rd, 2006, 10:19 PM

Hi Brakedwell,
Just a thought - any chance your ECU has ever been re-set? Also, my fuel guage sometimes plays up. It stay on empty and the range on the trip computer reads zero but it slowly sorts itself out, sometimes after a re-start. I've read that this is a "common" fault with the fuel gauge sender unit but so intermittent that I've not bothered to take it to the dealer (they can't do a thing unless it's broke!). Mines a Feb 2004 Cooper. Could it be related to the problem? Anyone else have any ideas.

brakedwell · Dec 24th, 2006, 08:34 AM

Morning Herbiea.
When I moved the Mini One this morning the first start was normal, but the noise re-occured when I returned it to it's parking place in front of the garage ten minutes later. The temperature and fuel guage needles didn't move off their stops until the rattling noise stopped. (Two or three seconds). I am going to contact the dealer in the new year. It could mean a new instrument cluster, which might not be a bad thing as the clock has gained a minute a day since the car was new in Sept 2005!

Herbiea · Dec 24th, 2006, 09:29 AM

Brakedwell, thanks for the up-date - sounds exactly the same "fault" as I have. Let me know what the dealer does to fix it as my 3 years is up in 6 weeks. If it's serious I'll get mine booked in (try to avoid it as my dealer is not that local and it's a bit of pain).
Have a good Christmas and keep on braking!

IH1 · Dec 24th, 2006, 09:51 PM

Most times I start my 03 MCS, my istrument cluster makes a noise. The dials rattle and then thhe engine starts and thhe dial guage moves up. Its very odd and started doing it when it started getting colder.

Tracie · Dec 26th, 2006, 05:22 PM

Mines been doing this for well over a year..on start up the speedo needle jumps on the sport for 2 secs..damn annoying, but loads of MINI's do it and local stealer said it was normal and it was the ecu self testing everytime it does it....whether thats a load of twaddle or not who knows..just another MINI mystery.

brakedwell · Jan 2nd, 2007, 11:30 AM

I took it to the Dealer today, but since I filled the tank on Boxing Day the needle stays on the full position during the engine start, rather than dropping to the bottom of the guage while the starter motor is turning. I can still hear a slight whirring noise as the needle rises up the scale when powered by the battery. There is also an issue with the clock, which gains three minutes a week, so the dealer has ordered a new instrument cluster which should cure both snags.

Iain Eyres · Jan 3rd, 2007, 02:45 PM

Sounds similar to both the MINI's i have had, it get worse in the winter & in my case seems to be caused by the battery being under a heavier load when starting a colder engine.

As well as the needles resetting to 0, it also causes the climate control display to go blank and its relays to chatter as well. I guess an easy to check is to charge the battery then try a cold start, which seemes to work for me. I guess 3 years old is about right for a battery to start showing signs of age.

Whilst trying to diagnose the problem i tried a couple of dealers & non seem to have a clue as to the problem. Generally its worse if the car has been left standing for a few days or weeks.

brakedwell · Jan 4th, 2007, 11:25 AM

Iain, When I first phoned the dealer about the fuel guage problem they said it could be a low battery, so I went out and connected a sophisticated battery charger. The initial charge was less than one amp and this dropped to zero within 15 minutes. The car is only 14 months old so the battery should be in good nick. The dealer didn't quibble about the clock due to the build date of the car. I suspect there are a lot more MINIS out there with hyper-active clocks!

Dec 23rd, 2006, 06:14 PM	#1
brakedwell MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 5 Offline	Rattling noise fromInstrument cluster on engine start A rattling noise from behind the main instrument cluster can be heard on most engine starts. It sounds a bit like a noisy actuator opening a valve in the heating/cooling system. The car is sixteen months old and has only covered 3000 miles. Has anyone else had this problem?

Dec 26th, 2006, 05:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tracie MINI less. My Classifieds Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Poole, Dorset.UK Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 2,472 Offline	Mines been doing this for well over a year..on start up the speedo needle jumps on the sport for 2 secs..damn annoying, but loads of MINI's do it and local stealer said it was normal and it was the ecu self testing everytime it does it....whether thats a load of twaddle or not who knows..just another MINI mystery. I'm being tempted back to a MINI....

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Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Herbiea MINI2 Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 27 Offline	Hi, next time you start it look at the guages (fuel in paricular). If they "judder" before rising to the correct position then you have the same characteristic as me! I've no idea what it is but it doesn't seem to cause a problem. The only connection I can make is that it is similar to the effect you get when re-setting the ECU memory (which I did after reading about the "learning" aspects of the ECU and loading the MTH chip programme) . If anyone knows the root cause please let me know.

Dec 23rd, 2006, 08:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
brakedwell MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 5 Offline	Thanks Herbiea, I will do that. Everything is working so I haven't contacted the dealer yet.

Dec 23rd, 2006, 10:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
Herbiea MINI2 Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 27 Offline	Hi Brakedwell, Just a thought - any chance your ECU has ever been re-set? Also, my fuel guage sometimes plays up. It stay on empty and the range on the trip computer reads zero but it slowly sorts itself out, sometimes after a re-start. I've read that this is a "common" fault with the fuel gauge sender unit but so intermittent that I've not bothered to take it to the dealer (they can't do a thing unless it's broke!). Mines a Feb 2004 Cooper. Could it be related to the problem? Anyone else have any ideas.

Dec 24th, 2006, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
brakedwell MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 5 Offline	Morning Herbiea. When I moved the Mini One this morning the first start was normal, but the noise re-occured when I returned it to it's parking place in front of the garage ten minutes later. The temperature and fuel guage needles didn't move off their stops until the rattling noise stopped. (Two or three seconds). I am going to contact the dealer in the new year. It could mean a new instrument cluster, which might not be a bad thing as the clock has gained a minute a day since the car was new in Sept 2005!

Dec 24th, 2006, 09:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
Herbiea MINI2 Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 27 Offline	Brakedwell, thanks for the up-date - sounds exactly the same "fault" as I have. Let me know what the dealer does to fix it as my 3 years is up in 6 weeks. If it's serious I'll get mine booked in (try to avoid it as my dealer is not that local and it's a bit of pain). Have a good Christmas and keep on braking!

Dec 24th, 2006, 09:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
IH1 I Love My MINI! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hertfordshire Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 709 Offline	Most times I start my 03 MCS, my istrument cluster makes a noise. The dials rattle and then thhe engine starts and thhe dial guage moves up. Its very odd and started doing it when it started getting colder.

Jan 2nd, 2007, 11:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
brakedwell MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 5 Offline	I took it to the Dealer today, but since I filled the tank on Boxing Day the needle stays on the full position during the engine start, rather than dropping to the bottom of the guage while the starter motor is turning. I can still hear a slight whirring noise as the needle rises up the scale when powered by the battery. There is also an issue with the clock, which gains three minutes a week, so the dealer has ordered a new instrument cluster which should cure both snags.

Jan 3rd, 2007, 02:45 PM	#10 (permalink)
Iain Eyres MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Essex Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 14 Offline	Sounds similar to both the MINI's i have had, it get worse in the winter & in my case seems to be caused by the battery being under a heavier load when starting a colder engine. As well as the needles resetting to 0, it also causes the climate control display to go blank and its relays to chatter as well. I guess an easy to check is to charge the battery then try a cold start, which seemes to work for me. I guess 3 years old is about right for a battery to start showing signs of age. Whilst trying to diagnose the problem i tried a couple of dealers & non seem to have a clue as to the problem. Generally its worse if the car has been left standing for a few days or weeks.

Jan 4th, 2007, 11:25 AM	#11 (permalink)
brakedwell MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Local Time: 11:57 PM Posts: 5 Offline	Iain, When I first phoned the dealer about the fuel guage problem they said it could be a low battery, so I went out and connected a sophisticated battery charger. The initial charge was less than one amp and this dropped to zero within 15 minutes. The car is only 14 months old so the battery should be in good nick. The dealer didn't quibble about the clock due to the build date of the car. I suspect there are a lot more MINIS out there with hyper-active clocks!

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