Interior light stays on, window keeps retracting

[Neeshil]

Hey guys,

I have an Aug build 2002 mini which I picked up 3 weeks ago from the dealer and this just started happening last night.

Basically the interior light keeps coming on, even whilst driving or whilst parked etc.. (Even if I press the interior light button and turn it off, it keeps coming back on after a second or two, or a few minutes)

Also the passenger door window keeps retracting (ie poping down a cm and then back up - as if the door had just been closed) Thing is I the door is fully closed (and locked) and i have tried opening and closing the door.

Edit: The retracting may happen every second, or sometimes once a minute or sometimes once every 5 minutes. It goes through phases.

I have a feeling that the light is staying on because of the door.

I have it booked in for checkup on Monday but thought you guys may be able to shed light on it. (excuse the pun!)

Also if anyone knows how to disable the interior lights so I dont waste battery whilst park (and so I don't look wierd driving at night with the light on).

Also of note is the open door warning lights are NOT on whilst this is happening.

Hope it makes sense!

Thanks in advance,

Neeshil

[Paul]

Not heard of this situation.

[2nd Mini]

Sounds a little like the "Christine" syndrome, named after the Steven King haunted car character. You see, just about everything in the car is under control of the body computer. I hear that sporatic, stray component activity is sometimes indicative of a malfunctioning computer.

2nd

[snoopy]

Considering the amount of rain we have had. Sounds like the old water in door or BC1 problem. Have you been parking out in the rain? If so it should go away when it dries out. BUT make sure they replace the part that is faulty, as water in electronics is not good and in the long run it will **** it.

[oldandquitemad]

What about the possibility of the door switch being maladjusted or defective? If the switch is making/breaking intermittently, wouldn't it cause these symptoms?

[HarryHBMCC]

I had this problem. They originally cleaned the corroded contacts of the BCI and sealed it properly (per the recall issued in the UK but not here). This seemed to fix the problem for a while but then it came back. Then they replaced the door actuator (it was the driver's side in my case) and it is mostly fine since. Sometimes I get the 'usual' window won't drop problems but so far it still seems to understand that the door is closed. Will your car lock?

My problems at first were the car locking itself and rolling the windows up. Later the problems were interior light on, wouldn't lock the car, didn't want to keep the window up. Possessed indeed.

BTW, you have a door open light? I only have a hatch/boot/trunk open light.

Harry

[chiph]

I was going to suggest the door lock assembly - it has the switch in it to tell the window to drop, as well as the dome light to come on.

Chip H.

[yellow peril]

Neeshill,

My Sept 2001 build car had exactly the same symptoms as you've described and it was due to water getting into the BC1 module. Since they replaced it the problem has disappeared altogether. It's very distracting driving at night when the light keeps popping on and off - I hope they can fix it for you on Monday.

[minitech]

it can be a door latch assembly or the BC1! getting water logged.if the water is the problem,it could be the sunroof drain was never hooked up correctly or the body clip on the top molding on the outside letting water in.i found 18 cars from the factory that did not have the front drains NOT hooked up.

[Neeshil]

thanks heaps guys,

I managed to turn off the interior light by pressing it a few times and holding it down, and so now it stays off.

So hopefully on Monday they will fix it. What does BC1 stand for? I will suggest to them that is the problem.

Thanks heaps,

Neeshil

[HarryHBMCC]

Body Computer Interface or sometimes called the Body Computer Module. I'm sure your dealer will know about the body computer...

Harry

[boreel]

this happened to me today for the first time - drove me bonkers as i was driving along. I shall be speaking to the dealer in the morning.

Cheers,

Lee

[Neeshil]

Yeah I took mine in this morning.

They said they suspect it is the BC1 unit. So lets see how it goes!


Neeshil

[Neeshil]

Just got off the phone to BMW/mini.

They said it is the door locking mechanism and they have to order a new part in which will take 3 weeks. I suggestesd they put in a temporary part from one of their demo cars whilst I wait for mine to come in.

So hopefully it will be ready tomorrow.

Neeshil

[boreel]

Seems to be ok this morning no strange behaviour. I had put it down to the passenger door open sensor telling the BC1 the door was open when it wasn't.

I'm due the first service very soon so i shall kill several birds with one visit to the dealer. Mine is also an August 2002 build