rattle when cold outside

[lillapoyka]

When it is cold outside (I live in Florida) my cooper gets this rattle that seems to be coming from the metal part of the dash or from the speedo. Only on cold mornings though. Anybody have any Idea?

[spod]

Quote: Originally Posted by lillapoyka

When it is cold outside (I live in Florida) my cooper gets this rattle that seems to be coming from the metal part of the dash or from the speedo. Only on cold mornings though. Anybody have any Idea?

Are all the 3 needles in the centre vibrating - last for a couple of seconds, only happens when cold but not all the time ?

Sounds like a problem I have, asked the dealer about it and said its a 'feature' as they all seem to do it. Said they have replaced some speedo units and it still does it.

Just searching on this now ....

[spod]

Your problem may be different to mine - found that some people experience the rattling needles others a rattling dash when cold - different things.

If it is the needles then I have found the answer (ish) if its the cold rattle do a search and you will find more info.

"Why Does my Speedo Shake or Rattle on Start Up?
Short Answer: It's re-zeroing itself. It only needs to re-zero after a reset, and this happens either a) when you remove the battery, or b) if you turn the ignition to position 2 more than a minute and a half after ignition off. Long Answer: The mechanical backstop for the stepper motor that drives the speedo needle is a few degrees below the visible zero mark on the display. Before the instrument packs leave the factory, the needles are optically aligned with the zero mark, and the difference in angle between the backstop and the zero mark is written into the memory of the instrument pack. On a reset, the needle is driven backwards into the backstop, and then forwards by the calibrated angle to the zero mark. The needle will shake as long as the motor is driving back against the backstop. Because the calibration varies between cars, the amount of time (and severity) of the shaking will also vary, and some cars audibly rattle. Short conclusion to the long answer: It's a quirk, but go ahead and complain if you think it's really bad. "