MINI Cooper MINI Cooper specs
MINI Cooper MINI Cooper Forums MINI Cooper Pictures
Mark Forums Read MINI Cooper radio MINI Cooper latest news
 

Go Back   North American Motoring > 1st Generation MINIs > Stock Problems/Issues
Sign in using an external account
Register Forgot Password?

Welcome to North American Motoring !
Welcome to North American Motoring,

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!


» Latest Main Topics
Advertisement

Reply
 
 
 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #1  
Old 11-12-2009, 11:53 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
tach and dash lights dead

my 03 S would flicker on and off then stay on but now it's totally gone. tach is dead too but everything else is good.

anybody have ideas? all searches came out empty.

i have a new optima battery.

Last edited by rcantu; 11-13-2009 at 12:37 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-13-2009, 10:54 PM
rkw rkw is offline
6th Gear
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 5,374
Gallery
The dash lights and tach are both controlled by circuits in the speedometer. That may be a clue, although it isn't good news.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-14-2009, 02:36 PM
ZippyNH ZippyNH is online now
6th Gear
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southern NH
Posts: 4,184
Gallery
Hopefully you did not fry something installing the battery.....I have an optma too...no problems....
The first thing I would try is a computer/cluster re-set...and see if everything moves....mights up, etc. Look on the "Viagra" thread for how to do it.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ni-viagra.html
__________________
l 2005 MCS l 11-04 Production l owned since new l RMW Tuned l Craven -17% Pulley l Craven Speed STD l Dinan CAI l JCW 380's l H&R 19 MM Swaybar l MSD Ignition l Power Steering Fan Duct l LightInSight l "EURO" MINI Armrest l Euro Parcel Shelf l Brake Light PULSAR(gen2)l Detroit Tuned Tensioner Stop l Blitzsafe/xmradio l Cobra 19IV CB l 4.5' Francis CB25 CB Antenna, mounted on the rear tow rig!!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-14-2009, 06:50 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
well more investigating found that the F21 fuse had blown. When i replaced it the dash lights won't turn off now! i did the ecu reset as well as a battery disconnect but neither worked.

another weird thing is with the fuse in, the light showing the trunk isn't closed is on. with the fuse out it doesn't show but i get a dsc light on meaning that dsc is deactivated.

anybody think it could be a bad body control module (BCM)?
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-14-2009, 07:43 PM
ZippyNH ZippyNH is online now
6th Gear
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southern NH
Posts: 4,184
Gallery
I would check your grounds first.....you might have disturbed it when you installed the new bat.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-14-2009, 07:49 PM
rkw rkw is offline
6th Gear
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 5,374
Gallery
The instrument cluster module inside the speedometer controls all of the dash functions -- lighting and all of the display functions including warning lights. I think a malfunction is more likely to be in the speedometer rather than the BCM.

The speedometer does use fuse F21. You might check these others that also connect to the speedo: F40, F9, F5.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-15-2009, 12:34 AM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
the battery was installed 6 months ago so i don't think battery.

anybody has diagram of grounding points? i'm pretty annoyed with this.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-16-2009, 01:14 PM
ZippyNH ZippyNH is online now
6th Gear
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southern NH
Posts: 4,184
Gallery
Quote:
Originally Posted by rkw View Post
The instrument cluster module inside the speedometer controls all of the dash functions -- lighting and all of the display functions including warning lights. I think a malfunction is more likely to be in the speedometer rather than the BCM.

The speedometer does use fuse F21. You might check these others that also connect to the speedo: F40, F9, F5.
Since the bat is older than a few weeks, I would not worry about it.
If the speedo is bad I remember seeing one for sale from an '04 s at WayMotorWorks...
Good luck!
__________________
l 2005 MCS l 11-04 Production l owned since new l RMW Tuned l Craven -17% Pulley l Craven Speed STD l Dinan CAI l JCW 380's l H&R 19 MM Swaybar l MSD Ignition l Power Steering Fan Duct l LightInSight l "EURO" MINI Armrest l Euro Parcel Shelf l Brake Light PULSAR(gen2)l Detroit Tuned Tensioner Stop l Blitzsafe/xmradio l Cobra 19IV CB l 4.5' Francis CB25 CB Antenna, mounted on the rear tow rig!!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-17-2009, 11:05 AM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
I pulled out all the fuses 1 by 1 to see if i could get the light to turn off and no luck. Those are the ones at the driver's kick panel.

i'm going to see if i can get behind the dash and disconnect / check connections and see what's going on.

Also I noticed that the factory radio can turn on without the key. Is this normal? I don't recall I ever tried it until now. If it's not normal I'm feeling something is stuck on ignition mode so the dash lights stay on.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-17-2009, 11:30 AM
rkw rkw is offline
6th Gear
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 5,374
Gallery
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantu View Post
Also I noticed that the factory radio can turn on without the key. Is this normal?
It's normal, and it will shut itself off after about 20 minutes.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-17-2009, 01:07 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
Well that theory failed. I wil check on the speedo plugs. I remembered it would come in and out.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-17-2009, 01:45 PM
CanyonChaser CanyonChaser is offline
1st Gear
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SLC, UT
Posts: 13
Gallery
I'm new to Minis's so I'm not all that familiar with the wiring nuances, but that sounds like a classic example of a fried relay to me.

dp
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-17-2009, 02:25 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
i'm gearing towards that or a bad dimmer switch because i just noticed the dimmer doesn't adjust any of the guages or needles. the odometer is the only part that changes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CanyonChaser View Post
I'm new to Minis's so I'm not all that familiar with the wiring nuances, but that sounds like a classic example of a fried relay to me.

dp
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-09-2009, 05:12 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
well i bought a speedo on ebay and it solved this mystery. the only issue i have now is the speedo mph needle is off. i didn't realize that it's not sitting at zero but actually below it. i guess i can live with that for now since it was off before from the wheel/tire combo. im trying to get a partial refund for that.

thanks all for the help.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-10-2009, 02:01 AM
rkw rkw is offline
6th Gear
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 5,374
Gallery
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantu View Post
the only issue i have now is the speedo mph needle is off. i didn't realize that it's not sitting at zero but actually below it.
You can align the needle to zero. People who install aftermarket dial plates always have to do it -- they have to remove the needle to install the dial, and when they reinstall the needle they have to align it to zero.

The procedure is fairly simple. You don't have to remove the speedo or dash panels.
  • First remove the outside trim ring. It is attached to the middle dash trim piece and just pops off by pulling on it, but if it won't budge you can pry it up with a blade or screwdriver.
  • Next remove the clear lens cover. If you still have your old speedo, you can examine how it unclips. At the outside perimeter, press in at the tab positions at 50 mph and 100 mph. The lens should unclip at the top and release easily. After removing the lens, the dial and needle are completely exposed.
  • Remove the needle by simply pulling it off the center pin that it is attached to. It may require more force than you'll be comfortable with, and you just have to be courageous about it. Practice on your old speedometer to get a feel for it. The silver cap in the middle may pop off but you can just snap it back on later. You may need to pry up the needle with a screwdriver.
  • Turn on the ignition to the 1st position. This will power up the speedo, and the center pin (without needle) will be at 0 mph position.
  • Leaving the ignition on, press the needle back in place, ensuring that it points to 0 mph. Before pressing the needle all the way in, recheck the 0 .position of the needle by turning the ignition off and back on
  • Snap the lens and trim ring back on
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 12-10-2009, 07:00 PM
rcantu rcantu is offline
2nd Gear
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
Gallery
i think that did it. i'm going to see if it stays there but i'm sure it will.

thanks
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 12-21-2009, 02:56 PM
donjulio donjulio is offline
4th Gear
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 349
Gallery
Today when I got home, the dash lights wouldn't turn off. Also the blinker wouldn't make a clicking noise or blink inside the tach module but I can see from the outside that it works just fine.

I did a test 21 reset and the lights turned off. Then it wouldn't turn on! I did some other speed test and found that the lights have the ability to turn on. Do you guys think the left stalk busted or the speedo cluster? Where does the blinker click sound come from?
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 06-23-2010, 10:11 PM
coopselt coopselt is offline
3rd Gear
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Camano Island, WA, but wish was still Oahu, Hawaii
Posts: 151
Gallery
To give this a little bump, and to say THANKS! My dash lights stopped working yesterday. The background lights in the speedo, tach, even the cigarette lighter light stopped working. Couldn't find any blown fuses. Everything else worked, including blinkers/emergency flashers. The actual tach/speedo worked also. Doing this little ECU reset described in here made the lights work again!
Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2010, 10:11 PM
 
 
 
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

Forum Jump


MINI CooperMINI Cooper PrivacyMINI Cooper Terms of UseMINI Cooper Guidelines MINI Cooper Advertising The North American MINI Cooper Community
  MINI Cooper news, forums, FAQs, and reviews for enthusiasts and owners of the North American MINI Cooper
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:38 PM.
 Copyright © 2002-2008 North American Motoring. All Rights Reserved.     Powered by vBulletin and vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin and vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.
North American Motoring is an independently operated web site supporting MINI owners and enthusiastsworldwide. As such it has no official relationship with MINI USA, BMW AG, or BMW of North America.All original artwork and design is Copyright © 2002-2004 North American Motoring.
Admin Account Passwords

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2