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F55/F56/F57 Stock Problems/IssuesDiscussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for F55/F56 MINI Cooper AND Cooper S models.
I ordered the parts last week from ECS last week and got them yesterday, and installed them last night. Took little over an hour, but if I had to do it again it would take 30 mins or so. The hardest part was getting that damn center cluster out at the top.
Parts were $179 for the compartment, piano black cover and the piano black piece behind speedo. Which is crazy because if you order the car with piano black it is $200 and no compartment, so that is some hefty markup on 2 plastic panels.
Instructions if anyone is interested, sorry no pictures but like I said not too hard, and I always forget to document things.
Tools needed: T15 screwdriver, Trim Pry tools, Towel or something soft to lay the cluster on, Screwdriver (I used flathead)
1. Pull the center channel grill off (trim pry tool)
2. Pull 2 pin clips from Center light ring thing
3. Pull the ring most of the way off, I could not figure how to get it all the way off, as stuck at top, but I pulled it far enough off to access the 2 T15 screws at the bottom.
4. Take out 2 T15 screws
5. **Tricky part** use screwdriver to push down the tab that hangs on for dear life under the center channel grill (center little hole under grill), pull the center cluster out at the top first until the tab gets past the hole, also 2 spring clips which pop easily on their own.
6. Shift cluster up a bit and pull it out of the hole and rest it on the towel or something soft, I didn't disconnect anything but I guess you could.
7. Take out single T15 screw that hold in vent.
8. Pop out vent there are little spring clips on other 3 sides (not one on screw side).
9. Pop plastic panel out 4 spring clips on back.
10. Pop Compartment in make sure it works before reassembly, stick new plastic panel on to check fit.
11. Put vent back in and screw.
Next 5 steps needed to switch out behind speedo.
12. Take vent out on driver side same way as passenger.
13. Take 2 T15 screw right below speedo.
14. Slide Speedo toward you and off bracket
15. Pop Panel off 4 spring clips.
16. Replace panel and reassemble speedo and vent.
17. Reassemble center cluster bottom in first and top second.
18. Put all screws and pins back.
19. Snap back on speaker grill.
20. 4 screws in panel on compartment and 2 screws for compartment.
I have not done the last step because I need the screws which I need to call the local mini parts dept or I can just wing it but would rather have real parts because I doubt they cost much. I will ad part numbers when I get them.
I am extremely happy with the outcome, as I don't think the checkered really matched the interior once I got it and I got the secret compartment for under the $200 Mini wanted for it without the compartment.
Let me know if anyone has questions as I just did it last night and I will try to answer them.
Part Numbers: 51459290340, 51459297776, 51459297772
Any chance you could take a pic of your dash and mark on where you are referring to in your notes. Center channel grill etc...(gather you mean the speaker grill but am unsure why this needs to be pulled so just want to make sure...and drivers side vent etc....
Any chance you could take a pic of your dash and mark on where you are referring to in your notes. Center channel grill etc...(gather you mean the speaker grill but am unsure why this needs to be pulled so just want to make sure...and drivers side vent etc....
Thanks if you have time.
These are not my pics but I found them when searching for dash pics online.
I added all the circles and arrows
The 2 circles by the vents are where the screws are for the vents, and 2 circles on the radio are where the screws are you take out to get the unit out.
Arrow is the damn thing you have to push down to get it out and the hole it goes into, if you look closely you can see the grill off on top, the center hole under the grill is where you have to push it down.
Left Arrow is where the vent screw is, other are is where you screw the compartment in and above and below are the spring clips that hold it in, it uses the same clips from stock panel. The screws are not really necessary but I found something to go in the hole so it looks finished
Thanks!!!!
So you have to pull the center console so you can pull the vent to the right of it? In the vid at the beginning of the thread it looks like that guy pulled the cover without pulling the consol....but maybe that is not a good idea.
Thanks!!!!
So you have to pull the center console so you can pull the vent to the right of it? In the vid at the beginning of the thread it looks like that guy pulled the cover without pulling the consol....but maybe that is not a good idea.
I guess you could do it but there would be a possibility of breaking something. The screw is on the left side and the spring clips hold it in on the right by the panel. I think in the video he had to grind stuff off and it left a gap, I wanted mine to look stock so I did the right way or a way a dealer would do it.
I guess you could do it but there would be a possibility of breaking something. The screw is on the left side and the spring clips hold it in on the right by the panel. I think in the video he had to grind stuff off and it left a gap, I wanted mine to look stock so I did the right way or a way a dealer would do it.
Thanks Heavy J.
I just ordered my compartment (no fascia for the moment). I'm with you on the installation. Better to not break anything. :=)
51459292102 I will see if we can get it. Its so new its not available in the US yet.
I'm not sure....I think it's the opposite. You could get the secret compartment but now you can't. Also that color was not a US option on the 2016 JCW's.
I already checked with Bob Wiesenthal at ECS and he said he couldn't get it. ....but please feel free to try would love to order it from you!
I guess you could do it but there would be a possibility of breaking something. The screw is on the left side and the spring clips hold it in on the right by the panel. I think in the video he had to grind stuff off and it left a gap, I wanted mine to look stock so I did the right way or a way a dealer would do it.
Hey Heavy. Quick question. Did this following your great instruction. With the center console back in place it is now a little lose at the top. When I first looked at the clip at the top you have to push down on where the front of the center speaker grill goes - I thought I saw a clip but it is not there now. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway went to my dealer to check out the fit and with the new cars they fit tight. Don't think the wires were in the way. Any thoughts?
Thanks Mate!
Hey Heavy. Quick question. Did this following your great instruction. With the center console back in place it is now a little lose at the top. When I first looked at the clip at the top you have to push down on where the front of the center speaker grill goes - I thought I saw a clip but it is not there now. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway went to my dealer to check out the fit and with the new cars they fit tight. Don't think the wires were in the way. Any thoughts?
Thanks Mate!
If you look at the picture above on both sides of the arrow at the top of the console there are spring clips as long as the are there and pushed into the holes that should be as tight as it gets. How loose is it?
If you look at the picture above on both sides of the arrow at the top of the console there are spring clips as long as the are there and pushed into thei holes that should be as tight as it gets. How loose is it?
Compared to the one at the dealer somewhat. The one there was right...no movement.
Also there is gap around the vents. Screws at bottom are tight.
Compared to the one at the dealer somewhat. The one there was right...no movement.
Also there is gap around the vents. Screws at bottom are tight.
2 things I can think of.
There are 2 little hooks that didn't get in just right when I was putting it back together, I had kind of pull put the bottom in first then the top to get it in right. I thin the screws would seem tight since there it is holding it out.
OR the spring clips are not pushed in at the top because something is wrong with them or they just need to be pushed in tight.
post a couple pics from the side. I can snap some of mine to compare.
Finally picked up my ECS tuning order. When first looking at it I thought it was broken as the lid would not lock. After looking at it carefully I a small spring and a cam that was at the end of the plastic slider. I pushed in the spring and moved the slider back ...it then would not close.... I then pushed it up and it lock the door and it could not open!!!
At that point it dawned on me that this cam or pendulum can sit in a neutral position and the door will open and close normally but it the door is closed and the pendulum moves it locks the door and you have to pull the whole thing apart to open it (take it out of the dash). Logic?
If the car receives a heavy impact in the front or back this would lock the door (hopefully) stopping the screwdriver you keep in there from flying out and then getting pushed into the passenger's chest with the air bag deployment.....or something like that!!
Looking to install this in my '16.
Before I order, can someone tell me if the original trim cover can come off/new compartment pushed in, without removing the radio and vent?
If preventing to break the original trim cover is the reason to remove the radio/vent, I'm okay with skipping that part since I see it cannot fit onto the new compartment...
In the video at the beginning of the thread it looks like the guy did it without removing anything other than the trim cover. Does anything need to be modified on the compartment to fit?
06-27-2016, 06:57 AM
