My mini has decided that it wants to switch from radio to CD randomly. It appears to have a link to my moving the wheel, but it is random at best. If there's a CD in the player it will abruptly begin playing. If there's nothing there, the radio will go dead and when I look at the radio screen I see CD on it. Then it can just as quickly switch back to the radio and be "normal". It can happen just once, or I have also seen it switch back and forth for a while. I can't seem to figure out a wheel position that triggers it, nor can I determine how to stop it. For the time being it's been random and infrequent. I've only had the car for about 3 months, 3 weeks of which it was in the shop for one thing or another, but I've also put about 3000 miles on it and it hasn't shown any patterns thus far.

Am I alone with the phantom electrons or are there others with similar issues?

 

Certainly it's not normal. That's what warranties are for. Do you have one? If so take it to the dealership.

 

Pretty odd....
The steering wheel controls are limited to volume+track/frequency....No mode button...so not sure if the steering wheel and the "clock spring" has anything to do with it. You could just unplug the steering wheel controls and see if the issues goes away....

 

What year is your MINI? I have an 05 R53 and when I'm using my Aux for music sometimes it switches itself to CD and it will not go back to AUX for a while if it does at all. Weird, I took the head unit out thinking that there was a loose connection but everything was ok back there, so far I just ignore it but I have to fix it somehow

 

The car is an '05 (see sig) but I also get that the steering wheel controls only do volume and track/station. The confusing this is that it "seems" to correlate to wheel motion, not vehicle motion, i.e. bumps, etc. It also shifted yesterday with barely any motion off center, in parking lot maneuvers.

As for a warranty, the car has/had a 90 day that is just about up if it isn't already and the selling dealer turned out to be a typical "used car" place so I have my doubts that I could get any satisfaction from them anyway.

I guess I'll keep tabs. And reading the post from others that I'm not alone is bit of solace! Misery loves company~~

 

the first iteration of the MFSW, the one with the audio controls on the back of the wheel, DID have a mode change button. It is possible that there is still a control wire for this function even tho the button went bye bye.

 

Sorry for some reason the iPad app doesn't show sig and a lot of other stuff lol.

Ohhh those used car places... They are a gem they will screw you every chance they get, maybe you are lucky and they will fix it for you..

I hope that you can get it fixed I know how frustrating that can be

 

It would not be a control wire. All of the radio buttons merely send commands over the digital iBus. This can be tough to diagnose if it happens randomly, because it can be caused by anything connected to the iBus.

This is a common problem and easily fixed. Search the forum for ground loop isolator. It is caused by electrical noise when your device is connected to aux and the cigarette lighter at the same time. You can verify if this is the cause by unplugging your device from power.

 

Great thanks I'll try that, thanks for the advise rKw

 

Makes sense!!
To the op...
The "clock spring" is the flexible cable that connects the items on the steering wheel to the hardwiring on the rest of the car....when worn..stuff like you describe can happen.
You could just replace it..or simple disconnect it..even for a bit to test it.
One more thought...
Do you have a window auto-up circuit installed?!
The plug on it could be loose...I remember the first time in plugged mine in (used the "blind install method) I had it slightly mispluged in for about 5 minutes...if I recall the radio did a could odd things...
The info on the bus above would indicate this is possible.

 

I understand the clock spring thing. I had to change one on my 94 Miata some years back. And no, I don't have the auto up feature installed, so we can rule that out. I guess I'll have to wait for the frigid weather to pass.

I have NO confidence in going back to the selling dealer. I regret the transaction, but got emotionally involved in the car since it is an '05 and had 34K on the clock at purchase. I'm good with giving buying advice, but not so good at practicing it!