I've looked around, and read through the manual (honest!), but I can't find anything that explains what the hell the red reflector/lens on top of the tach is there for. I can't actually see it when I'm driving, so it might be blinking out Elvis' last will and testament in morse code for all I know.

 

My fiance asked my MA what it was and I honestly can't remember what he said...now I'm curious too!

 

its for the alarm, if equipped. It would flash

 

Security system light...

Oops...Adam got it before I posted

 

Reasonable. I wasn't sure if it might be something like a shift point indicator or something annoying like that.

 

Nope thats another option from JCW that would be just on top of the column

 

On page 24 of the 2008 Manual it is described as a Display on the Revolution Counter.

https://ol.miniusa.com/auth/ViewMINI...NI_Clubman.pdf

 

Ah, that would explain why I missed it, I saw "Alarm system" and skipped right past it, since it doesn't apply to mine.

 

Hmmm. Wonder if a bulb is installed there, even without an alarm system. Would be easy to install a simple pulsar circuit to make potential thieves think twice.

 

The alarm retrofit kit doesn't mention installing a bulb, so I guess the bulb is already there.

 

The leds are already there

 

Que Twilight Zone music...I just noticed that thing for the first time tonight and wondered what the heck it was.

 

It is awfully easy to get into the tach - a pair of T27 (T25?) bolts, a trio of Phillips head screws, and it's ready to fall apart in your hands. I'm not sure if there's a convenient plug that would allow you to remove it from the car, and whether or not there's a permanently powered branch up that way when the key is out of the ignition, but it is an interesting idea.

 

So that's what that thing is for! I was noticing it the other day(Monday) after my wife and I bought her a new '10 Cooper and wondered what the hell it was for. Now I know... and knowing is half the battle.

 

Whew, well at least I now know I won't have to redline it find out what the heck that thing is!

 

The LEDs are soldered directly on the circuit board. It wouldn't be worth the risk to try to use them (you'd have to cut circuit board connections) but there's plenty of room to add your own, separate lighting.

 

A side note on the red reflector: it is notorious for causing a rattling sound at around 2000 rpm. You'll notice that it's loose (you can move it back and forth with your finger) and it's been the cause of numerous people (inlcuding me) going crazy trying to stop a rattling sound that sounds like it's coming from the dash. It's actually the reflector vibrating.

 

Next time I can't figure out where a rattle is coming from (it's usually not the car, actually, but something like a cup/change/etc in my case), I'll check to see if it's the reflector.

Thanks for the heads up.