So this is a new 2011 thing and I have no idea what it is for. There is a little dot by the gas gauge that lights up orange just like the rest of the instrument panel. I can't figure it out! It stays lit and orange regardless of how much gas I have or whether or not the cap is on. Of course I haven't let it get below two bubbles of gas. Maybe it indicates when you are running on reserve fuel??

 

?? any info in the owners manual, should tell you what it might be for, good luck.

 

There was already a thread about this. I didn't see anything in the manual about it but I may have not looked hard enough. I think that when all of the bars are off, it stays lighted showing that the gauge is still working. Other posters had their input but I would still like to know something official. I know my '10 didn't have it and it noticed the difference immediately.

 

Is this the dot that is at the end past all the pedals that stays lit?

My 07 has it as well.

 

Can you take a picture of it?

 

I came across the previous thread that someone included in their post to this thread. Maybe it's because I'm a first time MINI owner with my 2011, but I didn't see the dot to be any big deal. I know exactly what you're talking about, and it does stay lit regardless of how many "candy corn" bars of gas are displayed. The only thing I've noticed that indicates when you're low, is the gas pump symbol turns from orange to yellow showing that you are low. I think it's just a design flaw on the part of MINI that has apparently confused many 2011 drivers. Otherwise, I'm almost positive that light serves no purpose.

 

I believe that dot is there as a reference point. That reference point being full fuel. It allow you to glance over quickly and estimate what percentage of fuel you still have remaining relative to that mark.

 

I'm thinking more and more it is on only when you are being monitored by the black helos and the CIA......but I could be wrong.

 

When my MCS 2010 gas gauge get's on the last dot it warns me I'm low on fuel by turning red and a miles to go shows up on my Tach computer display.
I tried testing it and ran it down to 5 miles to go and then gassed up.
Very nice touch.

 

I vote for this one. Call it a digital to analog reference.

 

I looked all through the manual, but if an explanation is in there I missed it. Even the salesman doesn't know what it is for.

 

This is the only thing that makes sense so far. Maybe you are right.

 

This dot is much more useful on MINIs with navigation because the gas level arc run along the bottom the the screen, and the arc is much wider.

Here is a picture of my friend's MINI with Nav. Without that dot there, you won't be able to know where the arc is suppose to end when looking at it at night. If you were to look at the gauge in the picture at night, you can guess your tank is half full.

 

i for one think the gas digital gas guage is stupid...but thats just my opinion

Funny, my light doesnt light up on my 11 clubman. I also i have that dot by the bottom right of the little gas pump emblem not where the picture shows.....Hmmm

Ill take a pic and post, I too have wondered what its for

 

I guess counting to ten is too hard and taxing while driving?!?!?

 

Anybody knows if there's a cradle for iphone 5 for use on mini connected? or when one will be available?

 

+1

especially at night

scott

 

Wow, resurrecting a thread that is almost two years old to add that?

Impressive.

 

Reference makes sense. I was thinking... does it turn on/off if your gas cap is locked? Just a thought. I don't have a dot on mine 09 justa.

 

This is exactly how my MA explained it to me when I took delivery of my 2013 MC. He even it said it always baffled him what it was for until he had the opportunity to ask a MINI engineer why it was there.

 

it is always on and always orange

scott

 

I guess its a little more impressive than having someone jump down my throat for starting a new thread on something thats already been talked about. But honestly, I just took delivery of my '13 and my '07 didn't have it. With no mention in the manual I figured I could find it here. So now it looks like we have a whopping $0.04 after yours and mine put back in today.

 

I would say it's a reference point. My R52 has a faint line that is the size of the rest of the "cany corn" bars that is a reference point of where full tank is.

 

nothing wrong with searching to find the answer, most people would thank you for that. his point is that there was no need to post in the thread and bump it. read it and move on unless you have something constructive to add to it or a thoughtful question to continue the discussion, of which you had neither.

 

Kudos to this forum, and to Google. I was driving into work wondering what that little dot was, so I typed my question into Google and it directed me here.