I don't know that the lens actually needs to be cleaned, but my Mini is a 2003, and I do have occasional issues where the GPS system does not recognize that the DVD is actually installed. Physically washing the disc has helped but not always (maybe it is actually the eject/re-insert action that does the trick).The disc-read problems do seem to be somewhat temperature-extreme dependent, i.e. more frequent.

I have considered the commercially available CD/DVD lens cleaning discs and actually found an old post here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ight=clean+gps where this was (conditionally) recommended as one option, but, as these discs are interactive, I have a hard time believing one would be usable in a GPS system.

My thinking is that if there were an easy way to clean the GPS DVD lens it may be a simple fix to my occasional disc-reading problems or, at the very least, get me going in a different direction (no pun intended).

 

It's temperature dependent, you could have condensation on the lens too- maybe some moisture got down in the nav computer compartment?