Hello, I'm new to this and don't have a maintenance manual or an owners manual yet, so I'm looking for help here for the next little while.

1. How do you change the back up lights? Mine don't work and I quickly looked yesterday but not sure if the assembly just pops out from the outside or if I have to remove the shroud from below and go up through there.

2. Where can I get the bulb for the back up lights? Is it just a regular bulb that I can grab at Walmart or something?

3. I don't think my car has the computer thing that so many talk about (displaying the fuel mileage etc) mine only shows the outside temp. Is this something that can be programed at a Mini dealer and a button added somewhere or is this a big change that would cost $$$$$$$$$$$?

4. My speedometer only shows KMH, I see that a lot of the US cars have the standard MPH and KMH on their speedo. I would like to get the standard for Canadian cars with the large KMH and the small MPH on it, but can't seem to find it. People on SOMC are saying to just use a dry erase marker or stickers, but I would like the real deal, does anyone know if it is made?

5. I have a rattle somewhere in the dash, sounds like it is coming from the defroster area. Is this common? Does anyone know what it is and how to fix it or do I have to tear the dash apart to find it?


Thanks All.

1: The bulb housing is snapped in on the back side of the bumper cover. Get under the car and you'll see 2 white/grey tabs holding it in place. It is a PITA to pull out I think.
2: You're best off going to a parts store and having them look up the bulb. It's probably an oddball Euro bulb that Wally may not carry.
3: To change the display, look on top of the turn signal stalk. There will be a small button to depress to change the readout in the tach. It should change from ambient temp, to avg. speed, miles remaining, and MPG.
4: A few vendors sell gauge faces that can be swapped over and I'm sure one of them carries an optional metric readout.
5: The dash rattle seems to be common. Add a TSW damper so everything else will shake and you'll forget all about the dash.

Thanks for the info. For the reverse bulb, I have a large plastic splash guard thingy that runs from about the back seats to the rear bumper cover and it is bolted on, I guess I will have to remove it in order to get the bulbs out. And I am sure that there isn't a button on the turn signal, I was just wondering if I could get the comp programed to show these and either have the signal handle switched or put some kind of an inconspicuous button somewhere (maybe on the steering column) that will change the readout.

Again, thanks for the help.

I don't know what to tell you then about the turn signal lever. For the bulb, you'll probably have to pull down that splash shield to access the light housing. The dealer may be able to program the ECU to readout the other info and swap the stalk, I'm not 100% sure.

5: The dash rattle seems to be common. Add a TSW damper so everything else will shake and you'll forget all about the dash.

Now thats funny-

some cars like mine do not have the computer to change the display your stuck with the temp

You are from Canada right? Tuesday when I getting warranty fix from the dealer & ask them to change the ECU code for me (I got the computer display button there & I brought the coding print out with me too), they just said they don't do that & every little things they do they will charge. So, hopefully your dealer be generous than mine. But if you got no computer button there then you need to get that hook up first. But just ask, you got nothing to loose though.

I bought my MCS from a private party and he indicated the dash rattle had been repaired by the dealer several times, so it must be a common problem.

You can fix the dash rattle next time the windshield breaks....about once every other month on my 2002 MCS.

There is a post on the dash pad that slides into a hole. If you press slightly right up front and center the rattle will stop. Once you have the glass out you can pack it with something and it will stop.

yes you can add the OBC if your car did not come with it. I did it based on http://www.mini2.com/pdf/onboard_computer.pdf and https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=91311 to take the dash apart.
I followed the instructions and bought a momentary switch from The Source (Radio Shack) and some wire. Then just a case of stringing wire thru the car from power to the switch then to the back of the speedometer. Then just a case of getting the dealer (Yaletown in vancouver) to activate the OBC.
or you can go to the dealer and ask to add the OBC and they install a new turn signal with the button if you don't have it already.

Quetion #4 is partly answered in the second link.

as RichardF said, if your car was not equipped with the premium package, you don't have the button on the stalk to make the changes. That said the information is available, but swapping the display means taking it to the dealership. I have been trying to find out if there is a way to do it at home (like there is for resetting the service interval). Anyone know?

EDIT: RichardF, just read that link.. seems you've found it!!! awesome, its on my to-do list!!!

RichardF, Seems the author of that How-To was British (based on his spelling) just curious if you've done this on a US spec, and if you have, if the pin-outs were the same

Do Canadian MINIs have both KM/H and MPH on the speedo? I could swear the last Canadian MINI I looked at only had KM/H on its speedo...

Maybe not a US spec car but a Canadian spec car. Yes I did do this to my car. I just followed the instructions I was not thinking about any differences when I did it. Good thing there are not differences.

My car only has km/hr on the speedo. I have to use my Garmin when I get to the US.