Hi everyone...

Four of my red line tach lights are not lit... Has anyone else had this happen? Are these bulbs or LED's on a PC board? I hope it's an easy fix. If it's just a bulb, I'll pull it off myself and replace it rather than deal with service...

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks, Paul

 

Mine are the same way. I think your local BMW/Mini dealership can program the computer to turn them on. It should be the same as the BMW. In my friends M3 the lights are all on when he starts it. Then as it warmes up the lights start to turn off. Its to make sure you don't exceed the engine RPMs while warm up is happening. Im going to see if my dealer can do the same thing.

Frank

 

I need to watch mine but I think they have never moved. Of course it never gets too cool here. Are you in below 30F temps?

 

I've drivven and started my car in sub-zero temps. I think I need to take the Mini in to get it looked at.

Frank

 

There was talk early on of a red line that varied with engine temp but I don't think it ever was implemented. Pretty sure the condition you're describing is normal.

 

The lights that are out on mine are the first four on the lower RMP end ... so just the high end is lit... this happens when the engine is cold or warmed up and it just started this week. So I guess I'll just end up taking it in for service.

Have a great day...
Paul

 

Paul, so you're saying they're burned out around the 5 grand mark, but are lit past like 6 grand? Thats normal. My old car has always had the first four not light up (I haven't noticed on my S yet though), its nothing to worry about.

 

It's fascinating to me that I never actually noticed this on my car! Now I need to go driving to check it out.

Frank, are you sure about that programming? If so, I'm going to try to get my dealer to do it the next time I'm in. Sounds cool.

 

MINI uses the same tach on the Cooper, One and S models and programs the lights to correspond to the redline of the particular engine/transmission combination. They save money by being able to manufacture one tach that can be used in all models (& all engine redlines). Depending on your particular engine/trans none or some of the lights may be off.

 

I've been wondering about this...! Just been too lazy to take it to the dealership and was assuming that I'd have it looked at at my first oil change. My red line starts at 6750 and there are several little hash marks prior to that that aren't lit.

Learning something new every day,
~Kelley

 

>>There was talk early on of a red line that varied with engine temp but I don't think it ever was implemented. Pretty sure the condition you're describing is normal.

You are correct, the tach in the MINI is similar to the M3 tach, except that the MINI's is not enabled. The M3 tach lights up all the LEDs when the engine is cold and "moves the redline" up as the engine gets to it's full operating temp. The MINI does not do this yet so some of the LEDs further away from it's redline appear to be "burned out", but rumor is that future models may incorporate this movable redline feature.

 

I would love to see MINI impliment the movable redline feature a la //M cars. Those non-illuminated tic-marks are otherwise useless, unless the MINI One has a lower redline.