As I was driving to work this morning, the Boot/Bonnet Open Warning light kept illuminating and the overhead dome light would light up at the same time. I checked both the hood and tailgate once I got to work and both seemed completely closed.

Has anyone else seen this issue before (I did try a search but didn't find anything)? It's obviously quite annoying to have the overhead light come on while you're driving in the dark although after a review of the owners manual, I now know how to turn it off permanently.

Before I leave work today, I'll double check that everything is closed up tight. If it still happens on the way home, I guess I'll just drive straight to my dealer for service.

Phil

 

Hmm..so the Bonnet/boot open light and the dome light came on.

Weird...Anyone?

 

Since opening the bonnet will not light the interior light, it makes sense that it's the boot latch causing the grief here (opening the boot turns on the interior lighting). What is most likely happening here is the boot latch mechanism is out of alignment or defective. Some of the earier build cars ('02-03) had issues with the latches that have been taken care of in later builds, later builds would most likely only see isolated incidents.

Try to make sure the boot is closed fully, i.e. give it a good slam and try driving once again to see if it returns. The boot latch has a couple 'stages' of being locked, much the same as the doors do. If this does the trick, you might simply need a quick adjustment of the boot hatch to fix it.

 

That makes some sense. I will make sure the boot tailgate (this is a Cabrio) is closed tightly before I leave work today. It looks like it will still be raining this afternoon so that should make it easier to spot (top will have to be up) if it happens again. I'm waiting to hear from my Service Advisor to see if she wants me to bring it in anyway. I open and close the tailgate daily to get/put my briefcase and lunch so maybe I just didn't close toghtly enough.

 

I had this problem just today. I don't believe the interior light came on...I'm pretty sure it didn't. When I accelerated the light came on and when I braked it went off. That pretty much incriminated the boot door switch. I fiddled with it and the light is off now. Maybe I'll hit it with some WD-40 when I get home tonight...the action on it wasn't too smooth.

Paul

 

Whoops! Did not see that you have a convertible. I'm not exactly sure how different the lighting scheme is with them, but I would venture a guess things are pretty similar to the hardtops.

 

Was the top down when the light was coming on?? I don't know how the cabrio is layed out but you mentioned the top having to be up, this to me implies the top was down earlier,if the boot wasn't closed tight, could the top have pushed the boot to the point where the light came on? The int. light coming I agree with great bear, meaning it was the boot.

 

Check the cushions that the boot lid rests on also. Had to adjust mine once due to the same circumstances.

 

The top was up. It was raining and it was 4:30 in the morning. The "Top having to be up" reference was meant to impart the fact that I always put the top down on the way home unless it's raining. Thus, since it's raining today, the top will be up and it will be more noticeable if the interior dome light comes on. Right now, I don't think it has anything to do with the top being up or down but we'll see.

 

Not sure what you're referring to. My Mini is a convertible so the boot doesn't rest on anything. It's held vertical by the latch and pivots at the bottom.

 

I noticed yerterday that my right side stuck out a litte far than the left (on the Hardtop bood) now I wonder if the same will happen to me? Anyway have to go visit the dealer this week I'll add it to the list of tiny adjustments.

 

With the boot closed is the sensor somewhere that could be porne to water dripping in down b/w the body and the tailgate?

 

Just got this response from my Service Advisor.

I guess we'll see how she does on the way home and take it from there. I'll post back what happens. Thanks for all the insight so far.

Phil

 

An SA that actually recieves e-mail, and top of it they respond, oh my you are lucky! Glad to hear they'll take care of it for you, thats the beauty of having the warranty.

 

So after double checking to make sure everything was closed tight, when I left work today, the boot/bonnet open warning light came on again along with the dome light. I headed straight for the dealer. About half way there, the problem went away. Weird. So I took Emma in anyway and left her for the night. I'm now driving a 325i loaner. My SA Kati thinks it should be a simple fix and I should have Emma back tomorrow.

I let you all know what they find.

Phil

PS We've only had Emma since the 18th, 10days.

 

Phil, my brother! I can confirm that the boot light coming on also turned on the dome/feet lights. I got out and pushed the switch that detects if the boot is opened or closed and the switch works fine (i.e. the warning light went off), and everything looks aligned. I drove today with the top up and down, no difference.

Get this...I picked up Dinah (my MINI) on the night of the 16th. Spooky...

At least I can have the SA do some reprogramming for me.

Let me know what they find with Emma...

Paul

 

So here's the scoop. Good News, the Mini Service Techs tracked the problem down to the tailgate switch (Part # 31-31-4-837-182). Bad News, the part is on backorder. I took Emma home today without the problem being fixed. They'll call me when the part is in and schedule another service visit. Since I figured out how to turn the dome light off, it's just a minor annoyance to have the dash warning light come on.

Phil

 

BMW had this problem with brake light switch.
It just looses contact.

It will be fixed soon, back order means their is a problem, thats why their is two on the updated ETK BMW

-alpinamike

 

My Mini Dealer has the replacement switch in and has scheduled a service visit for Tuesday 18April to replace it. In the meantime, I took the switch out of my Mini to see what it was doing.

On the bench, the switch seemed to work fine. It changed state every time I pressed it. I couldn't get it to bobble. So I reinstalled it and opened the easy load latches on the top so I could see what was happening when I closed the tailgate.

The tailgate does not actuate the switch fully when closed. The switch can travel about 3/4" but is only pushed in about 3/8" when the tailgate is closed. My educated guess is that the tailgate is actuating the switch just to the point where the switch is about to change state. Any road vibration causes the switch to open or close and thus actuate the dome light and warning light. For the short term, until Mini replaces the switch, I found a small (~1/4" high x 1/4" square) rubber bumper that I stuck to the tailgate at the location it strikes the switch. Haven't had a problem since.

Phil