Hey Gents,

My 2008 is having some electrical issues. The Central Instrument Cluster is dead. Radio works. I checked fuses 23 which is for Central Information Display (and Radio) and its fine...or the radio wouldn't work. The tachometer and its LED works fine.

Sunday I had to diagnose which of the 2 horns was dead and I had to diagnose a bad windshield washer pump. That same day the tick tick tick of the turn signals has stopped working (sometimes it works but mostly its silent) but the arrows light up.

Any idea?

See pic:

 

I found a place that repairs them. https://hitechserv.com/ They have a video on how to remove the cluster. Not sure of the cost.

In the video comments, HiTech says its a plug and play with no programming required.

This guy, Andy has his own business and repairs for $350. He thinks its plug and play.

https://instrumentcluster.repair/

This guy had the same issue and one technician questions if its the footwell module: https://www.mini2.com/threads/dash-l...stress.294521/

Pelican Parts recommends repair as opposed to replacement: https://www.pelicanparts.com/techart...ments_Bookmark

 

I can't say that this will help with your problem. I would give it a go, though, if you're going the repair route anyways. My '08 MCS had stopped working and threw up every symbol it has is three colors. No speedo, no start, no nothing except the error symbols on the tack. Here's what I did and everything worked as it should afterwords. I'm not sure what this does, believe it to be some kind of reset. Maybe someone knows what it is and will comment. Use at your own risk.

Push and hold the two buttons on the tach until everything lights up. The needles on the tach and speedo will move from their respective minimums to maximum and back to minimums. The lights will then go out.

Again, all I can tell you about this simple procedure is that it seemed to cure all my electrical issues. Use it at your own risk.

 

Thanks for reaching out. Its worth a shot. So with the car ignition on you press both buttons on the tach?

Cant see how it would hurt.

I looked for error codes using my Mini-specific scanner but found no errors so I think the speedo/fuel gauge is deadskies.Or maybe something came unplugged. I did take it all apart once to change the radio LCD panel. Maybe one of the plugs came out.

I've seen this hack where both needles move together but I dont know what it indicates.

 

The centre cluster is like 50 bucks on eBay for a good used one. Probably not worth repairing if its the problem.

 

Are they plug and play or is some data stored in that circuit board?

 

Was plug and play for me, no errors or fiddling required.

 

This is identical to the current symptoms I just came into. What was the final fix for you?