I have done a ton of searching with no luck, maybe I'm using the wrong terms. If so, I apologize - and appreciate any info anyone can give me!

2006 MC Automatic, ~103,000 miles. Intermittent issue that is getting worse every time it happens.

Symptoms - first dash lights up like a Xmas tree:
SVC Eng light comes on.
ABS and Brake light flashing on and off - NOT rhythmic, no pattern.
TPMS light comes on.
Center Speedo needle bouncing like a frickin windshield wiper.
Digital speedometer goes blank then back on, back and forth.
Tach needle bounces up to 5000 RPMs and back down, back and forth, with engine sounding like revving up.
Bucking like a bronco.

Pull over, turn it off and let it sit, and everything goes away. And stays away for up to days or even a week or two at a time. The only pattern I can see is it has happened after motoring kinda hard/fast on the highway, then these symptoms come on when slower speed or idling (like in a drive thru.)

The first couple times, it was just flashing lights and no performance issues or bucking. Had the codes read, two different readers, P1611 and P1613. Battery is 2 yrs old.

Nearest Mini dealer is a few hours away. Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

Have you checked your front crank damper pulley?

 

Before you do anything, forget the dealership and locate a local BMW/MINI independent shop. If you're not sure, here's a resource that may help.
http://www.minirepairshops.com/
The reason is that dealerships are not problem solvers, they are parts sellers and are more expensive.

 

Welcome to NAM but sorry to hear of your issue.

There is an immense amount of information here on the generation of you car between the threads, the members and the vendors. If you have not already done so, may I suggest you visit the Stock Problems/Issues folder and do some searches on the codes that you have. First thing I would do is check the connection at the battery. Remove the neg terminal first and clean it. Then do the same with positive. Connect the positive THEN reconnect the negative. The crank pulley is also a good place to look. The pulley has two parts that is held together with rubber. When the rubber gets old the pulley can slip or come apart. A slipping pulley will mean the belt is not turning the alternator and therefore your electrical system has issues.

As you have an Auto, below is a link to a thread that may be of help. Good luck.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...sible-fix.html

 

Thanks - I have had it to a mechanic shop twice, referred there by another Mini owner..... They finally just gave up yesterday, they drove it and the problem resurfaced, but they couldn't figure out what was causing it.

Thanks for the link to the mini repair shops list. The dealership is really not my first choice, honestly, or even my second choice...... Looks like there is one 35 miles away I can check into.

 

I have not - and while I can do basic maintenance stuff myself, have never done that. Will check with hubby to see if he can check that out for me - if he doesn't have the time, I will suggest they check that at the next repair shop! Thanks for the head's up on it!

 

Thanks for the link, will check that out. I've done quite a bit of searching for those codes, and the issues documented didn't really seem to fit with what I was experiencing. As I said to another poster, I can do basic maintenance stuff, but don't have the skills or the tools for any kind of bigger job. Hoping hubby will have time and inclination to check out the crank pulley situation.

The car has been to a mechanic recommended to me by another mini owner - twice for this same issue. The first time, same codes, he said that my battery connections needed work, that it was causing a communication problem (which tied in with the codes thrown and documented on this forum, so I thought we figured it out!) He cleaned them up and reconnected everything, he said.

Then two weeks later the problem came back and this time worse, and the mechanic finally just gave up yesterday - said he couldn't consistently recreate the problem and couldn't figure out what was causing it. I should have posted here first, would have given him some idea what to look at.

Your description of the pulley issue makes complete sense with the symptoms I am experiencing. Thanks for taking the time to explain it and make suggestions! Must appreciated!

 

When your car is running, check to make sure the voltage reads between 14.0 to 14.2 volts (when car is running). BMW has a complicated electrical system, that is very sensitive to power fluctuation. If your battery is old and no longer stable, it will make you crazy, also new cheap batteries will do the same thing. Interstate makes a good stable battery. I just stick with what works for me.
I sell used Mini Coopers and I have had to do this several times, to get the electrical system to calm down and start working well again.
Another problem is a failing alt. These types of problems will make you crazy, so checking these two basic tests will often get you back to a good place, with your Mini!