Instrument Cluster Failure

Because it did work and will work after sitting, my guess is bad electronics in the instrument cluster. Bad solder joints can sometime present as an intermittent issue (things expand/move when they get hot which causes a disconnection or increased resistance, then they return to the original place when the cool off and can work again for a bit)

From this video it seems that it's a relatively easy part for the dealer to replace, the only difficulty could be getting parts.

Also, I'm surprised you don't have some sort of error on the center display... If you go to the home screen and scroll over to notifications, is there anything there about an error?

 

Do you have a picture of the instrument cluster being off that also shows the center display on? That should be enough proof for the dealer because the instrument cluster should never be off when the car is on.

If they still refuse, give them a bit of a hard time about it. Not having a working speedometer is a safety issue and I'm pretty sure it's illegal at least in some states. It should absolutely be covered under warranty.

The "-" for the car's efficiency data is actually a pretty big clue. According to that video I linked in my last post, the instrument cluster is fed data from the same head unit controlling the central display. The only time I've seen the dashes is when it's been reset and I haven't driven anywhere (meaning there is no data). If the central display isn't getting that data, the instrument cluster wouldn't be either so it could be an issue with the communication between the head unit and the main computer?

I also know that low 12v battery voltage can cause weird computer glitches with things randomly rebooting and resetting themselves... Shouldn't be an issue with such a new car but maybe you got a bad 12v battery?

Next time it happens, try looking through the menu on the central display and see if anything else doesn't show up. Tire pressure could be something to check.

You could also try rebooting just the central screen. I believe holding the power button (volume knob) for a couple of seconds should bring up a menu to reboot but I haven't tried it myself.

 

How long does it stay blank? Is it off for long enough that you could drive to the dealer?

I had to do this with my R53 when the fuel gauge would randomly show empty. The dealer couldn't replicate it, so one morning when I started the car to go to work and it was showing empty, I drove straight to the dealer and they fixed it under warranty. I didn't have any meetings that morning, so it didn't really matter that I was an hour late for work.

 

That is really unfortunate, but I don't know how it wouldn't be a warranty fix. I'm surprised they can't find any error code, the MINI has an amazing amount of error data as I found out when tracking down my intermittent 12 V battery drain. The car actually logged remote fob button pushes as the cause.

 

That's what I was getting at. My service department pulls all kinds of details out of the key fob for things that never show up on the instruments.

 

The dealer absolutely must address this.

In addition to the picture in your initial post, @DisgruntledSanta, next time it happens you might want to try capturing a brief video, ideally while you’re on the move, to demonstrate how the car — and the dealer, due to their neglect — is forcing you to drive without a speedometer (not to mention all the other essential data points it should provide).

 

1. Get them to refuse speedometer replacement, in writing.
2. Drive the car too fast around a corner and put it into a tree.
3. Retire on the $10M lawsuit.
3. (addendum) Let me know where the corner is, so I can stand on the sidewalk between you and the tree; we'll both retire!

 

Those last two posts are important - get a video of the problem showing that the car is in drive (maybe in a parking lot where it's safe to film the car moving), and get the dealer to refuse you in writing. That is ridiculous - you don't need an error code to know that the instrument cluster should be replaced under warranty.

 

This is a safety problem. If your dealer is incapable of diagnosing it, they (or you) should escalate to MINI Corporate to get the support necessary to resolve it.

With disrupted/constrained supply chains, it is reasonable to not blindly replace the instrument cluster--especially if you can't confirm the cluster itself is faulty. The electronic systems in modern cars are very complex and interconnected, so the instrument cluster turning off may be an indication that something else is failing; something deep enough in the system that diagnosing and fixing it is outside a dealership technician's capability. That may mean MINI's engineers need to get involved to figure it out.

Ask your dealership to escalate for help. If they won't do it, check the Owner's Manual or Warranty Book for contact numbers and raise the flag yourself.

 

Hi DisgruntledSanta

Many thanks for your response, this happened twice so far, the vehicle is no longer under Warranty, I’ll monitor and have a chat with the Mini dealers if it gets any worse, I’ll get video evidence if it fails again…