Understanding your Mini Service Light.
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BMW Mini’s are equipt with a system that tells the driver when a service is required – this system is called ‘Condition Based Servicing’.
On the first generation BMW Mini your service requirements show on the speedo for a few seconds when you start the car.
The Second Generation BMW Mini has a different system accessable via the left steering wheel stalk – this short video shows you how to access the service requirements:
The Third Generation of BMW Mini has a slighly different system – there are essentially two different centre screen designs – a small letterbox screen and a large colour screen (either the visual radio or wide screen SatNav).
If you have the small letterbox screen this video will talk you through accessing the service requirements:
If you have the large colour screen this video will talk you through accessing the service requirements:
There are quite a few icons that can pop up on your dashboard – here are the main ones:
No – it’s not a Genie lamp – this Mini service light tells you one of two thing – if it comes up without you pressing any buttons then your oil pressure is low – you need to check your oil immediately. When displayed as part of the service menu it will have a date and a mileage underneath – this tells you when the next oil change is due.
This icon on the first generation BMW MINI means your brake pads are low but does not specify which ones, on the second generation BMW MINI it refers to the Brake Fluid – this should be changed every two years so there will be a date below the icon informing you of when this should be done – if the symbol is red then it is overdue,
This Mini service light means that your front brake pads are low and need changing – there will be a number under this symbol indicating the number of miles left before your brakes wear out.
This icon means that your rear brake pads are low and need changing – there will be a number under this symbol indicating the number of miles left before your brakes wear out.
This icon refers to the annual safey inspection – in the UK this is the MOT.
This is the ‘Major Inspection’ icon – if it comes on without you pressing anything it can mean that there is a safety related issue with the car and you need to get the car checked ASAP.
This Mini service light is the DPF icon (diesels only) – this means your DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) is full or near full and needs to be ‘regenerated’ – this can be done by driving the car an hour or so at motorway speeds – this should allow the DPF to get hot enough to incinerate the dust it has collected. If this does not work then we can ask the car to carryout a DPF REGEN via our diagnostic tool and if this doesn’t work then you will need to have your DPF replaced.
All Mini’s have a tyre pressure monitoring system of some kind and when this symbol shows on your dash it has detected that one (or more) of your tyres has lost pressure. After correcting the pressure you need to reset this system. On the first generation Mini there is a button by the handbrake that you press and hold for a few seconds. On the second generation Mini you access the reset via the left stalk in much the same way as you access the service menu as described in the video above.