Hi All,

Don't think this is covered earlier. Nothing came up in search...

Anyone had any luck with repairing their own console due to dead pixels..? Have seen a couple of fix kits on ebay and wonder if anyone has tried them or had any luck. Apparently no soldering required and full instructions. Seems to be a mis match between advice re carbon based or silver based.

Any comments welecome.

Thanks Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

It has been suggested that just by spraying electrical contact cleaner in where the ribbon cable connects then this solves the prob in 50% of cases. It cleans out the furring between the contacts caused by moisture.

You must use silicone free non residual spray. I bought some on fleabay for under a fiver.

All stems from damp air getting into the ribbon connector - I swear to god getting people to leave the A/C on in their cars is now my mission in life! 

dan, good advice as always- is it a fairly straight forward job to remove the binnacle and clean the contacts?

Thanks Dan (again..!)

Just went on and ordered some so will try it this weekend if it arrives in time. Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

tommac22 wrote:

dan, good advice as always- is it a fairly straight forward job to remove the binnacle and clean the contacts?

I've heard it's not too difficult, but not done the job myself. I think one has to remove the end cap off the dash (the bit that holds the vent & light switches) then undo the dash top (easy). I'd guess at about 30-45 minutes of removal and 20 mins of re-assembly.

Not sure what the WSM suggests for the bincacle...

Dan 

Dan, that is some mission you have taken on - folks don't seem to understand that FFRR's system also contols humidity and in the UK it is far more useful in the winter than it is in the summer (unless it is our usual wet summer) as a demister and de-humidifier. Trying to persuade people they should run it even for the 10 minutes a month as suggested in the owners manual seems not to sink in........................... until they get the repair bill for fixing the system that has been switched off for 10 months of the year and won't work on the one day they really want it. All aircon systems fitted to cars in the UK can be run either as hot or cold aircon and on cars with engines the size of FFRR's engines there is NO fuel consumption penalty for running it 365 days a year - if the air temperature is too cold them adjust the thumb nail rotating switch in the middle of the dash more to the left, so more red is showing or turn up the numerical rotating knobs on the lower dash, don't switch off the aircon! 2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

Can you get to this ribbon without doing that drilling bit i have seen on one guide?

I leave mine aircon on all the time, do you guys give it a run cold now and then in winter? 2004 black Vogue TD6

FYI - Dan your talking to the converted with me. Always on 24x7x365..! Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

letsavit2 wrote:

Can you get to this ribbon without doing that drilling bit i have seen on one guide?

letsavit2 wrote:

I leave mine aircon on all the time, do you guys give it a run cold now and then in winter?

Nope, it cycles on and off every minute or so.

Also do you leave the Auto-Recirc on?

buttons by d86cfv, on Flickr 

not necessarily no, are you going to tell me to leave that on too? 2004 black Vogue TD6

What does auto recirc actually do... I don't leave that one on. I assume it intermittently recirc air from inside the cabin as opposed to always using outside (cleaned/dehumidified) air in..?

Should It be left on all the time.? Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB

With the recerc on auto the car draws it's air from the out side until it detects politants at which point it closes and draws air from within the car , I have always set mine to auto and I never seam to smell any bus or lorry fumes when I'm in Trafic . 2008 MY Supercharged
Rimini Red / Jet
four zone climate
remote park heater
and no ugly kid windows.
magnus satis quod turpis satis

As per Axle, a sensor at the front of the car is contently sampling the air you're driving through. As soon as it detects a pollutant in the air - either from a car/lorry in front or from a drain or pig farm then it closes the flaps and recircs the air until the pollutant/smell goes away.

There is generally no reason to have it on any setting other than auto - 95% of the time the flaps remain open. It also cant remain closed for longer than 2 minutes (I think from memory) and then it opens for 30 seconds or something to allow fresh oxygen in. 

Cool - Mines now set to auto anyway..! Ash
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2016 SDV8 AB