17 replies to this topic

[frostie]

ok....the mini failed the mot this morning on one thing.....ONE THING....and i've been trying all day to fix it, but to be honest i've no idea how!

the problem is very strange but i'm hoping someone else has experienced it and knows the cause...when i push the brake pedal down, the headlamps shine :erm:

any ideas?

frosties

[kada1980]

Sounds like somethings not earthing. I had a similar problem on my westy and it was because the front indicators weren't connected proberly, when the brake pedal was pushed the rear and side repeater lit up???

Karl

[mini-mad-dan]

sorry not got a clue thats intersting though, prahaps its got something to do with the brake light circuit and somehow is now connected to the main lights, could it be a fuse box gone short?

to be honest these are just wild guesses, hope they help, good luck :cheese:

[frostie]

so you'd guess at the headlamps not earthed very well??

that could be that as i have recently wired in a connector plug to disconnect the front loom to take the front off, so my wiring is most likely the problem! i'll have a try and post in a min!

[The Matt]

My sister had a similar problem in her Astra once, the brake light bulb filament must have been bent and was causing a short circuit to the lighting circuit I think.

It might sound absolutely stupid, maybe even not possible, but I swapped the stop/tail light bulb and it worked!

[The Matt]

sorry not got a clue thats intersting though, prahaps its got something to do with the brake light circuit and somehow is now connected to the main lights, could it be a fuse box gone short?

to be honest these are just wild guesses, hope they help, good luck :cheese:

that is kinda what happened to my sister's Ashtray!

[mini-mad-dan]

ashtray?

[The Matt]

I remember one guy posting on the Mini Mania forum once with an electrical problem,

It was a MK1 Mini, he had a problem with the lights dimming and flickering when he accelerated at night (as in, he only ever noticed a problem when the sidelights or headlights were on)! Can anybody guess what he says he found to be the problem???

[The Matt]

ashtray?

Yep, the Vauxhall Ashtray (that's what I used to call it)!

[mini-mad-dan]

dont want to hijack, but this does seem to be an oppertune moment my indicators dont tick unless im moving or sometimes not at all relay or earth? and all lights go on (the hazards work too) :saywhat:

[kada1980]

Wiring could be the problem, it sounds like the brake light ciruit is using the head lights to earth.

[The Matt]

bad earth, relay contacts dirty??? Hard to say really, I don't know nearly enough about electrics!


And sorry, we have Hi-Jacked! :nugget:


Anyway, the MK1 problem..............



When he acclerated, the number plate light wire was rubbing on his tailgate causing a short-circuit (MK1 hinged number plate was hinging when he accelerated and pulling the wire slightly). Mental thing to try and trace!

Just goes to show that it aint all about reading a Haynes manual, he took bloomin ages to find the fault!

[frostie]

kada...was that reply to my problem??

[kada1980]

Frostie

Yes

Karl

[frostie]

ok thanx.

have you got any idea at all where this could be happening??

i cant figure it out because the brake lights connections are obviously in the boot, so can't work out where'd they'd be using the same earth??

could it possibly be the fuse box or brake test switch??they are the only places I could find on the haynes wiring diagram where the brake circuit comes near the headlamp circuit?

cheers for your help by the way