14 replies to this topic

[thissideofparadise]

Headlights not working JDM 96 Spi, I found the fuse box(24 padel fuse) and they look good. Would there be any other fuses to check?

 

[Pops_Guild]

Is the 24 fuse box in the engine bay behind the relay pack? If so there are no other fuses.

Basic questions. Are you saying you have no lights at all? Do you get side lights? Do main beam or flashing your headlights work?

Common problems to cause just headlights not to work are a bad earth, the stalk switch on the steering rack and sometimes the light switch itself.

[viz139]

You need to be more specific about what is not working, side lights ,dips and /or main beam as there are six fuses covering all the lights. If no lights are working at all it is most likely the light switch or the brown wire feeding it.

[thissideofparadise]

Rear light , side repeater/front repeaters, dash light are all working just no headlight or hibeam. Hibeams light on dash is lighting up when the stalk is pulled.

[viz139]

Just to clarify some transatlantic lingo , side lights refare to all lights front and rear that come on when the light switch is in the middle position. The fact that these are all working means you have power to the light switch.

You said the main beam warning light is on when you pull back the stalk (flash) but are you sure the headlamps are not also coming on main beam, if not you have at least two problems.

The most common cause of both dip and mainbeam not working is a faulty light switch with no output on the blue cable which feeds the dip/ main stalk. Usually when the stalk goes faulty you will lose one or the other first.

[thissideofparadise]

Ill order a new switch and report back

[thissideofparadise]

replaced the light switch and it did not fix anything. What should I check next

[viz139]

There are two separate feeds that can operate the headlights high beam . Brown via the light switch and purple to flash ( pull the stalk back) the high beam.

When you flash the high beam you say the blue warning light is working,are the headlights high beam also working?

When you switch on the headlight switch and push the stalk forward is the blue light working?

[thissideofparadise]

blue light comes one in both cases but no lights at all on the headlights.

[viz139]

Ok problem is beyond the switches so. 

The only thing in common to all four lights ( 2 dip and 2 main beam) is the earth but this earth is also used for the front side lights  ( small light in the headlamp unit ) , are you sure these are working?

[thissideofparadise]

sorry I think there has been some "transatlantic lingo" issues. The front side light are not working because I do not have them, I replaced the standard bulb with all in one LED lamps.

So I guess I am looking for a earth problem.

[Pops_Guild]

Ok, so before you replaced them with LEDs were your headlights/lights all working? 

 

Yes there's a different English thing going on here :) 

 

If you've just replaced bulbs for LEDs without doing anything else that could be the problem, it might not be but you didn't say you that you've made other changes to the lighting system so it kind makes the hay-stack bigger when we're trying to help look for the needle :)

 

Standard Headlamp assembly (the reflector unit) for SPI would use 2 bulbs/lamps. An H4 bulb/lamp for the dipped & full/main beam lighting and an LLB501 5W capless bulb/lamp. You say you've replaced / deleted the side lights with an LED bulb/lamp that does dipped, main and side lights? Not sure how that would work but maybe I'm misunderstanding that. Did you make any other changes when you added the LED bulbs/lamps?

 

Back to the switches, just in case there's still confusion there. There are 2 switches that control the lights working at all. The one that's on the dashboard above the heater unit and the other is in the indicator stalk assembly on the steering column. Imho the switch on the dash rarely fails but the indicator one does and new replacement new ones can be dubious quality. Which light switch did you replace?

[thissideofparadise]

okay I replaced the LED and it had H4 connector so it was plug and play. I did also tap the live power from the indicators. Stupidity on my part as I just got the car I never checked the lights before I did this. After the LED conversion the high beam worked and the indicator(in the main lamp unit). I replaced the dash and now the high beams are not longer working.

[Pops_Guild]

So the LED lights you have needed an additional power input to make them work? That doesn't sound particularly plug & play to me. My understanding is there are very few 'just replace with LED' solutions for classic Mini's, there's certainly a tonne of choice out there on the internet but very few just work without changes. The only H4 LED direct replacement bulb I know that work is from these guys, they're not cheap but the reason is that they do just work...

 

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/

 

I'm not an expert on the electrics, all my knowledge is based on a very slow and frustrating learning curve I had with my 96 built JDM Cooper during restoration. Previous owners had butchered and made changes over the years which when my headlights 'stopped working' (because of an earth and back stalk switch) I had to painstakingly undo all their changes. A 96 built SPI was the change over year to MPI at Rover and I have yet to find a wiring diagram that precisely matches the loom I have, and JDM adds to that. Japan folks also like to make changes to their Mini's.

 

Got to say that taking a live feed from another lighting circuit has potential to change how that circuit will work and complicate how to solve yours. You're not going to like this but I think ultimately you're going to need to reverse back out of the changes you've made to make sure your headlights/lighting was all working before LEDs.  Once you know that then you a least know you're not dealing with someone else's hacks and your playing field is level.

 

What 96 JDM SPI is it? Its it an LE of some sort? Any factory fitted spots / fog lights? Knowing those sorts of details or posting pictures of the engine bay, lights, your changes might help guide folks to help you, different LE's had different looms.

[viz139]

If I understand correctly the LED headlamp also includes an indicator. Could you post up a photo of the connections and a link to the supplier. I think the best thing to do is remove the headlamps and using a volt meter determine if power and earth is getting to the original wiring at the back of the headlamp.

Although not JDM you will find wiring diagram for 95-96 SPi   24 fuse in the at the bottom of first post here.

http://www.theminifo...agrams-redrawn/