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Bump And The Lights Went Out


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#1 AlasdairM

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Posted 07 August 2020 - 08:40 AM

Hi folks

I was testing my new stage one kit last night by taking it for blasts along the country roads here, at around 10pm.

As I was going along at around 60, on a single track road, I went over a bump and all of the front lights went out except the driver’s side sidelight. I slammed on the brakes, put the hazards on, and confined to drive for 2mins. I parked up, turned the engine off and tried to figure out what went wrong, all the fuses were fine. I gave up, and turned back to go home as it was late. Almost immediately after turning back, my lights all came back on again and work as normal.

Anyone have any advice as to where the fault may have been? A bad earth somewhere? I obviously don’t want this to happen again...

#2 sonscar

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Posted 07 August 2020 - 08:58 AM

Earth connection bullets near the bonnet catch would be my first point then the switch.For it to affect all the lights(main and dip?) It must be a shared path.Steve..

#3 Ethel

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Posted 07 August 2020 - 04:38 PM

Try the headlamp flasher if it happens again, it has a different supply. 

 

The light rocker switch contacts can get marginal over time as they have quite a lot of current to deal with. It wouldn't explain the single side light, but that could be a coincidence.

 

It's worth investigating thoroughly, if it's happened once...

 

 

It'd also be useful to know the year and/or model, for the majority of Minis its a very simple circuit, but the last models had fripperies like separate fused circuits & the infamous dim/dip relay.



#4 AlasdairM

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Posted 07 August 2020 - 06:19 PM

I did the wiring for the headlights, as it fitted new ones.

I just connected the new lamps to the existing circuit, underneath the bonnet catch.

Year is 1990, 1275 cooper.

Yes I hope it was just a one off!

#5 Spider

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Posted 07 August 2020 - 06:42 PM

I've had this happen to me, quite frightening when the Moke is packed with the family and a fairly twist mountain road (Bells Line of Road).

 

It was the Light Switch in my instance, as soon as I put my finger on it, the lights came straight back on. It did it twice more on that trip, but a replacement fixed it.



#6 MikeRotherham

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Posted 08 August 2020 - 07:13 AM

I think if it's happened once it'll happen again.

 

I'd strongly advise you to check it out.

 

I'd recommend the headlight upgrade from Wired by Wilson.

 

It would eliminate the potential problem of faulty connectors under the bonnet slam panel and give you fuses and relays in the headlamp circuit and reducing the load on the headlight switch.


Edited by MikeRotherham, 08 August 2020 - 07:14 AM.


#7 MikeRotherham

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Posted 08 August 2020 - 07:17 AM

I've had this happen to me, quite frightening when the Moke is packed with the family and a fairly twist mountain road (Bells Line of Road).

 

It was the Light Switch in my instance, as soon as I put my finger on it, the lights came straight back on. It did it twice more on that trip, but a replacement fixed it.

There was a recall on my mini in 1979 for this exact same problem. Interesting if useless fact.



#8 Spider

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Posted 08 August 2020 - 08:10 AM

 

I've had this happen to me, quite frightening when the Moke is packed with the family and a fairly twist mountain road (Bells Line of Road).

 

It was the Light Switch in my instance, as soon as I put my finger on it, the lights came straight back on. It did it twice more on that trip, but a replacement fixed it.

There was a recall on my mini in 1979 for this exact same problem. Interesting if useless fact.

 

 

Ha,,, well,,,,there you go. This was an early 1980 build car, so it wouldn't surprise me if it had the same duff switch.



#9 AlasdairM

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Posted 12 August 2020 - 08:17 PM

To follow on from this, the other night my dash lights all went out, so I couldn’t see my speed or the engine temp. I started taking the gauges out, but got stuck, I couldn’t figure out how to access the top 2 screws below the windscreen.
Anyway, tonight, they came back on again.

Although these may be gremlins, can someone point to anywhere in particular to check? Any likely weak earths for example?

#10 cal844

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Posted 12 August 2020 - 09:29 PM

Earth point on the bulkhead crossmember stiffener. And then the earth bundle at the slam panel

#11 Ethel

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Posted 13 August 2020 - 09:04 AM

 

I've had this happen to me, quite frightening when the Moke is packed with the family and a fairly twist mountain road (Bells Line of Road).

 

It was the Light Switch in my instance, as soon as I put my finger on it, the lights came straight back on. It did it twice more on that trip, but a replacement fixed it.

There was a recall on my mini in 1979 for this exact same problem. Interesting if useless fact.

 

I was in a dealership at the time, by far the most common warranty job & not just Minis. There was an illuminated version of the switch, the redesign got rid of the bulb to reduce the heat. It's well worth using a relay.



#12 AlasdairM

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Posted 13 August 2020 - 02:18 PM

Thanks cal, I’ll take a look there. And I should probably get a new rocker switch!




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