20 replies to this topic

[The-Womble]

Model: 1275 Sprite (Carb)
Year: 1993
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):
Just bought another Mini (this time a working one!), however already something has gone wrong! (It's never simple owning a mini is it )

My brother bought me a new stereo system to go in the Mini for my birthday, so he went and plugged it in while I changed the indicator lenses and bulbs. Everything appeared to be fine....stereo turned on (although had no speakers to test sound), and the rest of the electrical system seemed fine. I asked my brother to turn on the hazards to check the new bulbs were fine. The indicators were fine to my recollection (although he might not have had the stereo plugged in at that point) but when he tried the hazards, immediately the stereo turned off and now neither the indicators or the hazards will work. Theres nothing at all....no clicking, no flashing....as if they weren't plugged in.

At first I just suspected a blown fuse, but the fuse box was fine...no blown fuses. Then I thought it might be an inline fuse, but I didn't know whether the radio would have anything to do with the indicators/hazards, and then I didn't think the hazards and indicators would be on the same circuit. Only other thing I can think of is the flasher unit itself, but again, I thought the hazards and indicators ran off separate flashers.

Looking further up the wires that connected to the stereo, there are one or two pairs of wires which are simply twisted together and therefore could have been shorting on something....dunno if that could be the source of the problem. I've taped the exposed wires up with insulation tape for now.

Thanks in advance

Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?
Kenwood stereo system

[mini-man-dan]

Could be something to do with the actual hazard button, I recall people saying everything on a Mini seems to work through the hazard button!

[Bungle]

replace the hazard switch as its the usual problem

[matt615]

I thought the hazards and indicators ran off separate flashers.

No, on a 1993 car they run off the same flasher unit.

A quick check you can do is see if the brake lights and reversing lights work. They run off the same fuse as the indicators, so if they're not working either then it's a fuse problem.

but when he tried the hazards, immediately the stereo turned off

Where has he wired the stereo into? It sounds like this is the problem.

[Corty]

just on a thread hi jack - sorry

i have a prob with my hazards
they dont work but indicators and all other lights work as they should
is there anyway to test the hazard switch to see if its at fault ?

i know that the brake test switch / heated rear both work fine

but if i put hazard switch on then try indicators =no hazards or indicators ????

[bmcecosse]

The problem often lies in the Hazard switch - it's used so little - the contacts oxidise. Spray some wd 40 into the switch - from the front is ok - and work the switch back and forth a good few times - snapping it open and closed. This usually works!

[lawrence]

its also an entremely simple switch to take apart and clean, try that if spraying wd40 doesnt work (also wd40 leaves a thin film everwhere! )

[The-Womble]

I thought the hazards and indicators ran off separate flashers.

No, on a 1993 car they run off the same flasher unit.

A quick check you can do is see if the brake lights and reversing lights work. They run off the same fuse as the indicators, so if they're not working either then it's a fuse problem.

but when he tried the hazards, immediately the stereo turned off

Where has he wired the stereo into? It sounds like this is the problem.

Thanks for the replies guys. I can confirm that everything else on the car (reverse lights, brake lights, headlights etc.) is working, and it is only the indicators and hazards that are not.

My car came with the CD Player holder infront of the passenger seat (hanging from the bottom dash rail) and had a load of wires just hanging, including an aerial wire and then a load of wires with a plug on the end (which fitted into the back of my Kenwood system). However, looking futher up the wires reveals a load of frayed and twisted-together wires which I have now untwisted and disconnected from one another and taped up the exposed ends.

[djdobson]

if the stereo has affected it check youir earths. these may cause the problem to reoccur

[The-Womble]

Hmm...still no luck

Tried a different switch but made no difference. Also checked all of the inline fuses that I could find but they were all fine too.

Put a multimeter across the inline fuse which had a purple wire in one end and an orangey wire coming out the other side (as per the wiring diagram) which registered 12V with the ignition turned off, so obviously the problem is somewhere between the inline fuse and the actual switch. Perhaps the flasher relay? Although it still seems odd that plugging in the stereo would break the flasher unit...
I hate electrics!

Any other thoughts would be appreciated

[mosh_dude86]

I'm having a similar "eh?" problem with my hazzards, they just refuse to work after changing the switch, relay and a complete wiring check. Though my indicators are working. After the change over they worked for about 4 days then died again......

Figure i might just wire in a new hazzard circuit over the top with a simple on off switch, yeah i know, bit of a botch job, but dont know what else to do right now and its going to be going for its MOT soon, and quite frankly theres enough holes in the floor to patch up, i dont really want any more excuse for more money leaving my wallet!!

[matt615]

I'm having a similar "eh?" problem with my hazzards, they just refuse to work after changing the switch, relay and a complete wiring check. Though my indicators are working. After the change over they worked for about 4 days then died again......

Sounds like a dirty connection somewhere, probably on the fuse.

[mosh_dude86]

Nopes, tried that too, stripped em all down and cleaned them. hence why i'm at an end and gonna rig a new circuit in

[The-Womble]

Just looking over the wiring diagrams for both '1984-on Carb Minis with single instrument pack' and '1988-on Carb Minis' from the Haynes manual, both seem to display 2 separate flasher relays; one for the hazards and one for the indicators, however there only seems to be one on the car [they are the yellow cubes on the bulkhead with plugs going into them arent they?].

Am I looking at the wrong diagram?

Also, has anyone got any other ideas. This is really annoying me now Doesn't seem to make sense, unless theres some fuse hidden away somewhere!

Cheers

[Dan]

Yellow relays are single pole OE Rover units, bimetal flasher units aren't relays. Your car should have a single, electronic flasher unit and a seperate indicator relay, the relay is not a flasher. The wiring diagram you are reading does not refer to your car.

What has been wired to where on the radio? I suspect that it has either been earthed to or had a power antenna output connected to something that is part of the flasher circuit and the flasher has been damaged as a result.