6 replies to this topic

[MayfairEdition]

Yet another problem with the mini!!!!

Last week my full beam decided to stop working, so I checked the inline fuses and all are ok. I have today just been checking everything else and the hazards were ok for about 10 seconds and then stopped working also, doesn't even light the switch up, but the full beam does bring the blue light up n dash

Anyone else had similar ? Everything else works fine. Not sure what to go for next. Thanks

[tiger99]

Please use the correct terminology, so we can deduce what is wrong. What do you mean by full beams? Are you saying that main beam has failed, and dipped beam is still working? Does the headlight flasher still work? Given correct answers to all of that, I have a high degree of confidence that the fault can be located quickly.

 

Regarding the hazards, do the left and right indicators work correctly? Also please confirm that odds and ends such as interior light are all correct, as these things do really matter in helping to locate faults affecting the hazards.

 

There is never, ever a single fuse in any road legal car that will take out both headlights (think about what would happen in a dark, twisty road at night if the fuse blew, and you will understand why it is illegal) so if it was a very late Mini with the large fuse box you would be looking for two failed fuses.

 

Also, rather important, what model (trim variations don't matter) and year, approximately, is the Mini?

 

Give us the full and correct information and some of us, depending on who is around, will be able to help.

[MayfairEdition]

Sorry for being so vague on the matter. My car is a 1988 mayfair shell with a 1275A+ carb cooper engine in it. My indicators work on the stalk, so each indicator comes on individually, it's the hazards that do not work at all and doesn't even bring the red light up on the switch.

My sidelights and dipped beams work as well as rear lights and brake lights. It's just my main beam that doesn't come on including when using the flasher. All front and rear lights go off when I turn them on, but the main beam dash blue light comes on. All other lights work ok other than main beam and hazards, including the interior light which works fine. Thank you.

Edited by MayfairEdition, 06 April 2014 - 09:05 PM.

[tiger99]

Right, that is much better and it should not be all that difficult. The headlight problem is due to the blue-white wire which runs from the dip/flasher switch through to a bullet connector behind the top of the grille, where it divides to go to both headlights. Check the bullet connector for fracture, corrosion, etc. If not at that end, check carefully at the switch, and look for broken parts in the switch itself, but 99.99% of the time it will be at the bullet connectors. Sometimes the wire corrodes through inside the bullet. Oh, and please check the bulbs if you have not done so already. I have seen double bulb failures before, in several different cars, it can occasionally happen.

 

The hazards may or may not be simple.If your interior lights work, the fuse that feeds the purple or purple-orange circuit from the brown permanently live battery feed is intact. Find the hazard flasher relay (not sure if it is under bonnet in bulkhead area or behind dash on your model), which should have a purple or purple-orange wire on the B terminal and a light green-pink on the L terminal. Bridge these two wires together, and operate the flasher switch. The flashers should now all come on continuously. If not, suspect the hazard switch, which is a well-known point of failure. Unfortunately it is rather special, and can't easily be replaced by something better.

 

If that doesn't work, please come back with as many details as you can of what did and did not work, and we will try to see what else should be checked next, trying to avoid unnecessary work if possible.

[MayfairEdition]

Thank you. Will try everything mentioned. I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers.

[MayfairEdition]

had good look around could not see any broken wires/connectors, checked each plug to bulb for continuity and it was ok. It fixes itself every now and then so would I be right in saying I should maybe change the connectors at the plugs for the bulb as one might be slightly loose ? Thank you.

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This is an old post, so it is likely solved already, but I thought I would share what I did to solve the exact same Hazard issue and a similar "one side" headlight failure (dim/dip bulb, not the main/highbeam) in case someone is looking for a solution.

 

Headlight first:

It can be deceptive to have 12 volts "leading INTO" the headlight... The problem can be that it has no place to go after "leaving" the headlight...  i.e. a "bad ground".  Dismantle the headlight assembly, starting with the chrome ring and all the bits that you need to in order to remove the headlamp from the cup (make sure you unscrew the correct screws, leaving the positioner screws just as they are so you won't need to realign your beams later). You might also need to remove the cup.  Now follow the grounding lead from the headlamp socket to where it grounds on the body - this connection was corroded in my case and once I re-established a "good ground", my headlight was back in business.

 

Hazards:

My issue was not wiring, nor relay, but rather an intermittent dash switch.  Fortunately, the "black box" MkIII switches are super easy to recondition - I've done both my hazard and headlight switch in the past three years (because I live in NYC and shipping from the UK costs as much as a switch).  Here's how: Use a thin bladed screwdriver to pry the switch out of the dash panel into the cockpit of the Mini.  Work it up-and-down and side-to-side and take your time so you don't scratch anything.  Disconnect the switch (noting orientation and connector fit for plugging back in later).  Use two thin blade screwdrivers to lift the tabs on each side to "split" the switch box.  Be careful to look at how the flat metal springs fit into the case as they are what hold the switch in the dash and you need to fit them so they place an outward pressure.  Pry the sides apart just enough to allow the switch's cylindrical pivot pins to slip free and the switch should "fall apart". Clean out the switch (remove any foreign material or dried grease) and re-grease the contact area with a good dielectric grease and the pivot points with a non-drying grease.  Note that there is a tiny little light in here - test it with a continuity tester now before you reassemble.  Once everything looks good, reassemble in reverse order. Check switch pivot action.  You should be good to go, but if you like you can check switch operation pin-to-pin outside of the car with a continuity tester (there is a good description of the expected operation of the electrics of this "double-duty" switch here: http://www.minimania...Hazard_Switches). Pop it back in and if the issue WAS just the switch, you'll have flashers again!