26 replies to this topic

[leon3574]

Hi I have a 1994 spi mini cooper but am having trouble with the rear nearside  tail light/stop light not working , the indicator works but cant seem to get the tail light etc to work. I have taken the unit out and plugged it into the off side end of the wiring loom and all works fine so I know its not the actual light unit.So I think theres a problem in the wiring loom any suggestions to solving this.

[RedRuby]

Try disconnecting the wiring and cleaning all the connections, particularly the earths

[leon3574]

what with a small wire brush kind of thing?

[CityEPete]

A can of electrical contact cleaner spray should be in every mini owners tool kit! Along with a multi meter. If the off side is working then it must be the prongs in the plug unless there is a row of terminals under the fuel tank, how many wires go to each prong on the near side plug? If it's two then the prong isn't touching the lamp units connection properly, if there is only one wire to each then there must be a joint further back, follow the loom behind the tank.

[leon3574]

thanks pete ive taken the tank out and there  are 2 wires to the light and these go separately into single wires into the plug which has 4 prongs, 1 for the indicator 1 for brake and 1 for tail and then 1 for reversing light  looking at the diagram of the wiring I think the offside light comes of the near side at a junction but cant seem to find this in the loom anywhere?

[CityEPete]

If there are two into each prong at the near side but only one at the offside, the joint is at that plug, you say it goes from two to one wire? Is that a set of Lucas bullet connectors near the light?

[CityEPete]

I'm working from memory but doesn't the loom come to a set of bullet connectors with effectively an in, ns and os wire coming out of each one? It's just past the tank on mine I think, un plug each one then clean with solvent spray, then smear a little Vaseline on the bullets before pressing them firmly home. Do every joint you can find in the boot, then do the ones under the bonnet when you get time. So many little problems will go away!

Edited by CityEPete, 23 May 2014 - 12:31 PM.

[leon3574]

Right I have cleaned all the connections to no avail, so finally thought there must be a bro elm with the connection block. So I've decided to connect the wires together and get rid of the connection block all together. But still no brake or tail light. So I am now thinking there must be brake in the loom somewhere. Any ideas where I should check first.

[KernowCooper]

Do you have access to a multimeter to carry out a test on the voltage to you connections? and then carrying out a continuity test front to rear, if you do then thats fine, without your going to struggle.

[cal844]

Hi I have a 1994 spi mini cooper but am having trouble with the rear nearside  tail light/stop light not working , the indicator works but cant seem to get the tail light etc to work. I have taken the unit out and plugged it into the off side end of the wiring loom and all works fine so I know its not the actual light unit.So I think theres a problem in the wiring loom any suggestions to solving this.

Run a feed from the number plate light

[CityEPete]

I am sorry but this is the kind of bodging that gets on my nerves, and how will that help his brake light?

[CityEPete]

OK so here is what I dont understand (I am home now and just been for a look) the cables join at the first light hence there is two cables in each terminal except for the turn signal obviously as one is wired left the other side right, the stop, tail and reverse are linked at the light you are having problems with, cutting off the plug has now made it worse because you cant try swapping the known good unit either!

 

NS

 

OS

 

Is/was your wiring like this?

[CityEPete]

What have you done/ did you do with the earth leads that connect to the bolt on the rear of the NS light and what have you done/did you do with the spade terminal earth that connects to each light at the bottom?

 

A multimeter is £3.50 in home extra by me, cutting off plugs or lashing cables to number plate lights can all be avoided if you have one, even if you dont know how to use it someone myself included can explain it step by step, once the connections are non factory without the car in front of me the game has got much harder!

 

Sorry for the rant, lets sort it but bodging is not the way.

[CityEPete]

I am thinking that the SPI has separate feeds for the NS and OS lights? so the problem is probably further up the line DO NOT bodge into anything you could total the whole wiring if they are from two different feeds!!!

[KernowCooper]

Voltmeter time and simply probe the plugs and see where the voltage break is along the wire.