12 replies to this topic

[Scottieman]

Hi,

Im having a problem with a recently purchased 1989 Rover Mini Mayfair….no lights.

I have established that the light switch on the dash is faulty…insides has some melting…..I have ordered a new switch. However I’ve checked all the 4 glass fuses and the in line fuses. 
With the ignition at position 2 ….the fuses 1,2 & 3 all have power but the 4th fuse has no power getting to it, 

So I would greatly appreciate some help please. 

[Gilles1000]

Check if the fuse is intact. I had one fused which seemed OK, had conductivity but in fact was broken and had intermittent contact...

Not sure if the fuse 4 has power on ignition, worth a check on the diagrams:

 

https://www.theminif...agrams-redrawn/

 

Cheers

Gilles

[cal844]

I'd try twisting the ends of the fuse in opposite directions, if the ends rotate bin the fuse

[mini-mad-mark]

Fuse 4 is power from the headlight switch (at pos1) to feed the sidelights and panel lights - if the switch is faulty that is probably why you don't have power to the fuse

[Scottieman]

I’ve tried a new fuse….but the switch is faulty I know. So if the fuse gets power via the switch on the dash that would explain it. 
 

So bearing in mind the faulty switch, which wires on the dash panel that are going to the faulty switch would I cross to see if the lights work.  The wires are blue , brown & red.   

[Ethel]

Same colour as at the other end 

 

 

It's  useful to know some of the basic colour conventions...

 

black - earth (ground)

brown - permanent live

purple - permanent live, after it's gone through a fuse

white - ignition switched live, unfused

green - ignition switched live, fused

red - sidelights

blue - headlights

[sonscar]

Did you play the game which rod caught the fish as a child?Wiring diagrams are the same.Ignore all the traces except the one you are working on.Battery... switch... Gizmo....earth accounts for most things you work on,,Try it and you may achieve the status of a wiring god,or you may be able to fix your car,Enjoy,Steve..

[Retro_10s]

Now is a good time to go through the connections in your lighting circuit (under the slam panel for example) and make sure that all these connections are clean, well insulated, and uncorroded metal, same goes for the earths. Melted Lightswitch suggests high resistance in the circuit - and it doesn't take much to overload the switch since it runs very close to its maximum rating.

A well known weak point on minis, treat with caution, a puff of smoke cam turn to an in ucontrollable fire pretty quickly.

Edited by Retro_10s, 12 November 2022 - 12:14 PM.

[andyapanel]

I would check the plug that the switch goes into. It could have failed/be on the verge of failing.They go brown. Minispares sell replacements.

I always carried a spare till I changed to relays.

Good luck

[Scottieman]

Ok progress …the switch is definitely goosed.

The plug at the back of the switch has 3 wires. Brown , Red and Blue.

Brown constant live in

Cross Brown to Red gives side lights

Cross Brown to Blue gives Headlights

Under the bonnet fuse box with 4 fuses…the bottom one is for the lights.   It only gets power when using the light switch

So thank you one and all.

On to the next problem

[beardylondon]

Have you unscrewed the fusebox from the bulkhead, and looked on the back? On my 1990 the back of the fusebox was very corroded and causing faults with lighting circuit. Swapped it and no issues.

[Scottieman]

It’s defo the switch. I crossed the wire on the plug at the back of the switch ….Brown live in to Red gave side lights….Brown to Blue gives headlights…I just need a switch sending out to Cyprus now

thanks to everybody for their help.

[coopertaz]

as said above check plug aswell. usually goes brown or melts aswell. if this is melted switch will fail again quickly