Welcome to North American Motoring, the North American MINI Community of owners and enthusiasts!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and photo galleries. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other MINI enthusiasts (PM), respond to polls, upload your own photo gallery and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact our support team.
You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!
My "new-to-me" 2004 MCS - MC40 seems to have some trouble with it's driving lights: any time I turn on the brights, the driving lights come on, too. The switch (key button - Part No. 63-12-0-144-134) for the driving lights doesn't seem to work as it won't turn the driving lights off and I don't need to press it to turn them on. They ALWAYS come on with brights whether I want them to or not. (This can't be good for the plastic covers, so I started running without them at night.)
To test things out, I disconnected the key button and the driving lamps behave in the exact same manner. I know precious little about automobile wiring, so I'm hoping that one of you can answer this question before I spend $70 on a replacement key button:
Does this problem sound like one that would be best remedied with a new key button?
Or should I be looking somewhere else in the wiring for the source of my woes?
TIA,
-Fred.
__________________
'04 MCS - MC40 #10 (and former Weekend Driver of Bethanne's '05 MCSa).
They might possibly be wired to something else or just hardwired to come on whenever the high beams come on. The previous owner of my Cooper wired the OEM driving lights into the toggle switch for the rear fog light
__________________
'02 MCS LY/W, premium, sport, Alta shifter & intake, Cobb STi shift knob, GBmini auto-up circuit, Helix 15% pulley, Stage 1 brake upgrade with EBC reds, wheel studs, and rear control arms,BC coilovers,Invidia exaust, Whiteline Rear sway bar, Clutch Masters FX300 and flywheel, Quaife ATB LSD, Powerflex engine/trans bushings,H&R 5mm spacers, RMW cam, street header, and 440cc injectors, RMW tune
They might possibly be wired to something else or just hardwired to come on whenever the high beams come on. The previous owner of my Cooper wired the OEM driving lights into the toggle switch for the rear fog light
The previous owner (first owner) insists that she didn't change ANYTHING. If this is true, the car was stock - except for a MINIfini cup holder - when I purchased it from her last month. It only has 12,000 miles on it and is so clean that I'm willing to take her word.
Other than the possibly non-standard wiring, the other suspect part is the relay (changeover module); which costs just as much as the switch. :-(
-Fred.
__________________
'04 MCS - MC40 #10 (and former Weekend Driver of Bethanne's '05 MCSa).
One more piece of possibly relevant information (that I gleaned from the auxiliary driving lights installation manual): the green indicator light - which indicates whether or not the driving lights are in ready/standby mode - is ALWAYS illuminated. I don't need to press it after starting the car to "arm" them, it's already on.
-Fred.
__________________
'04 MCS - MC40 #10 (and former Weekend Driver of Bethanne's '05 MCSa).
Could still be switch or wiring. Any local MINI clubs that would assist in loaning a switch or relay to see if it is the culprit?
If the lights come on without the switch being present/activated, that says the issue is the wiring (or relay as you noted.)
__________________
'04 IB/W MCS w/all the goodies, Ian's auto-up/GDO, MMC#I69/MID CURV169; power folding mirrors
"You can't save the world unless you're willing to make other people sacrifice." - Dogbert, via Pendergast
Thanks for the idea, Eric. I'll check with my local club to see if I can "borrow" a switch to test with. That would at least rule one thing out if it doesn't correct the issue.
-Fred.
__________________
'04 MCS - MC40 #10 (and former Weekend Driver of Bethanne's '05 MCSa).
Thanks for the idea, Eric. I'll check with my local club to see if I can "borrow" a switch to test with. That would at least rule one thing out if it doesn't correct the issue.
UPDATE: The switch is good (swapping it out didn't fix my problem).
So, the source of my problem is most likely one of two things:
(1) A bad relay.
(2) The aux. driving lights were wired incorrectly at the factory.
So, I'm either going to live with my issue and consider it part of the "charm" of my MINI; or track down a new relay.
-Fred.
__________________
'04 MCS - MC40 #10 (and former Weekend Driver of Bethanne's '05 MCSa).
Hybrid Mode
