http://www.motoringfile.com/2017/03/...t-malfunction/

 

Oooh!! Maybe they will fix the code to make the rear door lights come on when braking!!!

or not.

 

Worth noting this has also caused a delivery stop on Clubman sales at a dealership level. Dealers cannot sell a Clubman with this defect until a fix is in place. My local dealer seems to have pulled all their Clubman off the lot

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, please don't tell me my new order is now stopped!!!

 

Ban? I just bought a clubman yesterday

 

While in-bumper-only brake light never bothered me, the extremely goofy way that one brake light partially extinguishes when the turn signal is on, has always bothered me. It's a really strange design and 99.8% of people would assume a bulb was out or that it was malfunctioning. When I first saw it, I figured a bulb must be out, but then I saw that both sides behaved the same and figured it must be by design. I guess they will change it by coding.

 

I question whether this is a 'malfunction' or just a preference change?? I checked mine this evening with my lovely assistant and while it is a little unexpected, I can see why someone may have chosen to have the lights perform this way. My inner light on the side of the active signal goes out 100%, not partially out as noted above. If you throw on the emergency flashers, both inner bulbs go off.

This 'change in state' kind of helps grab your attention that something has changed on that particular side, for a lack of better terms. This may draw your attention to that particular side of the vehicle and help improve noticing the turn signal flasher in the upper light assembly. Now, this could certainly be debated, as this is simply my own theory/opinion. Personally, I don't have an issue keeping mine that way, especially if it still meets Federal standards.

In any case, any of my friends that have followed me at night have stated that both the brake and turn signals are very noticeable on the car, despite the low position of the brake lights. I know that the lights really light up the faces of the drivers behind me at night when coming to a stop.

 

Yep...My mini delivered on Monday and I got a call from the dealer that I cant pick it up until the fix is in....he said they should have a fix by end of week

 

So now tonight I decided to see how the lights are configured when you open the rear doors, as the inner lower bulbs are to take on the turn signal duties. Sure enough, the inner bulbs work as the turn signals and the outer bulb on the flasher side lights up for the brakes. Example: Left turn signal on + braking = Left outer bulb on solid, left inner bulb flashing and both right bulbs on solid. I have a feeling that is why the inner bulb goes out when you put on the turn signal and have the doors closed, just the way the circuit is programmed.

Now what I did find interesting is the LED lights on the doors go out when you open the doors (for those of us with the LED lighting package), yet the turn signal bulb in the door still flashes...out to the side of the vehicle. I was expecting that the door light housings would be fully deactivated when the doors are open (i.e.- both LED's and turn signal bulb), but I guess not.

Wonder if the 'fix' will effect that operation as well. Guess we will have to wait and see.

 

Based in the US? It may not have affected your car or the dealership sold you a car they weren't allowed to!


My understanding is the fix is out and as expected, it's just a software update. Sounds like dealers will be updating undelivered/sold customer cars first, then their own unsold, loaners, and fleet cars, then customers with affected Clubman will get letters when it's time to get theirs done. If you try and get in before you get your letter, you will probably be denied unless it's going in for programming anyway. Coding is a time consuming process, so they can only do so many in a day.

The new behavior is the bumper lights will be for brake lights only when the rear doors are closed and the lights on the door will be your turn signals.

 

Thank you. I have a Clubman awaiting transport from Southampton. If I understand the delivery process correctly, perhaps the update will be applied at the VDC.

 

Ok, I had my brake lights "fixed" via this recall. I think they are worse now. Now only the outer part of the bumper lights illuminate when the brakes are applied. The inner portion does nothing. I assume that the inner portion will illuminated under "hard" braking, but that's just an assumption. So assuming I drive like a normal person and don't regularly nail my brakes, I have only half the acreage of brake lights that I previously had. (While not a definitive test - While stationary, I stepped on the brake very forcibly, and still only the outer portion illuminates so I don't know if the inner ones will ever illuminate.) Ummm, I don't think the fix is a fix, I really do think it's worse now.

 

This is one recall I hope to avoid having applied to my car. I have to agree that losing 1/2 the original lighting was not the 'proper' way to fix the issue with the regulations. I think the 'better' solution would to not have the inner bulb on the turn signal side drop out when the turn signal is activated.

My wife has commented that even though the brake lights are low, they are very bright and quite noticeable, especially at night. Her view is slightly elevated too from her Jeep Patriot, which is a good confirmation that the low stance of the brake lights is still effective.

 

Totally agree, and I am pissed! I thought it was ridiculous that the inner light dropped out when the turn signal was in use. People would obviously think a bulb was out on my brand new car. I appreciate the perspective offered by WhatV8's 2nd post above, because at least I can understand why it was programmed this way (so that light can function as the turn signal if the door is open).

So I was excited when I heard about the recall. But now I have half as much brake lighting as before, AND two lights on my bumper that will never ever be used!!! WTF?!

I'm thinking about jumping the wires to regain the full use of my brake lights. I wonder if that will confuse the system in a problematic way.

 

I was going to jump the wires, and it would be very easy. I removed the light from the bumper and unplugged the connector, but as soon as I did that I got a warning on the dash that I had a bulb out. I didn’t go beyond there. But I’d assume that if you disconnect the wire to the lower blinker (the grey-white wire) and jump it with the brake wire (the yellow-black wire), you’d get the same warning due to the grey-white wire being cut.

The inner portion of the light functions as a blinker ONLY if you have the doors open. The rest of the time (99.9999% of the time), it’s just dead. The proper fix should have been to make both bulbs on both sides function as brake lights at all times UNLESS the barn doors are open.

That’s so obvious, and it would have been so easy, that it had to be their intent. I honestly think someone just messed it up. I really think they will recall the recall (eventually) and fix it. As they say, “The 3rd time's the charm.” The way it is now is certainly worse than the original way, so if anyone hasn’t had it “fixed” I’d recommend that you don’t.

That being said, I certainly don’t think it’s a big deal either way and it’s not among the top 10 ten things that I lose sleep over…(maybe 11).

 

Agreed...#11.

I was thinking about jumping it without disconnecting. The trouble is I think that could feed power into the turn signal circuit.