How To Electrical ::Driving lights installation
Alliance Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 661
Likes: 24
From: Port Orchard, WA.
Well the 1st on the left is for the driving lights I'm installing now. The 2nd will be for the rear high beams I'm thinking of mounting on the rear parcel shelf behind the rear headrests(James Bond like) for tailgaters and other obnoxious people. The 3rd will be for rear fogs if the dealer cant activate the oem ones. The brackets I used were from VIP. They fot great and no modifying had to be done to them. It was a bit of a pain to modify the grill to accept the brackets. I will post pics when done, maybe by this weekend.
http://www.myhellalights.com/index.p...5-series/ff75/
S.
Last edited by SMOG; Oct 6, 2011 at 06:07 PM.
Alliance Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 661
Likes: 24
From: Port Orchard, WA.
If the rear shelf mount has tubes fit tight to the rear window and to the lamps that keep the light from escaping into the car it would work. If you put the lamps as close as possible to the rear window then the tubes could be short and offer a wider light dispersion pattern.
Alliance Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 661
Likes: 24
From: Port Orchard, WA.
Looks very nice! The finished product should look similar to my Pepperwhite with blackout headlamps.
http://www.mini4fun.info/Quad_Lamps/Hella_500s.html
S.
http://www.mini4fun.info/Quad_Lamps/Hella_500s.html
S.
3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey
Many thanks to the OP for posting these instructions. I can't believe MINI has OEM accessories that can be installed without requiring a dealer vi$it for recoding! Looks a little daunting but not impossible. Think I'll do the front/rear speaker swap as long as I'm opening up that driver side kick panel as well.
Is there a way to allow the driver lights to be on with the...... lets say the parking lights? I want to aim them down and out with Laminex yellow to light the sides of the road to see critters, no chance of blinding drivers there.Might even run lower watt bulbs. Please,please no lectures.
On most aftermarket driving lights the on/off relay gets its trigger voltage from the headlight high beam. If you want the driving lights on with only the parking lights, then you just use the power to the parking lights to trigger your on/off relay. I'm not sure how the oem driving lights are wired but I assume there's a relay in the circuit somewhere. Find that relay and hook it up to the parking lights. If the parking lights are on and you turn on your oem driving light switch, the driving lights should come on.
The OEM wiring is different than the normal setup
On most aftermarket driving lights the on/off relay gets its trigger voltage from the headlight high beam. If you want the driving lights on with only the parking lights, then you just use the power to the parking lights to trigger your on/off relay. I'm not sure how the oem driving lights are wired but I assume there's a relay in the circuit somewhere. Find that relay and hook it up to the parking lights. If the parking lights are on and you turn on your oem driving light switch, the driving lights should come on.
The oem wiring diagram includes something called a "control module" which looks suspiciously like a an ordinary lighting relay. I don't think Mini has reinvented the wheel here so I suspect that module has a terminal that's receiving a signal from the high beams that closes the relay and allows the switch on the dash to turn on the driving lights. If you want the lights to work with just the parking lights you need to find the module (I believe it's in the driver's footwell) and provide power to the appropriate terminal so the relay will activate when the parking lights or on. Good luck.
is there a online supply for the oem wiring diagram ?
Is there someplace online for the oem driving lights wiring diagram ? Does the Bentley show the driving lights diagram? (need to get one
)
)The oem wiring diagram includes something called a "control module" which looks suspiciously like a an ordinary lighting relay. I don't think Mini has reinvented the wheel here so I suspect that module has a terminal that's receiving a signal from the high beams that closes the relay and allows the switch on the dash to turn on the driving lights. If you want the lights to work with just the parking lights you need to find the module (I believe it's in the driver's footwell) and provide power to the appropriate terminal so the relay will activate when the parking lights or on. Good luck.
boy ,that was stupid of me
thanks! looks like A1 is the relay trigger.
but what I think is the relay is drawn different than what I've seen
but what I think is the relay is drawn different than what I've seen
I gotta a better idea
,,, if I could run a resistor in the system to reduce the brightness of the driving lights to about one third( maybe using a resistor from one of those types of circuits that drop day time running lights brightness)
Heres what I want to achieve
Regular use of the driving lights with the OEM switch when the highbeams are on
When the driving lights switch is "on" and dropping down to low beams the driving lights go much dimmer, but only if I have the fogs switched "on"
,,, if I could run a resistor in the system to reduce the brightness of the driving lights to about one third( maybe using a resistor from one of those types of circuits that drop day time running lights brightness)Heres what I want to achieve
Regular use of the driving lights with the OEM switch when the highbeams are on
When the driving lights switch is "on" and dropping down to low beams the driving lights go much dimmer, but only if I have the fogs switched "on"
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
This is a great DYI guide. Thanks!
Does anybody know if the switch and modified knee protection is required for USA/Canadian cars? I was reading the MINI Retrofit guide for the Gen2 driving lights (PDF) and it seems to suggest that it is not required for USA/Canadian cars?
On Page 5 it says:
"2. Preparatory Work
Knee protection, driver's side (US cars only, no longer required)"
On Page 7 it says:
"Legend
R Pushbutton (not for US Cars)"
If you look at OutMotoring, the kit WITH the switch and Carbon Black knee protection is $579... whereas without the switch it is only $411. I have emailed OutMotoring.
So I am wondering can you just cut the opening for the switch, or does the system automatically work with high-beams if the switch is not present?
Does anybody know if the switch and modified knee protection is required for USA/Canadian cars? I was reading the MINI Retrofit guide for the Gen2 driving lights (PDF) and it seems to suggest that it is not required for USA/Canadian cars?
On Page 5 it says:
"2. Preparatory Work
Knee protection, driver's side (US cars only, no longer required)"
On Page 7 it says:
"Legend
R Pushbutton (not for US Cars)"
If you look at OutMotoring, the kit WITH the switch and Carbon Black knee protection is $579... whereas without the switch it is only $411. I have emailed OutMotoring.
So I am wondering can you just cut the opening for the switch, or does the system automatically work with high-beams if the switch is not present?
$170 for the knee bolster and the switch seems a little pricey. You can operate without a switch and your driving lights will be on anytime the high beams are on. I have aftermarket lights and I chose to install a Hella switch in the existing knee bolster.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...switch-003.jpg
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...switch-003.jpg
Last edited by ammodave; Jun 12, 2012 at 09:15 PM.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 435
Likes: 4
From: Baltimore MD Area
Just a BTW but there is a grommet near the battery on the 2nd gen that looks just like it, is waaaay easier to access than the left side and doesnt require risking breaking the windshield by pulling a wiper arm. Just figured Id mention, I brought my control signal for the intercooler fans into the cabin this way.
1st Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 3
From: Hayes, VA
I have 2010 R56 MCS
Installed the driving lights per the Mini Installation Instructions
They don't work! The green light on the pushbutton works...
Confirm: Is X14260 in the footwell module to the left of the brake pedal the one on the bottom?
I saw the post above for 2010 & 2011 to connect A1 to the Yellow/Red (pin 41) The Yellow/Red is much larger than the other wires? Is this the correct wire??
MikeZ
I had some wires reversed at the lights. My mistake.......... Other than that the installation went smoothly.
MikeZ
Installed the driving lights per the Mini Installation Instructions
They don't work! The green light on the pushbutton works...
Confirm: Is X14260 in the footwell module to the left of the brake pedal the one on the bottom?
I saw the post above for 2010 & 2011 to connect A1 to the Yellow/Red (pin 41) The Yellow/Red is much larger than the other wires? Is this the correct wire??
MikeZ
I had some wires reversed at the lights. My mistake.......... Other than that the installation went smoothly.
MikeZ
Last edited by MikeZZMini; Mar 19, 2014 at 03:45 AM. Reason: Addition
Neutral
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Switch panel
Great write up. I made my own switch panel. Maybe one for rear high beams (for tailgaters) and if I cant get the dealer to activate my rear fogs I will wire them to this panel. Im almost done with the driving lights install, didnt have to remove anything just used a hanger to snake wires through.
