I had something similar happen to me when I first installed my MINI LED fogs: either the right turn signal didn't work and everything else was normal, OR as soon as I put the key in the ignition, the headlights would turn on even with the stalk in the OFF position. Thirdly , the footwell lamps didn't work occasionally.

My solution was to twist the wires from the sockets of the footwell module exactly the way they came when I first disconnected them. The two in the back (x14260 and x14261 and particularly the one in the front also for the footwell lamps I had to tape down so it wouldn't move as I would put the trim back together. I just used some electrical tape, and it worked like a charm.
I hope you figure it out. Good luck!

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... than suggested in previous posts:
The attached pic shows connector X1880 from which 4 pins (1-4) need to be pulled and transferred to another connector. The connector housing with the latching mechanism can be removed. It is held by small retainers (which arrow a) held in hole (white arrow b). Lift at the small white arrow, and then pull apart connector core from shell (green arrows). Now just press a pin or ball point tip into the opening of any pin (red arrow onto pin) and pull cable (red arrow on cable). No tools needed, very simple!
The same applies to X14261 on foot space module (that's the larger one shown with shell partially removed in the second picture without any arrows painted).

 

Awesome, thanks for the tip! I will try tomorrow, I had focuse my efforts on the steering column, but I will re-do and re-check the footwell module. I do seem to remember doing one test before reattaching teh trim to that module area, and all was fine, and after the trim it went bad.

On another note, that's kind of scary to note how sensitive the wires / wiring is in that area to any manipulation, yikes!

 

Hi, you verified fuses?

 

Another reason to go with the Cravenspeed nGauge!

 

Nope, will check tomorrow. However, the lights themselves all work (e-flashers activates all), but there is no response to switch input for directionals, so not quite sure if that could be a fuse. And see post by KilmorePT, I think that's the most likely culprit.

 

Agreed, there are probably many reasons, but they are a wee bit pricey for me. I got a good deal on used gauges and on the brand new installation hardware from Schomp MINI via AutoParts, and I also like stock JCW stuff. I do have to admit that these gauges will be limited in how useful they are. Mostly I wanted water temp to see when the engine is warm enough to step on it

 

Never pass up a good deal! Hope you can get everything worked out.

 

Yeah, in my initial install of my lights, I ended up unwinding the wires to open up the socket x14261 and remove the casing to find that grey wire I needed to tap into. I didn't think it was that important to wind them back up so I just put everything back together and called it a day. That is, until I discovered my right turn signal wasn't working! (I didn't realize that I didn't wind up the wires back up until I was troubleshooting).

Anyhow, during my troubleshooting I noticed that x14259 socket (the one in front) was pretty sensitive and my footwell lamps would go on when I plugged it back in, and then turn off by the time I tried to screw down the footwell module in place. Then I just kind of started manipulating the wire in the pic and just pushed it down and the footwell lamps turned back on again. As soon as I removed my finger, it would move and the footwell lamps would turn off. So I realized there was too much "play" in the wires because I did not wind them up as they were before. I disconnected and reconnected all 3 sockets as best as I could with what seemed like the natural coiling that they were in originally. (At this point, I was just kind of guessing)

At first I wound them up too much and got a malfunction warning for every single bulb. lol. So I took it back a notch, and the only way I could get it just right was to use the electrical tape to hold the wire in position. It's been about 4k miles since my install and everything is still working with no problems so far. I hope this info becomes useful to you. Good luck!

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Thanks again KilmerPT! This got me going again, though it's still not perfect: now I have mandatory xenon DRLs, but at least everything else is working. As you had suggested, I think X14259 is the main culprit. However,, I can't quite get it right, it's either one turn sig or the other not working, and most of the time it's xenons on. Now, in my mind this should not be, the electrical system should simply not be that sensitive to positioning or minor pulling / pressure. To boot, the cable to X14259 runs right across the hood release, and in fact is secured to the hood release mechanism! This means there is motion on here all the time. Another thing I noticed is that it makes a difference how tight the nuts securing the foot well module are tightened.
All of this makes me think that there is a defect in the foot well module, such as a cracked circuitboard or connector receptacle to board connection. I will investigate with a dealer on my next visit.
Anyway, thanks for helping get me back on the road. If there is any follow up I will report here.
Happy Motoring all y'all!

 

Not really. To each his own, though.
I had started researching high and low last year before my "Justa" Cooper arrived in port, and unfortunately the JCW gauges were the best solution available at the time. I still havent installed them but plan to this spring. Besides, I had gotten a killer deal on mine as well.

 

I'm having similar but worse issues.

At first the entire car lights dash, signals, interior was flashing like it was possessed and I couldn't even get the code reader to read the ecu. It gave me a heart attack.

The stupid wire to the pin broke on me on the X1880 steering column harness and I tried to improvise but that failed. I've ordered a new harness for that.

Currently the issue is headlight switch doesn't work so no headlight controls or turn signals. The windshield wipers keep going on...can't turn off and lastly neither of the add gauges light up or work.

Anybody know what exactly the 4 wires that are removed and added to the other harness are for?

red/ yellow
brown / black
yellow / black
yellow / brown

 

rcantu:
I don't know what those 4 wires are for.
However, everything you describe sounds very much like the problems I had with the FRM, check this post:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...solutions.html

I had the same problem, that the light switch / stalk was not properly or not at all working. At first I also thought it would have to do with the work done on the steering column, the connectors there, but I was wrong. Ultimately, based on my experience and that of KilmerPT I would say the most likely culprit of your problems is the FRM (Foot Well Module), and specifically the large connectors to the FRM. Most likely the big one that you splice into, X14261.
To check and arrange the connector properly, I ended up completely pulling the trim from the based of the floor on the drivers side: I removed the seat belt anchor and pulled that whole large piece of trim off that runs from front to back. That way I was able to remove the FRM, and undo the plugs. As KilmerPT suggested, I checked every single pin in X14261, and also checked that the cable running to each pin would sit correctly in the plug. Then, re-plug all three connectors into the FRM.
Then I would check for function, even with the FRM flopping around and not re-secured. That will allow you to determine if this is the FRM or plug that is bugging you. That you can do by inserting the key and simply testing the turn signals. However, for some weird reason wiggling things with the key in/ignition off did not matter, I had to turn things off, remove key, fiddle with plugs, key back in, turn on and check signals/lights, and repeat this procedure until things work. Then gradually reassamble things and test each step along the way.
Twisting/arranging the wires to X14261 and the other plugs seems crucial, and this is tricky since you tapped into two wires of plug 14261, and the taps take away space and result in the wires being a bit more taught.
Be patient and fiddle and re-check, and eventually I'm hoping you will get yours to work, as I did mine. Check along every step. Even after securing the FRM, sometimes just pressing the trim back into place may result in things going haywire.
As I posted in the FRM post, I think it's the cheap cr@pola connectors that are the problem.

If your gauges are not working, they may not be receiving power. That could point to the two wires that are tapped into at X14261 by the FRM. Check to make sure that the splice/taps are properly secured. If you are using the supplied (in kit) mini-connectors, these need to be crimped: one cable is placed across one side, the tap wire across the other, then you fold the 'lid' over and then you have to press down. Basically the lid portion of this connectors fits completely into the base part, only then do you have proper contact. I actually used plier to do this (though careful, they do brake easily). On my first attempt, I did not crimp these enough, and had improper contact, and the gauges did not 'fire up'. You could even check for continuity between the two pins of X14261 that these two taps connect to, and the other end of these two wires, which is connector B1 to the control module, part of the kit-wiring harness. Don't know which pins on B1, but same wire color codes. Check to make sure you have good connections between the matching pins of B1 and of X14261.

Oh, one last thing (sorry if this may seem silly or obvious), but did you set the dip switches in the JCW gauge control module correctly per instructions? You have to set based on gauges and engine type / tuning kits.

Good luck!

 

rcantu, one more afterthought:
I think the two wires to FRM are power taps. If you leave connector B1 to JCW gauge control module disconnected, then the gauges will stay off and the control module is not powered, but everything else should still work (all the light controls, even if the gauges don't), since the combination of the 4 pins that are inserted into X1880, and connector B2, basically are just a way for the control module to tap into these four lines (those are the ones you point out in your post above). B3,4,5,6 are contiguous with connector B2. So, unless something is wrong with this tap (and I think this is less likely, and you can check for continuity here too), then I think the problem lies with the FRM and likely x14261.

 

Hi thanks for the detailed response.

I too felt the gremlins are from that FRM because if when x1880 is unplugged from the steering column it does some weird stuff.

1 other issue is this is a R58 JCW coupe and the rear spoiler popped open and wouldn't close as well as having a 'take it to dealer' light and that switch is on the roof so that also supplemented to the fact it most likely the FRM.

I'm going to check the continuity and voltage of the B1-B4 wires tonight as well as I speculate they're just power wires for the gauges and perhaps 2 sensors.

I did double check the dip switch in the control module already too.

The additional heart ache is I was installing the halo led foglight retrofit and also the auxilary grill lights as well so I had to tap more into the pins of that FRM so I barely have any wiggle room. I checked the voltage to both B7 and B8 that goes to the B14261 harness and I only get a reading with 1 wire only and I swear it was on the oem line not the tapped wire but I will check again.

I wish I could find the pin assignments to each wire on that FRM so I could just wiggle them or straighten like you did. I'm so burnt out putting in over 20 hours installing and troubleshooting.

 

Reading through above posts made me realize that I did not (yet) report a follow-up to my troubles in this thread here.

I did solve my problem, all is working well now. The problem as it turned out was very much as KilmerPT suggested: the connectors to the Foot Well Module, or FRM.
Check out this thread for details:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...solutions.html

 

You could start by just checking the wires and pins of any of the wires you tapped into, by the FRM. The added taps likely altered the way the wires run, and may have pulled the pins out of the plug a bit. I'd try to 1) make sure the mini-taps are firmly/fully crimped, and 2) make sure these wires have as much play as possible, and 3) there is no pull/tension on these wires in the connector.

KilmerPT did use some tape to secure the wire bundles to the FRM. I tried that but it did not work for me. For me it was making sure there is no tension on the tapped wires, and then also tucking the wire bundles back under the carpet, securing the FRM and making sure all is working before reattaching the trim.

Like you said, this made me realize how tricky it is to add multiple devices to the FRM (lights AND gauges), yikes!

 

thanks. yea i'm gonna test and do the twist thing too. it's not gonna be fun but hopefully i get lucky.

 

Alright after more troubleshooting I messed with the tapped wires then carefully put the FRM back in it's place. That seemed to make all the quirkiness of the headlights, turn signals and wipers so I thought.

I wired up the jcw control module and checked the dip switches. As soon as I turned on the ignition...bam...wipers and spoiler popped. I think the possible problem is that this was a R58 coupe not a R56. The manual I downloaded has no specifics for R58. Also the auxiliary lights with the Euro dash switch didn't work either yet the LED halo retrofit worked like a dream and that has "R58" listed.

Perhaps I just had a bad luck or a bad module. In the end I just patched up the wiring to stock and left it alone before things could get worse.

Thanks Zepher1 for all your help!

 

So after removing the gauge kit and getting the wiring back to stock, did everything work again as before (lights, wipers)? (I hope so). Indeed, the JCW manual does not list the R58, and the R58 has the spoiler that is one of the things giving you trouble. Could be worth asking a dealer whether the JCW gauges can be had for the R58.
Sounds like your best bet is to sell the JCW gauges, and maybe save your pennies for the Cravenspeed nGauges.
Sometimes modern electronics makes me yearn for the days of my old MGB-GT.
Well, I hope you can have some happy motoring again now, and not just on rainy days!

 

Yea with stock wiring there are zero issues. It was for a friend of a friend's car and I asked if he confirmed it was for R58 and he said yes but there must me some sort of modification or setting to the dip switches perhaps.

I agree about modern electronics. I'm going to buy me a 2nd gen Camaro that has no electronics besides the 8 track which I would upgrade. haha.

 

Hey,
I'm having a nightmare trying to install the gauge kit, finding very similar issues as yourselves. I don't know where to go now.

Installed with minor complications, broke the crimp connector on x1880 red yellow wire and had to solder back on.
Completed installation, battery reconnected and on start up, wipers on constantly, no power to gauges, and starting up motor dsc warning, and then windows don't return up when door closed. All lighting working ok no other problems.
Tried everything, checked and rechecked every single connection, even removed all, breaking yet another crimp connector this time on pin 3, got it stuck and had to butcher the plug just to get it out, back to stock wiring and same issues!!

I'm now worse off than when I started, I've had that Fcm in and out so many times, I cannot trace the fault, the really annoying thing is I've stripped and connected the wires on the x14261 to get a firm connection and still no power to gauges!

I've got an r56 mcs.

Don't want tot go to the dealer couldn't afford the install cost, now it looks like an expensive repair bill!!

 

May I ask how you broke the connectors? Did you separate the wire from the terminal pin by pulling?

 

Yeah, the pin became stuck about half way in the connector when drawing it out, I wasn't being too hard in the pin and cable as it is a very thin fragile connection, but it gave in and snapped after an amount of gentle wiggling and pulling, one of those moments where your heart sinks and you wish you could rewind the last minute!

Calling the dealer in the morning!

 

Hope they can help you out at a reasonable price.