I'm trying to get some clarification on the difference between a 2012+ R56 (Hatchback) S and an R58 Coupe S set up for the tail light system.

On my R58 the tail light unit contains the rear light that comes on with the headlights, the brake light and the turn signal lamp. Then below at the bottom of the bumper is a fog / back up light.

How, if at all, does this differ from the R56? Best I can tell it does not. If that is the case, then would I be able to use any aftermarket tail light unit designed / approved for an R56 in my R58. Of course I’d want it to be fully functional and not throw any codes.

Has anyone had any experience with this or have any insight?

 

R56/57/58/59 use the same taillights. There are LED light bars that are the running lights, two standard bulbs in behind that are the brake lights, and a single bulb with red lens in the middle that's the turn signal. Back-up lights and rear fogs in the rear bumper are the same as well. I can't see why the wiring would be any different, so I'd imagine that any aftermarket unit for 2011+ R56 should be fine in an R58.

 

That's kinda how I had it figured until I was looking at some DEPO / REVi MotorWerks LED replacement units and read this description:

FOR 2007-2012 Mini Cooper Hatchback (Compact)
& 2009-2012 Mini Cooper Convertible Only
Does NOT fit on Coupe nor Clubman

I thought how can that be... After all, the 2012+ hatchback (R56) and coupe (R58) are identical from the beltline down and they even use the same tail light part...I checked on Real OEM and the part numbers are exactly the same. So why wouldn't they work just fine on a R58?

So what; if anything could be the issue; maybe the harness or some coding or could the description just be wrong and I'd be fine?

 

The description is obviously wrong. The same tail light cannot work for those span of years. Maybe they mean it will physically fit, but it wouldn't be plug and play.

 

They claim they're plug and play for those models:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121089414584...84.m1438.l2649

So I wondered if that's true for those models then why not for an R58

 

In the pictures, they appear to have a back-up light within the taillight, which means they're actually meant for 2007-2010 models, before they moved the back-up light to the bumper. That would obviously exclude the coupe and roadster, so that part of the description is correct, anyway, but they're really not intended for any 2011+ Mini.

 

Well as much as I'd like to disagree with you... Only because I want to go this route.

But it looks like you nailed it. I'll let you know how they respond when I bring it to their attention.

Thanks again

 

I suspect that on a 2012 the turn signal, brake, and running lights will work, but the backup light won't be connected to anything and will be nonfunctional unless you add some wiring. Your existing backup light in the bumper will be unaffected and continue to work.

So there may be some truth if they say it is "compatible" and "plug-and-play" for a 2012 MINI, but not quite 100% accurate either.

 

My concern now would be the pin out on the unit. If it's designed to include a back up light then there should probably be two pins for that.

On the other hand, in a 2011+ model there'd be no need for such pins in the harness nor in the connector. So unless the connector was the 'old' version with blanks to line up with those pins the two connectors may not mate at all.

 

The back up light only uses one pin (everything in the taillight uses a common ground). As long as the two versions of taillight use the same type of connector, I would expect them to mate no matter which pin positions are occupied or not. This is typical for most connectors on the MINI.

 

Agreed, so now I just have to find out if a 2007 thru 2010 harness connector is the same as a post 2011 one, or more importantly a 2013 coupe. If so the aftermarket lights would plug into all of them.

 

I have already confirmed with my Dealer's Service Manager that the new tail light set up is not compatible with the 2007-2010, I also wanted them installed on Molly. It may or may not be connector issue, but I was told that the new tail lights have fiber optics in them.

 

But I have seen these work on a 2012 Coupe...just not a fan of the shield design.

http://www.outmotoring.com/gen-2-bla...lights-11.html

So plug and play LED is possible.

 

But those are not the same as the DEPO lights you linked on eBay. You can see they have no backup light, and the listing says they are specifically for only 2011+. Outmotoring has a different model for 2007-2010, which they say will not work for 2011+: http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...r_R56_R57.html

In the end, anything can be made to work if you don't require that it be plug-and-play.

 

I was just pointing out the other lights for his ^ benefit in case he was interested.

Also making the point that the fact that there may be fiber optics in the new lights doesn't prevent a LED retro fit.

The guy with the DEPO ones is checking with his supplier to see what he can find out.

Thanks again everyone for your input...it's been very helpful

 

Use of the term "fiber optics" could be confusing here. It does not mean the digital MOST fiber optic data bus, which in the MINI is only used in the entertainment system.

"Fiber optic lighting" is something else entirely: Basically, it means a light source (LED or incandescent) lighting the end of a plastic or glass tube. Light travels down the tube, and you can prepare the material so that the entire length of the tube lights up (like toy light sabres). This is the principle behind the running light stripes in the 2011+ taillights. They happen to be lit by LED's, which are simply functioning like a light bulb. So the dealer's comment about "fiber optics" is not untrue but it has little bearing on taillight compatibility.

 

Got it...thanks

 

Sorry guess I didn't read the OP's entire post, I was referring to the OEM Tail Lights.