I have OEM Driving Lights on my 06 MCS Cabrio with OEM Xenon head lights. The dealer wired them to go on independent of the high beams. They claim that with factory Xenons the MCS cannot be wired to go on\off with the high beams.

Needless to say, it is inconvenient (and dangerous) to have to flip two switches to toggle the high beams AND the Driving Lights with oncoming traffic. I want to rewire the Driving Lights to the high beams.

My question: Does what the dealer claim make sense? If not, then do I merely reconnect the Driving Light relay to the high beam wire? Any help with references to wiring diagrams would be useful.

I have Mini’s PDF on driving light installation. The factory Driving Light relay plugs into a pre-existing control module on the right side of the vehicle (plug 41 on control module BC1).

Here is the PDF: http://outmotoring.com/how_to/foglightsinstall.pdf. Even though it says foglights, the pdf IS for driving lights.


[FONT=&quot]Doug[/FONT]

 

Your dealer is selling you a BS line. In fact, most every state its required that driving lights be wired to the go on/off with the high beams.

I have Xenons with the factory lights and they are wired properly, they go off with the highs. Since MINIs are NOT bi-xenons, the relay should be connected to the power side of the high beam circuit. (sorry I have no diagram). I believe that is correct. YMMV

 

The OEM lights have to be armed after turning the high beams on but will go off when the high beams are turned off.

 

Mine do not.

 

this thread shows where to tap the High beam for an aftermarket driving light. I am about to do the same on my 06 MCS. Just took pics of a dealer's JCW car with hellas, they tap at the same place.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=29482

 

Hurray!
While at the Mini Dealer, I mentioned my problem again. The first time I had a BMW service representative who did not know anything about a Mini. He could not advocate my problem well and said it was wired correctly and having Xeon lights was the reason for the Driving Lights to work independently of everything else.

This time, the dealer had a Mini Service Representative separate from the BMW's. He knew from listening to my issues that something was not right and advocated to the Service Manager. Because of the PDF above, I mentioned that the BC1 connection was probably not correct. I was planning to explore myself this connection, but without a full schematic, I would have had to do trial and error and risk frying a relay.

The Service people looked again and confirmed that the BC1 was not connected correctly and fixed the problem. Now, after I independently activate the Factory Driving lights, they go on and off in conjunction with the High Beam

The lesson to be learned: Make sure your Mini Dealer has an independent Mini service representative or ask to deal with one if possible.

Doug