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Hello,
I apologize if this has been a topic but I haven't found it. I am trying to get my MINI inspected here in Germany with the military and my hazards aren't working. I couldn't say how long this has ben an issue. I started troubleshooting and learned the illumination switch also does nothing, though the dash lights come on fine with the headlight switch.
So I'm looking for anyone who has come across this issue. My plan so far is to pull the instrument carrier and make sure nothing is loose, identify the power pins and make sure nothing is pushed in etc. It appears as though the switch just provides an internal ground within the instrument control box to a signal coming from another controller box. Or something. I can't see how the illumination switch comes into play though. Anyway I'm at a loss for how this works and the bently wiring diagram is a bear I feel.
I believe there are two separate flashers for the turn signals and hazards. I’m not sure where they are located but either behind the left or right inside kick panels would be a good bet.
Thanks for the response. From what I can tell there isn't any flashers at all. Instead it's all computer controlled. If only it was as simple as changing the flasher relay...
You might try removing the hazard switch from the dash and cleaning it. Or try turning the hazards on and off rapidly to see if there’s some temporary crud.
Bryan, thanks for clarifying the flasher question. So the dimmer button does nothing. Light illumination on the dash when park/head lights turned on is constant. The button illumination for both the hazard button and dimmer button works (they light up). The turn signals work and I believe use the same fuse as the hazard circuit. However I will double check all fuses to make sure I'm not missing something this weekend. What has me curious is the fact that both the switch buttons integral to the instrument carrier are inop, yet I can't find a common denominator between them short of the instrument carrier itself. You'd think troubleshooting a problem common to two systems would narrow things down...
I'm looking for someone to confirm my thoughts on how the hazard button functions so I can test the circuit. It looks like if I provide a ground to the power wire coming into the button (not sure which one as I don't have the diagram in front of me) it should make the lights go. However I see a resistor in the circuit which I think is 60 ohm? Do I need to wire that in before providing the ground to test the circuit?
Or do I just give up and go to the German dealer and have them order thousands in parts..ugh.
Yeah you would think. I recall the Bentley manual referencing two fuses (FL 8 and 12 or something) that were the main power. I'm pretty sure they were the same for both signal and hazard. I thought maybe the signal circuit was interrupted some other way within the controller. I'll double check everything this weekend. Thanks for the replies so far. If I figure this out maybe it will help someone else down the line anyway..
The illumination button doesn't work. It isn't operator error.
Sorry. Didn’t mean to mislead. Who would have thought they would complicate a simple tried and true, easy to fix concept as turn signals/flashers relays.
Sorry. Didn’t mean to mislead. Who would have thought they would complicate a simple tried and true, easy to fix concept as turn signals/flashers relays.
no worries. So I'm back in the book. Sure enough both turn signal and hazard systems show two 50amp fuses both feeding the A1 controller. So as I page through this system the takeaway is there is this A1 controller which has, among other sources, 2/50 amp fuses which it uses to direct power out to the marker lights. Depending on the input either from the turn signal stalk or the hazard switch, it tells the lights what to do. Holy stupid complicated for the backyard mech.
So im praying for an obvious bad wife, pushed pin, loose connection or crappy ground. Otherwise I may be looking at likely the A2 instrument controller replacement to make my stupid hazards work. I'm sure that's real cheap...
Those 50a fuses are under the hood, and not that easy to find if needed. I bought used ones off eBay because my R52 JCW had one missing
Curious about what you find out
Bryan
i really don't anticipate those being bad as I think they are main power for the controller not just the hazard circuit. But who knows.. I'll be sure to post what I see tomorrow
I had issues with my 2006 JCW convertible a while back.....the carpet under the passenger side was wet, all of the K-bus computer wiring was corroded, or broken off the connector. A lot of items in my car didn't work......I pulled the rest of the wires from the connector, stripped insulation from wires until I got good clean wire .....then twisted and soldered all the wires together
Sorry. Didn’t mean to mislead. Who would have thought they would complicate a simple tried and true, easy to fix concept as turn signals/flashers relays.
............. because that's what MINI do with everything else ! ............
MPizzolla - before you start tearing things apart, try a gentle little squirt of electronic switch cleaner to the edge of the button. My hazard switch is OK, but the dashboard dimmer one wasn't - it's OK now.
I haven't checked my manual, but a 50A fuse is a pretty hefty one - it must be protecting an awful lot more than the panel lights. If it's blown, there'd be a lot more stuff not working.
If you're checking ground connections, just because they are dry now doesn't mean they weren't wet in the past. I believe you need to carefully remove the plugs from the sockets & inspect for corrosion.
More switch cleaner & a toothbrush!.
I had issues with my 2006 JCW convertible a while back.....the carpet under the passenger side was wet, all of the K-bus computer wiring was corroded, or broken off the connector. A lot of items in my car didn't work......I pulled the rest of the wires from the connector, stripped insulation from wires until I got good clean wire .....then twisted and soldered all the wires together
Everything in the car started to work again......
Something to think about
Bryan
Isn't that something I'd have guessed the controller did more than just act as a bus. But looks like that's it huh.
............. because that's what MINI do with everything else ! ............
MPizzolla - before you start tearing things apart, try a gentle little squirt of electronic switch cleaner to the edge of the button. My hazard switch is OK, but the dashboard dimmer one wasn't - it's OK now.
I haven't checked my manual, but a 50A fuse is a pretty hefty one - it must be protecting an awful lot more than the panel lights. If it's blown, there'd be a lot more stuff not working.
If you're checking ground connections, just because they are dry now doesn't mean they weren't wet in the past. I believe you need to carefully remove the plugs from the sockets & inspect for corrosion.
More switch cleaner & a toothbrush!.
Good advice. Yeah I don't think those fuses are exclusive for the dimmer or the hazards. I'm thinking they are main power for the controller and all that it does. The systems it controls also largely have fuses. Mostly in the footwell box. The hazards don't. It's such a weird not intuitive set up! Thanks for weighing in though.
Well I guess the car gods decided to reward me since the serpentine belt I had to replace on my German spec BMW diesel about beat me. Long story short it appears as though someone may have tampered with the dash at some point and broke stuff. Not sure if someone attempted to steal something or what but it's an odd break. The switch was separated just enough to not make contact. Wasn't at all noticeable with everything together. Thanks all for the advice!
Yeah it was nice to have that be simple. However during the course of this repair I all the sudden got the dreaded passenger seat occupancy fault and corresponding SRS airbag light on the dash. I literally JUST had an airbag system fault that turned out to be the battery positive disconnect. I bought the tool to read and clear the fault and put it behind me. Now this. Can't make it up.
So I bought an emulator off evilBay for 40 bucks. Hoping it does the trick. I saw some posts which went down the rabbit hole and got real complicated with altering code in the computer and such. That intimidates me. If this is still a topic of interest I can let people know how the emulator worked for me.
