My new to me Mini had LED light bulbs in the license plate lights. It seemed to work ok, but today I got a bulb warning. I check and find neither bulb working. I have the stock bulbs (which I checked to be good before installing) which I then installed. Still no lights. It is as if there is no power going to either of the sockets. I can't find evidence of a fuse to check.

Help appreciated.
2012 Mini Cooper S

 

Surely someone has a idea on a solution to fix this. Save me from visiting a dealer please.

 

Presumably, you've checked the fuses in the right side foot well kick panel? Though if it were a fuse, something else probably would not be working also. There is a ground location behind the rear trim panel on the right x490 according to Bentley, but I would doubt that your problem unless it burned.

 

As I mentioned in my original post, I see no listing for a fuse for the tag lights.

 

Me either. The closest was F16, I think it was what covered "cargo area." Just a thought, since I don't see any fuses that cover the main lighting system, and you can be sure the bulbs you have in place are good, pull the positive battery cable and let the ecu reset. Just a thought.

 

Lighting is all connected to the foot well module located in the lower drivers side kick panel. The schematic shows that if you have a bad license circuit you will likely not have use of the boot lid push button either. If that is working, I'd tend to fault the bulb or their connection.

 

I just checked the boot lid switch. It opens as expected. The bulbs are new and I checked them for continuity.

 

I had to replace the entire footwell module do to my drivers side front blinker wouldn't blink, all it would do is stay solid draining my battery. Cost CareMax $1000 dollars (stupid aftermarket alarm!), I heard from my SA that he has never heard of a footwell module going bad in 10 years. Check to see if there might be a short in the wiring, there is in mine on the drivers side front fog light. I just wiggled the harness and it has been working for several months now.

 

Dealer said they might try resetting "light module". I am too new to understand what that might entail.

 

I don't know about that.... I've had my foot well module out, spliced into it for extra driving lights. Not much bigger than a deck of cards. What that would mean to me is they would disconnect the battery long enough to drain off the power and reconnect it. Did you do that?

 

Didn't know to do that. I can certainly go try it.

 

LED bulbs can't be used on any light outside the car or you will eventually get a bulb error. I've tried different lights in the license plate with no luck - even so called error free

 

Did you confirm that you are not getting power in the sockets for the bulbs? I had both of my lights out, then replaced them (wagner bulbs from NAPA). My new bulbs went bad within 2 weeks, replaced them with Sylvania. I had to tweak one of the tabs to make good contact with the replacement bulbs.

Mike

 

you don't know how to disconnect the battery?

 

I just disconnected battery for about 2 minutes. Reconnected it and it did not bring tag lights to life. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I did have to "tighten" up the connectors when I put the new incandescent bulbs in, otherwise they were able to rotate loosely and I was concerned about good contact.

I standby for any further help.

Systemlord........that made me smile, I was saying I didn't know that would be a possible fix.
Eurobeast, I hear you. I am a new owner just trying to get this thing to work without much Mini expertise on my part (not yet anyway).

 

I have read here that they can be finicky. Some of the festoon bulbs are not the greatest either; not all created equal. I wonder what the issue was with the digital that went bad? I was thinking of doing the Ziza back there from ECS. Got me doing second thoughts on that now.

 

Mike had a great idea in checking to see that you had power there. It sounds like you have a multi meter to check that? Turn the lights on with the lens off and touch the connector for power?

 

I did check them with a meter, but will head back out for another look. I think I will also put 12 volts across the LED's I removed.

 

Have you tried the Ziza brand ones being offered? I have them in both my running lights and front fogs for over a month without issue...so far. was contemplating the license lights, but now, maybe not.

 

OK, checked bulbs by directly connecting them to battery and they work fine.

Confirmed no power to connectors for tag lights. FYI, they were working earlier this week and have since I purchased the car, but that hasn't been that long.

I wish I understood the power source for those sockets. I thought there were tied into the other rear lights. As all other lights work fine, I don't understand where the power is stopping to the license plate lights.

 

I'm trying to upload a pic but not cooperating.

 

Thanks, but that is not a schematic I understand. Too old for this new fangled car. I sure hope I get to enjoy making it "my car" without some computer spoiling it for me.

I really appreciate the help with this.

 

No, that's just the circuit diagram out of Bentley showing the leg from the foot well module. That is one of 36 or more on the module itself. The entire schematic, with all the diagrams is a couple hundred pages. Bentley is about $100 but worth the price if you want to diy.


We know several things at this point about your issue, perhaps.
The foot well module is providing a signal to the back of the car because your boot lid button works when you push on it on the car, not the key fob. But you don't have power to the light sockets themselves. Since they seem to share power from the module, the problem should lie directly within the lid where the light sockets plug in to the main, presuming that would be behind the trim of the boot lid. Removing the boot lid handle may well reveal the connections you are looking for. If the boot handle has ever been replaced, as they are replaceable for color, carbon, etc, the connection may not have been re-made well and corroded or just came loose. Others will chime in that know more about the assembly than I, but that would be a good place to start. A good source for assembly pictures is realoem.com. SewellParts.com has a good parts diagram published easy to get to that are probably realoem shared from some other source of which I am unaware. There is probably an easy fix here with a little time and investigation. Good luck with it and let us know what you find and the solution!

 

You might try removing the entire light fixture from the tailgate and check for voltage at the harness before the bulbs. I did this when buffing my entire car, I wanted to buff it while it was off the car. You can disconnect the fixture from the car, just trying to keep ideas flowing. What if you burnt out the fixture because of the LEDs, I hear they run hot!

All you need is a torx screwdriver, there are only four screws but I forget what size.

We both posted at the same time!

 

This car is a 2012 and has been kept very stock. I did take the lip off with the hope of finding a connection I could check. The connector was clean and very well connected together. I didn't know what wires to check for current or even how to get at them, what with the very small connector. I didn't know how to access the small circuit board that the bulb connectors are on. Maybe the interior panel of the rear hatch?

Thanks, Systemlord. I had hoped to find a location where I had power. The connector from the rear hatch to the lip has three wires. I was uncertain and therefore unwilling to probe those wires for power.