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Stock Problems/IssuesDiscussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Clubman (R55), Cooper and Cooper S(R56), and Cabrio (R57).
based on RealOEM data it looks like that assembly comes as one unit and you can't get the left stalk individually, unfortunately. Very strange issue, I would be curious to find out what resolves it.
The automatic turning off is indeed implemented in the SZL (the thing in the picture), but it has nothing to do with the stalk (unless the stalk is physically staying in the 'on' position, which it shouldn't).
If you have DSC, it uses the steering angle sensor (inside the SZL), so you would have other problems as well. If you don't have DSC there is a separate 'coarse' steering angle sensor (also inside the SZL) just for the indicator turn-off.
Summarizing you most likely have to replace the entire SZL anyway.
If you are after a second hand one, note that there are a lot of options that affect the SZL; DSC, manual headlight adjustment, automatic lights and multifunctional steering wheel all have to correspond.
Thank you for the information! I also note that full beam headlights do not stay on. They only flash on when the stalk is pulled and go of when it's released. Does this suggest anything more? EDIT: Ahh I just need to push it forwards rather than pull it!
I have trouble getting the wipers to switch off too, but maybe I just need to read the instructions.
I get no reports DSC errors, no fault codes which I would expect with a steering angle sensor failure.
Last edited by ssashton; May 26, 2017 at 06:23 AM.
Wipers are strange at first because like the turn signals the stalk returns to center position after you trigger it. You should always be able to push the stalk down a couple times to turn it off. If the wipers are off then pushing it down will perform one wipe.
Yep, my SZL is broken! I went to have a look at the serial number and on reassembly the airbag doesnt get detexted and wipers sometimes do their own thing. Apparently there is a ribbon cable inside that gets snapped so Ill see if I can repair it at some point.
If I need to search for a replacement is there a list of the part numbers and the functions they support? I've read there are many variants. I don't even know if the current one is original as the steering wheel buttons don't work either.
EDIT: Actually the SZL was not broken. However after messing with the airbag I do have an airbag light and I still havn't fixed the indicators not auto-cancelling.
Last edited by ssashton; Jun 12, 2017 at 09:49 AM.
I'm struggling a little bit now. I started with just the issue that my direction indicators didn't auto-cancel.
I have since removed and checked over the SZL and it is all in good condition - all connections are good.
After messing with the SZL I now have more problems. There is an airbag warning light on all the time, along with a seatbelt light in the big centre dial and adding to that, when I switch the engine off the wipers start working (until I remove the key-fob). While I'm using the car thankfully wipers behave fine.
I do not get any DSC errors.
So... I'm guessing I need to take this to a Mini garage and have them clear the airbag error and somehow program the SZL to work the indicator auto-cancel?
Before I do that it would be really nice to know if this car was meant to have steering wheel controls or not. It has them on the wheel but the SZL does not support them (I can see that when I opened the SZL). I put my VIN in a decoder but it doesn't mention that.
The ribbon cable can be fixed but I wouldn't trust it afterwards. I took mine apart and tried but given that this also controls your airbag, you dont want to have it fixed improperly such that the connection is faulty and the airbag doesn't inflate when ti needs or inflates when it shouldn't.
Nope. After replacing your complete SZL you'll need to have it calibrated at BMW/Mini or company that specializes in BMW/Mini.
Very few of these aftermarket tools work. Even my supposedly powerful AUTOENGINUITY software couldn't do it.
Thanks for your reply.
I havent replaced nor repaired the szl, it was and still is just fine. I dont get any errors about it, but my direction indicators dont auto cancel.
What exactly did you try to do and couldnt?
I just want to reset the airbag error. The Creator 310 says it can do that, any experiance if it works with the r56?
My hunch about the indicators is that the szl is giving data about the relative position of the steering so i dont get a asc error, but perhaps it doesnt know the absolute angle needed to click the indicators off at center. If I can get a steering angle readout I can probably rotate the szl until it is centered.
I havent replaced nor repaired the szl, it was and still is just fine. I dont get any errors about it, but my direction indicators dont auto cancel.
What exactly did you try to do and couldnt?
I just want to reset the airbag error. The Creator 310 says it can do that, any experiance if it works with the r56?
My hunch about the indicators is that the szl is giving data about the relative position of the steering so i dont get a asc error, but perhaps it doesnt know the absolute angle needed to click the indicators off at center. If I can get a steering angle readout I can probably rotate the szl until it is centered.
Its explained in my thread.
Is your ribbon cable broken?
I dont know anything about 310. Recalibrating a SZL to a differebt vehice is different than removing an airbag error or calibrating steering angle.
The SZL is not broken. If the SZL was from a differnt vehical and not programmed in, I would get a ASC / DSC error, wouldn't I?
Having taken it apart to check if the ribbon was broken (it wasn't), I do believe somebody has swapped in a new ribbon cartridge and popped it on the existing PCB and angle sensor but not aligned it properly.
I think the angle sensor is not matched to the ribbon cartridge because when I rotated the cartridge to show '0' in the window it was not pointing centrally up. I think if I can get a steering angle readout I can fix it.
A side effect of messing with the SZL is that the airbag light came on and wont go off again.
The SZL is not broken. If the SZL was from a differnt vehical and not programmed in, I would get a ASC / DSC error, wouldn't I?
Having taken it apart to check if the ribbon was broken (it wasn't), I do believe somebody has swapped in a new ribbon cartridge and popped it on the existing PCB and angle sensor but not aligned it properly.
I think the angle sensor is not matched to the ribbon cartridge because when I rotated the cartridge to show '0' in the window it was not pointing centrally up. I think if I can get a steering angle readout I can fix it.
A side effect of messing with the SZL is that the airbag light came on and wont go off again.
I dont know what errors you would or wouldnt get to be honest. I dont know if these units are just programmed for each car's host of features or if they are a different part with different internals depending in the R56 in question.
I dont know what errors you would or wouldnt get to be honest. I dont know if these units are just programmed for each car's host of features or if they are a different part with different internals depending in the R56 in question.
The one I have is missing parts on the pcb where the steering wheel controls would connect, so Id suggest they are in some ways physically different. Although I gather they changed to making them all fully functional amd just setting features in software later on.
The white disk is geared so it winds up the slack / unwinds the ribbon cable as the center black section turns. The gold disk is slits in it that 3 light sensors read to give angle. It is also geared so I guess that part counts the number of full rotations.
The ribbon carrier can be miss-matched with both the large white gear above as well as with the total rotations of the gold disk if it moves.
I have just got myself a Creator C310 which has allowed me to reset the airbag lights.
I can now also see the steering angle readout. It is showing a constant -1440 degrees like the chap in the link you shared.
Having looked inside the SZL I believe it detects the angle of the steering in two fashions. Firstly as a 0-360 degree reading from the optical eye and the metal disc. Secondly from the small black gear that I guess counts the number of total disc rotations.
Before I consider the SZL scrap, I am going to connect it up to the car while open and freely rotate the metal disc to see if the problem is simply the black gear having somehow got confused or spun around and counted over the limit. Perhaps I can spin it back to 0 degrees and re-assemble.
I did something similar on a Renault Laguna. Rather than run a calibration (which I didn't know how to do) I just took the angle sensor off the steering column and spun it back to 0 degrees and re-assembled. All worked great. In the case of the Mini I will need to take the ribbon cartridge off first so I don't break that.
I was wrong about the small black gear ounting total rotations it is simply there for stability of the metal disc.
Getting dark now, tomorrow Ill try to see whats wrong with it.
Edit: while its dark I connected the unit to see if there was actually any ouput from the light sensor. It's infra-red so not possible to see by naked eye but cameras can see it. Light is there! So I need to figure out why I dont get a sensible reading.
Edit again: I wasnt wrong about thw black gear it has a magnetic strip on the back and some sensors pick that up to count total rotations. Need to check that is not at fault.
Last edited by ssashton; Jun 17, 2017 at 05:32 PM.
Okay! I have been testing and found that it really seems the two hall effect sensors that sit under the black gear are broken. They should run on 5V but they only get 1.3V. It's not the supply at fault though, because if I disconnect the hall sensor ICs from the supply I get the right supply voltage. So the 2x HAL411 SOT89 hall effect sensors are broken and pulling the supply low I think.
The sad news is the parts are discontinued and I can't find them anywhere!! I also can't find a suitable alternative because even though Micronas make the HAL1821 which has the right package and sensitivity, it is not a differential output like the HAL411. Bugger it!
Anybody know where there are a couple of Micronas HAL411 sensors laying about??
Okay! I have been testing and found that it really seems the two hall effect sensors that sit under the black gear are broken. They should run on 5V but they only get 1.3V. It's not the supply at fault though, because if I disconnect the hall sensor ICs from the supply I get the right supply voltage. So the 2x HAL411 SOT89 hall effect sensors are broken and pulling the supply low I think.
The sad news is the parts are discontinued and I can't find them anywhere!! I also can't find a suitable alternative because even though Micronas make the HAL1821 which has the right package and sensitivity, it is not a differential output like the HAL411. Bugger it!
Anybody know where there are a couple of Micronas HAL411 sensors laying about??
Hey hope you fix your SZL, please advise it the hall effect sensors are the main problem for indicator as well for calibrating problem,
i had this problem before in my wife's car and i get a used one after coding i found problem i think the second SZL also faulty !! but i can't found any matching SZL for the car , so i'm looking how i can repair .
I'm not sure if it was the problem. My SZL was not the right one for my car. When I asked for it to be coded the garrage said it was the wrong one. I think the last owner must have replaced it after an accident.
I was told thtold the SZL is not coded to match the car VIN number then the indicator will not switch off and some functions not work. The SZL and other computers hold a memory of the car VIN number so if they dont match it can cause problems.
I do have the hall effect sensor if you need it, I can send it for postage cost.
Last edited by ssashton; Aug 28, 2021 at 06:25 PM.
I'm not sure if it was the problem. My SZL was not the right one for my car. When I asked for it to be coded the garrage said it was the wrong one. I think the last owner must have replaced it after an accident.
I was told thtold the SZL is not coded to match the car VIN number then the indicator will not switch off and some functions not work. The SZL and other computers hold a memory of the car VIN number so if they dont match it can cause problems.
I do have the hall effect sensor if you need it, I can send it for postage cost.
Thank you for your quick reply and suggestion, But i want to confirm if the faulty hall effect sensor are the reason of the whole problem as i get 3 error DSC Interface: SZL/LWS Signal Error (5DFB)
(SZL): 9E28 Control Unit - Internal Fault (EPS): 6111 EPS Steering Wheel Angle
and sometimes i got other fault related to SZL from different ECU!!
