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My 2004 R53 Cooper S with dealer JCW package and aero kit has clear tail light lenses and red LED lamps. Many of the Minis I see have red tail light lenses and I am wondering if this was a particular model characteristic or some sort of option. Anyone know if it was a model year thing or an option thing?
The photo of the lamp holder does not show the red color very well, but both the brake light and the fog light are red LEDs (and the brake lamp LEDs glow slightly when not lit by the brake switch)
My 2004 R53 Cooper S with dealer JCW package and aero kit has clear tail light lenses and red LED lamps. Many of the Minis I see have red tail light lenses and I am wondering if this was a particular model characteristic or some sort of option. Anyone know if it was a model year thing or an option thing?
The photo of the lamp holder does not show the red color very well, but both the brake light and the fog light are red LEDs (and the brake lamp LEDs glow slightly when not lit by the brake switch)
Well, Well, Well, I learn something new about this car every week, it seems.
So white lights were a Mini option. Not sure I understand the reasoning, but they do go along with the white roof, white stripes, and white mirror caps. Perhaps there was a "white everything option"?
I don't remember seeing solder on the middle lamps but I don't think I removed either of them. I do know the LED lamps came out easily with the usual 1/8 turn. Seems it would not make much difference if the middle turn signal lamps were white or perhaps amber, but the local sheriff might object to white brake lights.
I see in the instructions listed in the other thread that white light kit installation involves getting into the wiring at the Body Control Module, so I wonder if fitting this white light option is the reason my fog lamps are only getting 5 volts rather than 12 volts when I flip the rear fog light switch on? And whoever did the work neglected to add the reflectors the kit instructions say "When installing the kit, reflectors must also be properly installed in the rear of the vehicle to meet US lighting legal requirements in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)108 (Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment) ~". I'm glad they did not cut into the aero bumper cover to add reflectors - would kind of defeat the whole "white look" thing. In any case my fog lights became extra brake lights when I did the diode mod, so they do get some use.
The pic below is a better one to show the LED color after the brake/fog mod. Hard to believe Mini wanted to sell you the whole lamp holder if only one lamp burned out.
Its was a rare option and/or retrofit. I have not seen that many, it was a euro style thing. Not a white roof thing. They were locked in as you were not supposed to switch normal bulbs in, thats why. They have those diadem bulbs. It was a 2002-2004 style thing when clear lights were in.
