Posted an inquiry in MINI Talk a few days ago; only one response...

Has anyone had trouble with their Xenons not coming on after starting in the cold? The other night I had taken a long drive, stopped for five minutes, and got back in the car. It was about 25 degrees Farenheit and snowy. The dash lights came on but not the xenons. I took off, after about a block the xenons came on. Any ideas about this delay?

 

Sorry Deli but I haven’t experience the problem you have with the xenon. Maybe because we never got be that cold in Los Angeles but that is a very good question.

May it's just got to get warm up a little.

 

I had this happen to me but not when it was cold. I just pulled over, turned the car off and restarted it and they came back on. Now we even have to reboot our cars.

Dan

 

It may be the electrical problems or some kind. Why don’t you take it in for a service because I think is should be cover under the warranty?

 

I have the Xenons and they have posed no problem through a nasty Detroit winter. Get thee to your dealer...

 

Never had problems with the Xenon in cold weather on any car. During this time in Canada the weather is typical below freezing and they always seem to turn with no problem. You may want to take it to the dealer.

Regards,
Colin

 

Nope, Never a problem here either. Irrespective of the temperature or weather, my Xenons have always come on (a one or two second delay as they warm up is normal). Maybe your headlight switch is faulty. Get thee to a dealer dittos.

 

Thanks to all for the replies. Today I turned 7K and since the dealer is a couple of hours away I'll try to wait for the 10K service. The problem hasn't recurred in the last two days. If it does I'll have to scoot into Philly...

 

I had the same problem with my halogen headlights. It's not a temperaure thing. My MC had been ocasionally doing some strange things like that. It has since stopped doing it alltogether. I think it is a computer thing, but good luck getting it to do it for the dealer.

 

If I didn't know better I'd say something about English cars, Lucas and the oild "Dim, flicker and off" settings for your lights.

But these little bimmers don't have a stich of Lucas tech so I would think that the HID balasts are heat sensitive. These things start like bigtime flourecent bulbs, they have a ballast/starter and the lower the temp the harder it is to get the arc going.

Ian

 

BTW try your highs, they are good old filiments, they sould work fine.

 

This past weekend in NYC, we had an early December snowstorm. Went out, just to test my MINI's first winter's cold weather starting ability. K'vroom on first try. so see your friendly neighborhood MINI service guy.

 

I have the xenons but never a problem. One suggestion might be to turn the ignition key all the way off after you shut off the engine. If you don't do this then somehow the power doesn't reach the lights when re-starting. This happened to me after stopping for a few seconds and restarting the engine. Instead of the headlights failing to work it was the entire heater/cooler system. I first thought it was a fuse until I realized that the ignition key wasn't turned completly off. I solved the problem by accident simply by removing the keys and then restarting.
Hope this is your problem, B.D.

 

I've got one doing that now. I just went to the dealer for a check up. They told me the starter in the light was not working right and they'd have to replace it. Unfortunately, they didn't have one in stock so now I've got to make another long distance trip to have it fixed when they get it.

You may want to call ahead and talk to the service manager. Maybe they can get the parts in ahead of time if they don't already have them.

 

I am finding that my xenons are not always self-leveling anymore. Sometimes they are way too high. If I shut it off and restart, they will reset

 

I probably have the most intense problem with the Xenons - On my '03 MCS they would continually NOT self level after I had the car for about 4 months. I would take it to the dealer and they would fix it and then the next day they would not self level again. The dealer replaced the lights - the computer controlling the lights - the main computer - the front wiring harness - AND still could not get it to work right. I was either blinding oncoming cars or lighting up the road 5 feet in front of the MINI - or one was pointed up and the other down!

The solution the dealer and BMW came up with was to give me a '04 MINI and take mine back. The new one should be in this week so I'll see if this "fixed" the problem!

Lee

 

My driver side xenon doesn't always come on, 2 nights ago it wasn't working but it is working tonight. This has been happening for the past few months. Sometime in January my car should go in for service so I'll havem look into it then.

 

Thanks again for all the tips. I've had no more problems but snow is coming this way again tomorrow night. We'll see if that provokes anything...

 

All,

My Mini, Honu, need a replacement starter for the passenger side xenon headlight. Sometimes it comes on, and sometimes I have to cycle the light switch a few times to get it started. The next time I'm at the dealer I'll get it replaced and will certainly check to be sure it's in stock before motoring downtown! Until, I find a good way to check if both are burning is to stop behind one of Hawaii's many pick-em-up trucks and check for the relection in the tailgate.

Aloha

 

A few months ago my right Xenon light did not come on each morning.
The ignitor was replaced but that didn't solve the problem.
Eventually the whole right light housing was replaced and it has been fine ever since.
Never had a problem with the left light.
Cold was not a factor since it doesn't get cold much in Hawaii.

 

-47 one morning,this past winter and Poco opened both eyes.