Which bulbs are covered by the "Bulb of exterior lighting system failed" indicator? It happens intermittently, some times more often than others. The dealer has not been able to find it and neither have I. It's probably a loose bulb or something similar but it would help a little to know for certain which bulbs are possibly at fault.

 

Have you checked the little bulbs that illuminate your license plate? Had a friend with a Cooper mention that the other week that he'd had a light indicator on and couldn't find the burnt out light for the longest time. That's what it was with his : )

 

Yes, thanks. License plate bulbs are apparently a common source of this warning, reported by several people here at NAM. Both seem OK.

That's the frustrating part: everything obvious seems OK. It's possible I'm overlooking something, though, and a comprehensive list could help. The dealer has given up so it seems I'm on my own.

 

http://www.faqs.org/car/mini-cooper-...trument-panel/

 

I've had the same experience and took me about three months to find it. I was backing into a parking space at a Dublin Doughnuts and the reflection in the store window I saw one reverse light was out. Apparently the temperature affected the filament, cold and the bulb didn't work, warm and it was fine. (Yes, Damn spellcheck!!)

 

Reverse lights...that's a new one. I look into the TSB as well.

Thanks, all.

 

What year is your mini?

 

If you have a 2nd gen vehicle, I'll bet its one of the front clearance bulbs. The filament will break but still make contact at times. if this is the case just replace both at the same time. Also if your vehicle is a 2nd gen I don't understand why the dealership would throw their hands up. If they would just read out the fault memory it would tell them which bulb is the culprit even if it is currently working now.

 

Just had the same issue a couple of months ago. Except the reverse light was out all the time. Warranty took care of it.

 

It is a 2010 MCS.

 

The dealer claimed the car wouldn't throw the warning in the shop. They didn't say anything about the fault memory or the TSB.

 

It will only throw the check control message if a bulb is currently out, but it will store a bulb specific fault in the lamp control module every time an event occurs. What I usually see is a customer says they've had a bulb out message but all light are working when they come in. Usually it will be a front driving light in the bumper. They are peanut bulbs and are subject to a lot of vibration due to location and mounting of the lamp assembly. But like I said if the cant find it under a visual inspection they will most definitely find it if they take the 5 minutes to read out faults.

 

Many thanks. Sounds like a trip back to the dealer is in order.

 

You called it, baznight.

One of the bulbs in the front bumper was unlit when the warning came on today, just as you described. It was the upper of 2 bulbs in the assembly that the owners manual calls Parking/Roadside Parking/Fog Lamps. I replaced it and it is currently working.

I say "currently" because I'm sure this bulb was lit during a previous check when trying to ferret this out, and the filament of the old bulb is not obviously broken. This still may be a loose connection somewhere. Time will tell.

 

Update:

The replaced bulb continues to function perfectly. Now, though, the same bulb on the other side of the car has begun failing intermittently (or maybe they both had been failing all along). I will replace it as well, just because I can't think of anything else to do and it seemed to work for the other bulb.

 

Ive found that when one of those bulbs starts to go cause its at the end of its life its just best to replace both as the other one isn't far behind.

 

Better yet, replace them with CANBUS friendly LEDs and never change them again.

 

Part number for that bulb please?

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...se-tower/1128/

Yes, they cost more.. but... then again, owning a car is expensive.. and I'd rather only change them once.

If you search "canbus error free" on e-bay for a 194 bulb (same as the Euro w5w design Mini calls for..).. they will work too.. Just make sure you order the right color. (White)

They key is the canbus part.. it has the load-dropping internal resistor that won't trip the light-checking portion of the body computer.

 

My new to me Mini had Superbright 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. Now I have the stock bulbs (which I checked to be good before installing) 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

 

Take a test light & check the holders for the bulbs. If there is none, look further, but start there.

 

I have done that. No power to the holders. Thanks.

 

I was struggling to figure out which bulb was out with the same dash warning. All lights looked good. Then I came across this dudes video (not mine), and it gave me the code telling which light was out. Mine was drivers side rear brake light. At first glance it looked fine, but at closer look the letter bulb was out. This dash signal isn't in any of the books that I could find (Bentley or Haynes) and the sequence for the code is hard to find even online. Good info here. (2011 R57)

 

Good info! Thanks.

I had a fault code for one of worthless rear fog lights even though they worked. It ended up being some corrosion causing a voltage drop. I cleaned it up the connections and it went away.