Weird problem that I'm hoping someone can give me insight into. '06 Cooper S. Several weeks ago, I did the pulley swap. Since that time, my driving lights will turn off and on randomly. I have a 4 light bar on the front, but tested the car with the aux lights off and still have the same issue.

It seems like it happens when the car is either under load or when I'm getting off of the gas - not cruising. Which leads me to believe that it's either a wire grounding out or the power wire grounding, causing the lights to flash on or off.

I took the entire front of the car off searching for either a break in the wire, or some place where the sheath has worn down or is grounding out. Nothing. Put the car back together without the 4 extra lights to see if it was causing the issue and it still remains. My 4 aus lights use the factory fog power switch to activate a relay.

Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance. I'm going to have to get this fixed or take off the extra lights. Almost got pulled for flashing the local police.

Bryan

 

well you obviously don't have a factory install so there is more guessing involved and I try to refrain from commenting on the install itself.

You don't need to remove the lights, you could simply disable them ... and I'd do this at the same place I suspect your problem lay - the relay.

Do you understand relay's? If so, I'd simply remove the 'power in' line to disable the lights.

This diagram shows how to wire a set of horns using a relay, but if you can follow it, also shows how to wire any simple accessory with a relay and a switch. For your purpose the horns are lights and the horn switch is the power tap to your fog lights.



More important is understanding the 4 terminals on the relay which are labeled with numbers.

85 & 86 are the pair that form the control or input side. When this side is HOT the other side turns on. 85 - 86 is the low power side, 12v but minimum amps

30 & 87 are your 'high power' side, controlled by 85-86 side. 30 is typically a direct tap from the battery and fused, sending power INTO the relay's high side and 87 is the high power out, going to the lights. (most MINI light install get the power for 30 by connecting to the big red power cable that feeds the under bonnet fuse box, comes into the back of the fuse box)

To disable, disconnect at terminal 87 or just pull the inline fuse you SHOULD find between the battery tap and the relay as you see in the schematic above. You battery tap is probably at the battery cable connection to the under bonnet fuse box

To trouble shoot I'd start by checking the wiring here and on the fog light tap . .

 

Capt BJ:

Thanks for the thoughts. I oversimplified my response - shouldn't have done that. Prior to this, I checked the relay and it was fine.

I soldered the relay trigger wire to the factory fog light power wire so that activating the toggle turns on both the factory lights and the Hella's. When I reassembled the car after the pulley swap, I drove the car without the Hella's on the car and noticed it then. I then took the front apart again to trace the fog light wires (L & R) and their grounds, did not find any evidence of continuity issues then reassembled the front and the Hella's. After driving at night, I noticed that it was still flashing on and off on its own.

So....wiring of the Aux lights isn't suspect in this case. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question!

Bryan