So i am having a problem where my headlights automatically come on right when the key is turned in the ignition even though the stalk is in the off position. but when the car is off, the stalk works perfectly fine. has anyone ad this kind of problem? i searched and found nothing to my peculiar problem

thanks!

 

Do you have daytime running lights on?

 

I suspect yes, and they can only be turned off by the dealer (or someone else who has the special computer software)


How to verify: on a GEN1 the DRLs are the high beams working at low power .... sort of 'half on' .... so start the car .... the DRL should come on .... turn on the headlights to low beam and the bulb in use should change . . .

 

Hmmm. OP, are your DRLs already set to be off then? Because if they're not, you could always try to set them to the off setting and see if the problem still persists.

 

Not sure where you are, but Canadian cars have full lights on all the time as the daytime running lights. I can only control my dash lights with the stalk. I know this can be adjusted from ncsexpert, but that's all

 

That's a good point. I know my MINI in the States (it's a Gen 2), I just have to go into my key settings and I can toggle DRLs on and off.

 

Winner is capt bj IMO!!
Unless this behavior just started....

 

yes i shouldve clarified, this just randomly started happening and the dash lights automatically come on as well when the key is turned. thats why im so confused. i check the bcm and i see no evidence of rust so i think that is ok.

 

Before swapping out the switch...(my first guess)
I might try a squirt of plastic safe contact cleaner on it...

 

Did you switch key fobs when it randomly started? I know one of my fobs is programed for lights on (hardly ever use this fob) and one is programed for lights off.

 

That's why I asked about programming the DRLs on or off haha.

 

Gen1 car....
Uses a key...and keyless entry...
No fob.

 

bump!

 

how's your battery ... the car battery


these lil beasts get really funky as the battery dies ..... the low voltage sent to all the computer crud when a bad battery starts the car causes all KINDS of weirdness


If your battery is 5 years old ... replace it and report back

 

My 05 MCS is a Canadian model, and my headlights aren't always on. The driving lights are (low beams in the headlight cluster), but I have to rotate the stalk to turn on the Xenon's.

 

hey Javskies, did you get this figured out? And do your headlights go through the vertical alignment sequence on starting up the engine?

 

so i just put a new battery and the problem persist. another sypmtom is that when i press the unlock on the key, the tail lights flash as normal, but when i hit lock, the car locks, but the lights do not flash. what can i start blaming?

yes they do mdurando

 

bump!

 

Possibly the switch itself? Besides the off position, do the other switch positions work correctly?

 

I just bought a 2004 R50 Mini (non-Xenon) for my daughter, and the lights exhibit the same issue as Javskies' above. When I rotate the key to the "run" (position 2), the headlights (not brights) and the interior dash lights come on. I have no control with the stalk. With the key in position 1, everything is off, until I rotate the stalk to the middle position. Then the parking lights and interior dash lights come on (normal right?). However, with the stalk in the "on" position, the headlights don't come on. How much of this is normal, and if not, where should I start troubleshooting? I've taken the headlight stalk out, taken it completely apart, and cleaned everything I could get to. I put it all back together and nothing changed.

My next step was going to be to buy a used stalk off of ebay and see if that worked.

Also, one other possible related symptom: The headlight stalk has the little computer button on it, but it doesn't do anything. I read that the Temperature in the RPM cluster should change to at least one other data value, even without the OBC enabled. So that again points to a bad stalk, yes?

Thanks for any replies!
Jason

 

The first thing you need to sort out is if the car was programmed to have daytime running lights. This thread is clear as mud if the OP even have a real problem. All Canadian Minis were delivered with the daytime running lights on. None in the US unless someone expressly go out of their way to enable it.

 

I think this quote from the OP pretty clearly states that his car didn't have this behavior when he first got it, and it started "randomly happening".

On a different note, how would I go about determining if my car has DRL enabled? Also, DRL enabled still wouldn't explain why I can't turn the headlights on with the stalk, with the key in position 1.

Thanks!
Jason

 

So I purchased a used headlight stalk off of ebay and swapped it in - no change. Also, I looked up the VIN, and the car was equipped with the OBC from the factory. Where should I troubleshoot the OBC not responding next? Is that a Tach replacement? Next step I guess is just live with it, or start shooting wires (yuck).

Jason