I have an interesting thing happening with my lighting stalk that I've not found in the archives. First I had my battery run down because the marker lights had stayed on after shut down with the light switch off and I discovered pushing the stalk forward a bit would turn them off. Then I realized that while driving with the lights off, if I use the right turn signal the high beams also come on and the high beam indicator lights up (that's how I noticed it). Sometimes if I hold the stalk forward while the right turn signal is flashing the high beam indicator goes off, but not always, and it comes back on if I stop pushing the stalk forward. The left turn signal does not activate the high beams unless I put a little rearward pressure (it doesn't take much) on the stalk.

I am wondering it there is a bad spring in the stalk that should be holding it forward with more force, or if something else is causing the high beam flash function to be too sensitive or to self-activate. Has anyone else had this problem? I am trying to train myself to always push the stalk forward when I shut down so I am not stranded with a dead battery, but it is a nuisance. Any suggestions?

BTW, I will be attending "Minis in The Qzarks" in Eureka Springs, Arkansas tomorrow; anyone from the forum going?

 

 

 

What's a good "not too pricey" source? I see a lot of "pre-owned" ones on eBay, but I don't want to buy the same problem.

 

 

They are under turn signals and you just need to know your options: https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2004-...or/Electronic/

 

OK, Thanks, It seems nothing Mini is mini-priced these days. The little locating rod in my shift **** was broken when I bought the Mini so the **** rotated easily. I tried re-afixing the rod with plastic cement which worked for awhile, but it is turning again so I thought "I'll just get a new ****". Well after a $150 shock I think I'll try the plastic bond again or just live with it.

edit: OK, I looked it up as PN 61311484333 with the on board computer button; Around $100 new from the usual suppliers, $50 used on eBay, and Rockauto in the middle at $65 plus shipping. Another 2015 thread said it is a one screw installation after you remove the covers. Guess I'll go for a new one because one fellow who tried to fix his ended up with no high beams and had to order a new one anyway. Gone are the nickle and dime days - now it is $100 and $150 days. But aren't they fun to drive!

Here's my temporary turn signal stalk "repair". Not elegant, but it may avoid another flat battery.

 

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...c/61311484333/

The link above shows the stalk with OBC button option. There is another w/o the button roughly same price around $115

Started happening recently on my 04 R53.
Started with triggering brights on right turns.
Ended up draining my battery when I thought it was off.

Thanks for the fix!
Daren

 

Has anyone had one of these switches apart?
On my car, it's very easy to put the high beams on when signaling left or right. The spring for the high-beam/low-beam is much weaker than the spring for left/right.
Is there a way to strengthen the high/low spring?

 

Nearly three years later my Mini Bungee temporary solution is still working. (see photo above) Maybe some day I'll replace the whole stalk

 

Thanks, Phil.
I have a paper clip & a rubber band I'm going to try!

 

I had to install a new one on the kiddos r50. got it used on allmagautoparts.com. worked like a charm. easy to replace. good YouTube vids out there

 

Yep after a while the microswitch must wear out. I just get a new one.

 

Hi, I get similar problem with my mini Cooper r50 2003. The stalk was a little loose and high beam was turning on each time I was turning on the side signal (more often on the right side than the left). I look at a lot of forum and it seems everyone recommended to buy a new one. But I decided to open the stalk itself and figure out what was going wrong. (Both side, the one side mechanism and the other with the PCB). None of the parts were broken, grease was find even if it's a 21 years old car. So, I did 2 things. First I extend the spring that is inside the stalk to give more pressure to the stalk and keep it firm in position. Then , there is a white plastic part with a contactor for the high beam light that able to do and angular movement to switch the position. In normal use when you move the signal the pin of high beam command should move freely inside an angular hole that allows you to activate only side signal without activating the light . But on mine I could see that when moving the side signal the high beam signal was also moving a little... More on the right side than on the left as this angular hole is not symmetrical. It was moving enough to turn on the light. I figured out that the white plastic part was a little deformed and the angular form was with a kind of a minor radius that it should. (The plastic design is stronger on some part, with time and heat it can deform). So with a lighter I carefully heat the plastic part to reopen it to original form.
​​​​l also I heat a metallic cylinder of 3mm (1/8 inch ) to lightely melt and smooth the angular hole/the path, to help the pin to walk freely through it.
I Clean the electric part with contact cleaner, and put new grease on the mechanism. After reinstalling every thing it works perfectly.
I running the car since one week now and still working good!
I am not saying that will work for you, as your root cause can be different.
But as I was already giving up and almost buying a new one. I thought it was worth to try something...