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 Lighting issues.

 Created by: Bullet18
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 Posted: Dec 30, 2018 12:47PM
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Not knowing what year Mini you have but 90's Minis had fused lights maybe around the same time they re routed the headlamp wires from the front slam panel to under the wings around halfway along the inner fender.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Dec 30, 2018 04:56AM
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US
I remember there is a fusible link for the headlights.

 Posted: Dec 26, 2018 03:02PM
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I saw that you posted the clutch was OK now.  Thanks for posting that things were better.  However, how did you finally address the hose fittings on the slave cylinder?  It's very helpful to future people searching for threads if concluding information is posted.

On most British cars it is a mistake to immediately replace flashers without doing some cleaning and testing.  Do you have a wiring diagram for your car yet?  If not, get a service manual and look at the diagram for your car.  When hazard lights are present (early Minis did not have them) there is a lot of interaction between the hazard switch and the turn signals.  Succinctly, power to the turn signals passes through the hazard switch.  When the hazard switch is actuated, the turn signals are separated from power and can no longer work.  If the hazard switch fails either from internal corrosion or actually breaking, you loose both the turn signals and the hazards. 

Start by manually cycling the hazard switch a LOT of times.  See if you can get the hazards and turn signals working again just by working the switch a lot.  If you are lucky that will restore both the hazards and the turn signals.

The headlight wiring is not fused.  If neither lamp works normally but both work via the highway flash switch, you know you do NOT have a ground problem and you know that at least the high beam wiring to the lamps work.  The dash switch being seized is a common problem.  It is the reason some Mini owners (like me) add headlight relays.  When you add relays they handle the large current while the dash switches only have to handle the small current to trigger the relays.

For now, start your investigation by pulling the main lighting switch from the dash and checking each of its terminals for power.  On the main wiring switch there should be 3 wires, brown, red, and blue.  You should find +12V on the brown wire all the time.  It is an unfused feed from the terminal on the starter solenoid that has all the other brown wires on it.  When you actuate the switch to the first position, you should find +12V on the red wire.  The red wire supplies power to the running lights.  When you place the switch in the second position you should find +12V on both the red wire and the blue wire.  The blue wire carries power to the dim/dip switch for the headlights.

If you have power on the brown wire then you have power to the switch.  If you don't have power on the red and blue wires when the switch is actuated, you have a bad switch.  Repair is generally by replacement.  

If you have power on the blue wire when the main switch is in the second position, you need to check for power on the other end of the blue wire where it connects to the dim/dip switch.  At that switch you will find two more wires, blue/white, and blue/red.  Blue/white = high beam, blue/red = low beam.  Check for +12V on those wires as you cycle between high and low beams when you actuate the dim/dip switch.

Doug L.
 Posted: Dec 26, 2018 03:00PM
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Sounds like a headlight switch issue and a main fuse block issue.

 Posted: Dec 26, 2018 01:42PM
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As luck would have it my headlights went on my first drive after fixing the clutch. The turn signals havent worked for a while either. Originally when the tail lights went out we figured out it was the flasher unit. We replaced it and it solved the problem for like 2 weeks, then they went out again, but now the hazards dont work either. Im assuming this is a hazard switch issue but im not entirely sure. We checked the fuses and they're all good. As for the headlights, they only work when you pull the turn signal switch toward the wheel to flash the brights. The switch is also siezed now so im also assuming this is a switch issue but im looking for confirmation so i can order all the parts i need in one go if i need anymore.