HAZZARDS AND MAIN BEAMS

[danni432]

ok so earlier on i was checking everything was workign alright in my car... put the hazzard switch on it worked fine. turned it back down the it flashed the left indicator only and then when i tried to put it on again its not working at all...

now i cant figure out how to get it working again....... do i need a new switch or flasher unit maybe? i checked everythign was still connected

i paid £40 to have them working again just for the mot in oct.
and with xmas i dont partically have the money to take it back to the garage to have them look at it. can anyone help with what it may be?

when i also checked all my lights. my main beams work but they wont work if i needed to flash them... tis strange because they were working recently.

[danni432]

yeh the indicators were off and then i checked the flasher unit was still in and it was. really annoying bing as i paid £40 tp have them workin not so long ago. how can i tell if its the fuse?

[dai9fxey]

It might just be a bad connection in the fusebox. But as Phil says check the fuse first.
If they are glass type fuses there should be a scorch mark on the bit of paper inside the fuse.

[danni432]

will go check if theres a scorth mark now cheers dai

[danni432]

ummm well the ones that do have paper in dont have any marks on the paper. there is a fuse without paper at all that looks naff?

[byron101]

sounds like that one is your prob if no paper

[taffy1967]

If your courtesy (interior) light is working, then there's nothing wrong with the fuse as that runs on the same circuit. It's also one of the in-line fuses which you'll find behind your air-filter and it's the: -

15amp - Purple/Orange Wire, that controls the 'Hazard Warning & Interior Lamps'.

TBH my hazard warning lights have packed in too and I know its the hazard warning light switch that is to blame, because it's not clicking on or off properly now.

The hazard lights do over-ride the indicators, so even if you had the indicators on they will stop working once the Hazard switch is pressed. A faulty switch can also upset the indicators, but I've been lucky so far and I'll be investing in a new switch really soon.

[taffy1967]

As for your headlamp flash, again if your horn and brake failure circuit light works, then it's not the fuse.

Chances are it's the pesky column stalk that's to blame and when you pull and push the flasher column stalk, it touches metal contacts.

These contacts may need cleaning, so remove the column shroud (3 screws, don't forget the one at the base too) and check those contacts.

[danni432]

the interior light i just checked isnt working oh yeh i also checked if the horn worked and its not niether is the brake failure light switch , thats the one with a pic of a brake on it right ?

so by the sounds of it with all your helpful advice taff it may be the fuse after all? must be that one that looks abit dead lol, im adding a different ignition col tomorrow as the last owner had put of a electronic one so i bought the right oen , and that will go on tomorrow and ill put a new fuse in while doing that?

[danni432]

oh will i need to change the hazzard switch for a new one then too ? as you had also mentioned when the hazzards were on they would go abit nuts then calm down then go nuts again so they werent working to great either? so that could be a faulty switch then

[taffy1967]

No just replace the affected fuses for now and then see if those components are working correctly. Here's a full list of all the fuse ratings just in case: -

Standard 4 fuse box mounted on the bulkhead: -

1 1-2 35amp Brake Lights, Reverse Lights, Direction Indicators & Rear Screen Demister.

2 3-4 25amp Horn, Headlamp Flasher, Brake Failure Circuit & Radio Memory.

3 5-6 25amp Heater Blower Motor, Windscreen Wipers, Washer Motor & Instruments.

4 7-8 15amp Side & Tail Lights & Panel Lights.


1-2 These circuits only operate with the ignition switch at position "II".

5-6 These circuits only operate with the ignition switch at position "I" or "II".


4 Fuse box wiring colours: -

White - Green
Brown - Purple
Light Green/White - Light Green/Orange
Red - Red/Green


In-Line Fuses situated behind air-filter on the bulkhead: -

15amp - Purple/Orange Wire
Hazard Warning & Interior Lamps


15amp - Brown/Orange Wire
Dim-Dip Lighting


10amp - Blue/Orange Wire
Rear Fog Guard Lamps


15amp - Blue/Red Wire
Auxiliary Cooling Fan (where fitted)

Hope that helps and if the main 4 fuse box looks a bit ropey, replace it because it's not expensive. Then coat the contacts on the rear with some petroleum jelly (Vaseline), so it won't rust any time soon. But don't use copper grease because that could short circuit the fuse box!

[danni432]

cheers Taff

[danni432]

All working now , apart from the hazzards. dodgy switch were guessing

[danni432]

Thanks Phil

[emmaboo]

I guess I may have this problem too. I have got no hazzards or horn and my passenger headlamp only works on main beam. I will look at the fuses if it ever stops raining!

[jc1380s]

Hi Emmaboo, Headlamp problem sounds like a blown bulb - easy change of bulb job.

Hazards & Horn could well be fuse terminal corrosion problems as Dannie had.

If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen at this time of year!

Wait for a 'dry spell' and clean the contacts in the fuse box.

Best of luck

jc

[emmaboo]

It can't be the bulb because it works on main beam V confusing.

I bought new headlamps as I thought that it might be a good time to upgrade to Halogens as i thought the sealed unit had gone. But I have wired it all in and same problem.

I have just put it back in the garage as it had been outside and all the electrics got wet and she wouldn't start. So if it ever dries out I will have a look at the fuses and generally give all the connections a bit of a clean.

Cheers,

[jc1380s]

Hi again EmmaB, There are 2 fillaments inside each bulb, a mainbeam fillament and a dipped beam fillament, either or both could blow to give you the main beam only symptom that you have.

Having said that, if you have changed the bulb already with no change it cannot be just the bulb!.

Have you checked all the connections inside the plug that pushes onto the bulb for corrosion or loose fit. It may well be that. Try squirting some WD40 onto the plug before refitting and see if it works

jc

[emmaboo]

I will try that as well as sorting out the fuse thing. Must be the weather for mini electrical nightmares!!

[taffy1967]

Like jc1380s said, if something is going to go, it will go when the weather is really bad.

TBH I've known that my fuse box was playing up since I put my Mini back on the road last summer, so I've only got myself to blame for that blown fuse.

I've ensured the engine and electrics are all fully serviced and that's why it's still running like a watch regardless of what god throws at us.