Blown headlight. Easy fix, but.......

[Parky]

Evening all,

 

I have a problem with the wifes 2001 BINI.

 

The drivers side headlight went out tonight and I bought a new bulb thinking that would solve the problem. But no. High beam is fine, but "normal" beam wouldnt work. I tried another bulb, even swapping the one from the other side which I know works (and continued working fine when I put it back) but I cant get it to operate. Three good bulbs and still no normal beam. I wondered about the fuse, but surely there is a one fuse for the lights, and even if each light has a separate fuse, the fact the main beam works would surely indicate the fuse is good??.

 

If any of you electrical geniuses have any idea what the problem is, I'd be mighty grateful for your ideas!

[dollywobbler]

Wonder if there's a wiring fault? Don't the headlamps lift up with the bonnet on the pre-facelift ones?

 

Oh and I'd better say 'See? Modern cars are shit!" before the bandwagon arrives...

[Louise2cv]

Might be seperate fuses for dipped and main?

[Parky]

Cheers Dolly. Wiring looks OK but being a new-ish car you never really know do you? Mini forums suggest each light has a separate fuse, but surely that would knock out both the regular and main beam. Unless theres a separate fuse for regular and main beam on each side which I find hard to believe.....

 

I appreciate the "Modern cars are shit" argument was coming so thanks for getting it out of the way! I'm just waiting for a suggestion to hammer a smaller headlight over it, or even better hammer an original Mini over it.

[Parky]

Maybe you are right Louise, I'll have a look tomorrow. I'd better eliminate a blown fuse before replacing column stalks, ECU's, headlight units etc etc etc at ridiculous costs.

[Albert Ross]

There probably will be separate fuses for them, even shit Vauxhalls have them.........

[Akron]

I have found this fuse box info, http://www.mini2.com/forum/maintenance-mini-care/133675-fuses-relays-earth-points.html and if I am understanding it correctly there is a fuse for each headlight unit (FL12 and FL8) so seems to be a fault with the headlight or wiring to me.

[Parky]

Could be right Akron. Thats a right royal pain two days before its MOT.

[Akron]

Hammer a small torch into it?

[Station]

Earth the brown wire to the other headlight and likewise with live to see if problem with wiring. Tbh never had wiring problems other than burn outs, I'd suspect it's something else - relay maybe? Check the switch as well - I had the same thing on my whizzkid.

Above trick will work to get through MOT, but use high amp wiring.

[Parky]

I haz fickst it!

 

Stupid boy am I. I went straight for the obvious halogen bulb in the assembly, but there are TWO halogen bulbs in the headlight. I didnt realise the other one was there (you know how it is when you think you know what you're doing). Changed that and normality has returned. The other bulb was quite obviously blown. So no fuse box problems, no broken wires, no failed ECU or stalk, just a simple bulb I didnt realise was there.

 

I appreciate you have all stayed up racking your brains on this (Akron - apprecate the link to the Mini forum, thx) but you may now go about your business, nothing to see here folks.

 

Cry God for Harry, St George, and Autoshite!!

 

(incidentally I do feel thoroughly ashamed of myself. Back in the day I'd decoke cylinder heads for fun, cant believe a bulb foxed me)

[Akron]

Well done, especially at this time of night.

[RoadworkUK]

If it wasn't for the looming MOT you could have just driven around on one headlamp, like the arsemunch who tailgaited me on the A12 in his Golf tonight.

[Parky]

Darn it - light on the other side has just lunched its adjustment motor. So theres £75 or so for a secondhand unit. ARSE.

 

Might just strip it down to see if I can bodge it. After all if its busted, I cant make it more broken can i?

 

Modern cars are sh*t sometimes......

[Split_Pin]

There will be separate fuses for the adjustment too.

 

Arent the motors just generic ones anyway that you cen get on e-bay?

 

The adjustment motors dont work on my car after I fitted aftermarket lights. You dont need them for the MOT or anything, unless you have those awful 'HID' things.

 

Just dont carry any fatties in the back at night!

[Parky]

BMW approved fix is to slam the bonnet and it bloody worked!

 

The motors are built into the unit and the Haynes book of lies says it cant be fixed but I might open it up tomorrow and get some WD in it to lubricate it a bit. Alignment is still off following the bulb change so an MOT failure right there but I'll see if the MOT guy will adjust it in exchange for a few quid or whatnot.

 

Another tip is to disconnect the wiring for the motors and adjust the lights manually. Reckon this'll do

[Split_Pin]

Percussive maintenance of body electrical systems is omitted from the Haynes manual. Its the first thing to try!

 

That and the wiggly-wiggly wire-testing method.

 

Then fuses, bulbs etc etc