interior lights

[dark knight]

Just bought my first mini and i've got a bit of a head scratcher, I've been driving it since thurs night and it's been fine but today I went to start it at 5pm but it wouldn't start. I had to jump start it to get it home, it's at home charging but every now and again the interior light goes on for a while then off again. I'm ashuming it's been doing it all day and that's why the battery went flat does anyone have any idea why the light would be going on and off itself?

[GCA3N]

Sounds like you have a bigger issue than just the interior light. I left the side lights on before for a week and it never drained the battery.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Sounds to me like there may be a problem with a door sensor maybe? That may cause the light to come on.

Try switching it to completely OFF, so even the doors don't activate it, then it should bypass the door sensor completely - in theory.

However, as Greig says, the battery should be able to withstand that anyway, unless it's goosed.

What age is the car?

A.:D

[dark knight]

the car is a 51 plate, how do disconnect the sensors?

[Gismo]

Try tampering :blush: with the interior lamp kit and see if it's faulty-ish.
By generally moving the whole switch itself see if you can replicate the light illuminating, try with a door open and closed, see if there is any problem there.

The sensors Andy is talking about are usually a black pin like deal that goes in and out with the door opening and closing, with the door open the pin extends to it's full length thus making an electrical connection allowing power to the lamp assuming it is set to illuminate with the door open.

[Livi]

Fault answered within the PM of the problem.

[Livi]

Ill put this up for other users to use incase they have the same fault.

Ok with the older MINI Models, there were quite a few that had this problem.

There were a couple of problems including:


The BC1 Control unit being waterlogged
Problems with the Door locks


I do remember that when you open the door to the MINI the window never slightly dropped as they do when you open them normally.

Both these problems will need the car coded again unfortunatly as it would need to re-register the keys.

[C.Noble]

The door ajar sensors (pin switches) are part of the door latches themselves, the only way to disconnect them is to remove the door trim and unplug the whole latch multi plug.

Is it just the light in the roof that comes on, or the footwell lights as well?

are you sure the tail gate isnt unlatching itself?

[koolsville]

How do you change the setting to choose if interiors lights come on with the door open? My lights don't come on, I've always assumed you could set this yourself, but never looked into it any further.
(apologies if I'm hi-jacking your thread Dark Knight).

[koolsville]

mmm... is the answer 'read your handbook"!