1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Licenses plate light fuse

  1. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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    #2 Firebro17, Feb 14, 2016
    Is one of them just burnt out? Have you tried swapping the lights from side to side?
     
  2. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

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    #3 rkw, Feb 15, 2016
    The license plate bulbs are driven directly by the Body Control Module and not on a fuse circuit.
     
  3. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #4 BlimeyCabrio, Feb 15, 2016
    Interesting.

    Unplug the light housing and put a multi-meter on each plug to determine if both are getting power from the harness. If so, then it's a bulb or light housing issue. If not, then it's a harness or BCM issue.
     
  4. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #5 MCS02, Feb 15, 2016
    Well I don't have the car where I can work on it. I did some work on it back in the summer and the revers light kept blowing the fuse. I tried a new switch, new light and I even left the light unplugged and it still would blow the fuse. I never could find why it was doing this. I told them I did not want to start airing into wire bundles to find it, so that left it like it was. Now I got an email asking if its related. They said they put new LED in the licenses plate light. They sad one sits will flash on every now and then. So they cleaned the contacts but it still does not work.

    I would think the BCM turns them both on, not one or the other. I hate this kind of problem
     
  5. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #6 BlimeyCabrio, Feb 15, 2016
    I'd also be surprised if there were separate lines from the BCM for those lights. I do know that LEDs in that location can be flaky, I've had some problematic ones.

    Pretty hard to diagnose a car you can't touch. I get that a lot. :)
     
  6. MCS02

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    #7 MCS02, Feb 15, 2016
    Thanks Paul I will tell the to see if they swap bulbs and see if the problem is the bulb. I think if its not the bulb its just a fully connection at the tailgate.
     
  7. Crashton

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    #8 Crashton, Feb 15, 2016
    Those plate lights love to grow corrosion. I had to replace the whole handle-plate light combo on a friends R53 due to a massive amount of corrosion.
     
  8. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #9 MCS02, Feb 15, 2016
    Oh good to know I will pass it along
    Thanks!
     
  9. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    #10 Dave.0, Feb 15, 2016
    A small brass brush and a tube of dielectric grease will be your friend when you take it all apart and clean it up.
     
  10. Crashton

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    #11 Crashton, Feb 15, 2016
    Yes a brush & dielectric goo will work. The one I tried to rehab didn't have enough metal left after cleaning it to even hold a bulb. The great state of Ohio used some super corrosive salt mix. :incazzato:
     
  11. MCS02

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    #12 MCS02, Feb 15, 2016
    I hope that's all it is.
     
  12. Goldsmithy

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    #13 Goldsmithy, Feb 16, 2016
    There is nothing I hate more than electrical problems... good luck.