Hampton Roads Club Mini

does each light have its own relay?  Not a typical setup but I don't know what xenons draw.  If so it could be a flakey relay.

I'll peak in my Haynes t'nite and see.

Other wise maybe Lord Lucas has found a way to haunt MINI too  :P

I finally dug in my book.

Question - when the low beam doesn't work, does the high?  I just learned that the high is a standard halogen bulb, only the low is 'special' so if the high works the problem could be in the ignitor for the x; while if they both are out the problem would be with the entire hl unit.  To check the ignitor - pry off the plastic cover behind the bulb (note Haynes warns of HIGH VOLTAGE .... disconnect the battery b4 messing inside the cover or with the X bulb)  Alll you can really check is if it is tight..

Also according to the Haynes diagram, which I've found to be accurate so far each X hl unit has its own ground (earth) connection and your symptom of intermit' that can come back with tunring off and on matches ground problems I've had on OC so I'd check the ground on that side (in that they are wierd and random until you find the gremlin....that's what was wonderful about LUCAS stuff - they used barrel connectors that when corroded caused grounds all over the place).  Can't tell you exactly where the earth connector is but book says one on each side, front of eng compartment.  But they would be on the bonnet..or run back to the ground connector at the hinge (I know this one, we used it for a driving light install)

(Haynes: "loose or corroded mountings can therefore cause a range of electrical faults, ranging from total failure of a circuit, to a puzzling partial failure. ... and the operation of one circuit may have an apparently- unrelated effect on another.")

I presume when it is out the washer is too?  All I can say here is pull each end of the connector  The light should be served by one harness that connects to the "general control unit"

yes - this is clearly a warranty issue.

BUT be warned.  Everytime I took in an 'intermittent problem' CF failed to fix it.

"We could not duplicate the problem."

Unless you are fortunate enuf to hve the light fail when you try to show the problem to Frank, and also have it fail when a mechanic finally looks at it, don't be surprised if after a day or longer the answer is "we couldn't find anything wrong."

However if at the same visit you pay for a safety exam - you will fail  :roll:

my right headlight flickered for quite a while... but then i got in an accident and the front end had to be re-wired and it worked again.