Buzzing noise

Mini Technical Sections Problems, Questions and Technical
1

Whenever I try to use the indicators or hazard warning switch a bizarre buzzing noise is emmitted from behind the clocks. :erm:

Its only just started happeneing, and niether the indicators or hazard warning switch work as a result, the interior light also does not work and i believe this is a related issue, together with the intermittant failure of the lights. :sad:

Has anyone else come accross this problem and how do you solve it?

The buzzing is almost like that of electricity pylons or one of those electric door releases in flats (if you know what i mean)

2

Is there a fly or wasp attached to the lighting or indicator circuit?!

3

It could be the hazard/flasher relays I should fink. They are supposed to click in and out (sort of) but if they are buzzin the relay/s will be shot!

Is the buzzing coming from under the bonnet? Near the brake master cylinder?

4

> Is the buzzing coming from under the bonnet? Near the brake master cylinder?
Maybe, it sounds like from behind the dials when you are inside the car. :erm:

Anything else it could be?

5

If I had to guess (which I am) I would go for the flasher relays. If it sounds like it is coming from behind the dash then it is likely to be the relays. I think that if it was a fuse, the power wouldn’t be getting to the switches. If you can identify the relay it may be worth givin it a tap to see if it starts working??? Dunno where they are on later model Minis.

6

There are four relays, all identical all yellow, two on the right hand side at the back and the other two on the left.

I am fairly sure it wasnt a fuse, i have just replaced them all as some joker had put wrongly rated ones in!!

Can i get a new relay from newhere?

7

I don’t know which ones do what on the newer Minis I’m afraid, on my Mini they are old type relays in a metal case. Wish I could help more, but I can’t sorry.

unless you can tell which one is buzzing when the indicators are on, then take it to halfords or somewhere and see if they can match it???

8

I might even see if Lucas do, they are only a few miles away from me.

9

okay, I just went outside to have a listen for where the buzzing is comming from and it doesnt sound like it is comming from the relays themselves?

So can it come from somehwere else?

Whats else might cause this problem? :erm:

10

On my 1990 RSP the indicator flasher unit is held in a clip up behind the instrument panel, right behind the rev counter, it could be that the flasher unit has funked up and the bi-metallic strip in it is bust in some way and causing it to buzzzzzzzzzz…

11

Thats a good suggestion! :grin:

I will have to check it out

I hope that you are right, I want it to be something simple, it is an electrical buzzing though and doesnt sound like a vibration, it even happens when the car is turned off so its gotta be an electrical fault.

12

If it is the flasher relay i should just sound like the indicators on very fast,

Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick…

I would check the hazard switch (press it in different places without turning it on), also check voltages at the relay, and check the wires of the indicator circuit for bad connections.

… just my t’pence

13

To give you some closure on this:

I took off the instrument panel activated the indicators and it was the indicator relay, i had it in my hand and it was vibrating and buzzing away. So i supose i will be needing a new one

It was probably the wrong fuses that caused the problem in the first place.

14

If the hazard unit is buzzing like i have described does it mean that the unit has broken (as i first though) or is it possible that some other wiring problem is causing it to make this noise? :erm: