# Trying to solve Mini R50 wiring issue



## thoughto (Oct 26, 2020)

Hello, I've been trying to solve the intermittent ABS-DSC problem on my early 2002 Mini Cooper, which causes 3 warning lights to come on, and the ABS and DSC to not function at all, but only intermittently.
I found some posts and discussions suggesting a broken wire could be to blame.
Hence I undid the connection to the ABS-DSC box, stripped off the covering black tape, and had a good look at all the wires. I could not see a definite culprit, annoyingly. Then of course I had to retape the bundle of wires and put everything back together.
After all that, now the car won't start (but does crank). As soon as I connect the negative battery terminal, the sidelights all flash. I have read that this indicates a wiring problem. 
I must have either broken a wire or caused a short, worse than the one I was looking for.
I connected a laptop and used ISTA+
I got the following codes, which were confirmed using CDP+:

ISTA+
Code 000021 KOMBI: TERM 50 ON and term 15 OFF
000067 KOMBI: CAN bus, no message 1 from KOM2
0000B6 GM: Blower motor, open circuit or short circuit to ground
005DF0 ABS-DSC: return pump

The KOMBI, CAN bus and Blower motor codes are new. 
Does anyone know which wires are responsible for KOMBI / CAN bus? I am suspecting one of the twisted pairs, which seemed to me to be twisted unhealthily tight. Investigating the tight twists maybe I caused a short between 2 wires?
It isn't easy to see with the naked eye. 

I'll be very grateful for any advice. I'll post a pic in my next post of the wires I think look suspicious.


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## thoughto (Oct 26, 2020)

Here are a couple of pictures of the wires I may have stressed doing my investigation.


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## thoughto (Oct 26, 2020)

I'm sorry about the pictures, I tried to insert just thumbnails but it didn't work out.


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## mr_bean (Mar 20, 2009)

The wires are twisted like that on purpose, the "twisted pair" as it's know makes the signals traveling through those wires less susceptible to interference.
I would start with the first error code, this indicates the instrument cluster isn't getting power from one of its sources. Could be a blown fuse.
Once that's resolved you might find the CAN bus issues go away.


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## thoughto (Oct 26, 2020)

mr_bean said:


> The wires are twisted like that on purpose, the "twisted pair" as it's know makes the signals traveling through those wires less susceptible to interference.
> I would start with the first error code, this indicates the instrument cluster isn't getting power from one of its sources. Could be a blown fuse.
> Once that's resolved you might find the CAN bus issues go away.


Thanks a lot for the reply. I did check all the fuses in the engine bay and in the interior. They were all fine


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## thoughto (Oct 26, 2020)

I did some reading (Bentley). The CAN bus wires are a twisted pair, yellow/black and yellow/brown. There are 2 sets of them from the bulkhead to the ABS. I continuity tested them, no problems (using a multimeter with sharp point on the probes). There is another set that goes to the engine ECU. I continuity tested them from the bulkhead to the ECU, again no problem indicated. Then inside the car I think I need to test the continuity from the CAN bus wires close to the bulkhead to the connection to the speedo. However, if a break is indicated, it looks like a nightmare tracking it down as the wires go under the carpet and up behind areas of the dash I haven't managed to remove yet.
Any ideas welcome.


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## Majestic13 (12 mo ago)

thoughto said:


> Here are a couple of pictures of the wires I may have stressed doing my investigation.
> View attachment 1033216
> View attachment 1033216
> View attachment 1033217
> ...


Hi m8 i have 1 question is there any chance that u know what for that yellow wire with green line on it, is it just ground wire or ...? thanks a lot


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