Replacing the tail lights on a Mini can cost anywhere from $35 to $120, depending on the model. If you want to save a little money, you can always do the repairs yourself.

Your tail lights play a big part in keeping you safe on the road. They allow other drivers to see your car clearly, especially in dark or foggy conditions. If your tail lights aren’t working, it could lead to a ticket, or worse, an accident.

That’s why

Jerry

the

car repair

expert has put together this guide on replacing the tail lights on Mini Cooper models, including the r56 hard-top Cooper. We’ll walk you through the replacement process along with some tips to save on your

Mini Cooper insurance costs

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How to replace a Mini tail light

Cost: $35-$120

Time: 10-20 minutes

Tools needed: Plastic prying tool, replacement parts

Difficulty: Easy

Before replacing your tail lights, you need to identify where the problem is and what’s causing it.

If you’ve recently been in an accident or your tail light was broken in a storm, then knowing why your lights aren’t working is pretty easy to figure out. But if your lights suddenly go dark, you might need to do some troubleshooting to figure out the underlying issue.

If the problem is isolated to just one tail light, you’ll probably only need to replace the tail light bulb. If the problem is affecting both tail lights and/or your brake lights, you’re looking at a bigger wiring or fuse issue.

You can always have a mechanic inspect your Mini and diagnose a more complex issue. Once you know exactly what the problem is, you can order your replacement parts. Check your owner’s manual for specific part numbers for your unique model year and generation.

If you need to replace the whole tail light assembly (this will be the case if the tail light was smashed or there’s a wiring issue), follow these steps:

Disconnect the battery to avoid any risk of electric shock when you start messing with wires.

Open the tailgate and locate the access panel. In some models, this is covered by fabric.

Release the plastic brackets that hold the tail light housing in place and pull it straight out of its socket.

Disconnect the housing assembly and install the new tail light assembly.

If you just need to replace some of the tail light bulbs, follow these steps after removing the housing assembly from its socket:

Push the old bulb down and rotate a quarter-turn counterclockwise. When the bulb is loose, pull it out of the socket.

Replace the bulb and reinstall the housing assembly in reverse order.

Always test your new tail light bulbs or assemblies to make sure they function properly.

Key Takeaway Replacing a Mini tail light is easy enough that you can do it in 10-20 minutes with the right tools and parts.

MORE:

Where to find a Mini Cooper spare tire

Commons reasons for Mini tail light malfunctions

Apart from obvious damage from an accident or other incident, sometimes the cause of your Mini’s malfunctioning tail light isn’t so obvious. Here are some common issues that might cause your tail lights to go out without warning:

Dead bulb: If only one tail light is out, then you probably just have a burnt-out bulb.

Faulty wiring or fuses: Wiring issues or blown fuses will cause both your tail lights—or even your brake lights—to go out.

Damaged socket: If moisture gets into your tail light housing, it can corrode the bulb sockets. This will cause your lights to stop working properly.

Broken control switch: If you replace your tail lights and bulbs and your lights still aren’t working, it might be a control switch issue.

MORE:

Car Loan for Mini 2022

Does car insurance cover broken tail lights?

Depending on your

car insurance

policy, your Mini’s broken tail light might be covered. However, most of the time it’s more cost-effective to skip the insurance claim.

Comprehensive coverage

will cover your tail light if it was damaged as a result of a natural disaster or vandalism. If you broke your tail light in an accident or by backing into a stationary object, then it would fall under

collision coverage

But here’s the problem: filing a claim on a broken tail light might end up costing you money instead of saving in the long run.

Regardless of the coverage you have, you’ll have to pay your insurance deductible before your company will pay for the tail light repair. Also, filing an insurance claim runs the risk of hiking your rates for the future.

The highest price you’d pay for a Mini tail light replacement is $120, or even less if you do it yourself. In contrast, the average insurance deductible is $500, and the average rate increase for filing a claim with your car insurance company is 50%.

By replacing the tail light yourself and paying for it out-of-pocket, you’ll end up saving a considerable amount of money.

MORE:

When should you not make a car insurance claim?

How to find affordable Mini insurance

On average, Mini owners pay $1,691 a year for car insurance. This can depend largely on your model year and driving record.

If you don’t want to pay a fortune for your coverage, let

Jerry

help you find savings. In as little as 45 seconds, our

trustworthy insurance shopping super app

will retrieve quotes from the nation’s top insurance providers and deliver them to your device so you can shop for coverage and find the lowest rates.

Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy and get switched over to your new one. Best of all, the average Jerry customer saves $887 a year on insurance payments.

“This is the real deal, folks: $55/month for full coverage on a 2015 Jeep Cherokee, from a VERY, VERY well-known company (think Flo). And I do NOT have a good record. The app itself is smooth as butter. Kudos
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Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

FAQs

How much does it cost to replace a Mini tail light?

Depending on your model and model year, a tail light replacement for a Mini will cost anywhere from $35 to $125. Older Cooper model years will have cheaper replacement costs than newer models.

Can you replace Mini tail lights yourself?

Replacing the tail lights on your Mini can be done in less than 20 minutes with the right tools and replacement parts. It’s easy enough for complete beginners to do by themselves.

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