Side lights just won't come out

[Pig benis]

So, I have xenon headlights, but my sidelights are that horrible standard yellow. This has been bugging me for ages, so I went out and purchased some people LED sidelights with the intention of fitting them myself. Now I have been replacing bulbs in all of my many cars over my 8 years of driving, but never have I ever come across such a TERRIBLE design.

Before I started work on replacing them, I checked the forums (as you do) and it seemed to be a case of, pull off the connector, twist the buld casing and pull it out. Well I am not a puney guy, but seriously I could not removed casing. Two hours later, 1 phone call to Mini and I now have put everything back and my original side light is now not working.

Everything has gone back to how it was, but still nothing. I did spray WD40 all over the offending items, could this cause my original side light not to work?

I have a long trip tomorrow and I don't want to not have sidelights working. Partly because the error light on my dash will constantly remind me of how feeble my attempts have been.

I did think about popping to Halfords, but if I can't do it, then no pip squeak 16 year old definitely couldn't.


My Mini is under warranty, should I pop in there and deny all knowledge of how it stopped working?

If anyone has done this sidelight swap, PLEASE tell me your ways. As I cannot work this STUPID problem out.

Thanks
P.B