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View Full Version : Right low beam intermittent. LKM thingy??



Dave M
11-07-2005, 09:58 AM
Had a low beam out, assumed it was the bulb, but it wasn't. Immediately recalled discussion on the LKM related to such a problem and did an archive search. Found a great post that was a bit over my non-electrical, solder weilding head, but figured it would eventually help me. Today I fire up the 5er and within minutes I have both headlights back???

Is this indicative of the LKM problem??

Please advise,

Later,

Dave M

JonE
11-07-2005, 10:36 AM
Hi Dave,
Not sure that LKM problem would result in just one headlight being intermittent. When mine was acting up, both low beam lights would just go out, no warning, then, maybe come back on. it was quite frightening, actually. During that time I drove with my foglights on all the time until I resoldered the little "peaks" on the board.
Hopefully others may have a clue about the single low beam intermittency.
JonE

Bill R.
11-07-2005, 10:36 AM
... No, its typically the lkm acting up , board expanding and contracting with heat and cold causing hairline fractures to lose continuity.







Had a low beam out, assumed it was the bulb, but it wasn't. Immediately recalled discussion on the LKM related to such a problem and did an archive search. Found a great post that was a bit over my non-electrical, solder weilding head, but figured it would eventually help me. Today I fire up the 5er and within minutes I have both headlights back???

Is this indicative of the LKM problem??

Please advise,

Later,

Dave M

Dave M
11-07-2005, 12:03 PM
... No, its typically the lkm acting up , board expanding and contracting with heat and cold causing hairline fractures to lose continuity.

You'd a had me, but I'm cat-less:)

I've just completed a search and visited Bruno's site. With all the new info, I'll attempt the fix,

Thanks,

DAve M

Alexlind123
11-07-2005, 08:57 PM
Check the wires going in to the light. The left foglight on my car is now out due to a flaky wire leading into the lights itself.

Dave M
11-07-2005, 09:21 PM
Check the wires going in to the light. The left foglight on my car is now out due to a flaky wire leading into the lights itself.

This crossed my mind (not a long trip), but I find it too uncanny that the lowbeam sprang to life while sitting still idling. But just cuz you mentioned it, I'll take another look :)

Thanks,

Dave M

Incantation
11-07-2005, 09:36 PM
fyi i have this same problem and i plugged another lkm into the car and it was gone.. still haven't been able to fix the lkm (soldered a couple times) but .. i will get it

Dave M
11-07-2005, 10:13 PM
fyi i have this same problem and i plugged another lkm into the car and it was gone.. still haven't been able to fix the lkm (soldered a couple times) but .. i will get it

OK........its a race :D

Whats a soldering iron??

Good Luck with it,

Dave M

Incantation
11-07-2005, 11:13 PM
yea man if u can figure out which points are responsible for the right low-beam please lemme know..

uscharalph
11-08-2005, 01:22 AM
Hi Dave,
Not sure that LKM problem would result in just one headlight being intermittent. When mine was acting up, both low beam lights would just go out, no warning, then, maybe come back on. it was quite frightening, actually. During that time I drove with my foglights on all the time until I resoldered the little "peaks" on the board.
Hopefully others may have a clue about the single low beam intermittency.
JonE
When my LKM had problems, it was just one side (The passenger side).

Dave M
11-08-2005, 07:06 AM
yea man if u can figure out which points are responsible for the right low-beam please lemme know..

Right low beam is relayed inside the LKM, as per ...

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drawings, it is the same relay for both sides, but different contact. Power gets into the LKM at pin number 2, splits to go to each relay contact (one for left low, and one for right low), go trough contact and then trough monitoring resistor, and finally go out from the LKM at pin 22 towards F11 fuse (for right side).

I have some better info from my forum search on the work confuser (insert dog-f'in joke here), but below is a good post with a pic if the LKM for pin ID.

Also, if you haven't seen Bruno's write up on this.....

LKM Fix a la Bruno (http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Electrical/LKM.htm)

Javier's Post

It is very important to check the fuse, not only switch it, but check the fuse holder contacts, they may be dirty, or overheated (symptom of poor contact or abuse due to higher power rated bulbs). If fuse is find and you can also confirm this by removing LKM and connecting power to pin 22 (Yellow/Blue wire), as right low beam should light up without intermittence, I would carefully check/re-solder al power joints in the path between pin 2 and pin 22 of LKM and finally will check/clean/burnish the relay contacts in the same path.

This is a picture of LKM connector (socket) for pin identification

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/attach...entid=886&stc=1

If I remember to find it at work, I'll post some new stuff later,

Dave M

Dave M
11-08-2005, 08:24 AM
More forum LKM gossip:

The power paths for Low Beams at LKM is from Pin 2 to Pin 21 for left and from pin 2 to pin 21 for right. Resolder all the components on this paths.

well the instructions are pretty clear.. when i did mine i simply re-soldered the outlined connections, 4 total if i remember correctly. i also touched up a couple that looked as thought they might go in the future

The LKM is located in the fuse box on the left side, under the hood. Reflow all the joints and hopefully, it should solve the problem.

Interceptor
11-08-2005, 08:42 AM
fyi i have this same problem and i plugged another lkm into the car and it was gone.. still haven't been able to fix the lkm (soldered a couple times) but .. i will get it
Love your sig :)