Head light/Turn signal problem

[Milkboot]

Ok, trying to track down a problem that has been bugging me for the past few days.


After getting the car back up and running again, Snakeyes and I traded off on test drives, on my way back to the driveway, I heard a loud *POP* and a sound like somthing hit the kick plate where your left foot rests [Left hand drive]. Well no sooner after that pulling in, Snakeyes points out that my driver side fog light was out. Thinking nothing of it I thought I just broke the bulb or somthing, but when i tried to flash him with my highbeams for fun when he was looking at the car, we noticed that the driver side high beam did not light up, and when i released the switch, that my driver side low beam was now WAY more dim then the passenger side.

Well after brushing it off to maybe just my fog light being out was the problem. i never really did anything about it until a few days later after driving home from work when i then noticed that whenever i used my left turn signal that the low beam on the drivers side would get even more dim when in use. The turn signal gets brighter [still WAY more dim then the passenger side] the low beam goes even more dim.


The remidies i have tried so far was taking my LKM out and switching it with Snakeyes LKM with no differnce, I even took it out to redo the solder points where the relays are [even tho with my experience in electronics (Computer tech) the solder was in way better shape then i ever thought it would be] and even still no differnce. I did also check the fuses and as far as i could tell they were all in good shape [it has been awefully cold today for here in Texas, didnt stay outside to long :P]

Could it be a bad ground becuase it seems like nothing but the driver side is having problems?



[EDIT] almost forgot, the first time we noticed anything really screwy was when Snakeyes and I got the cars washed at the same time and he noticed a slight orange glow comming from my highbeams, I flashed them on and off real quick and they went out. As of right now they are unplugged just in case.



Anyone have this type of problem before?

[BillionPa]

Wtf!?

[Milkboot]

EXACTLY!


It is only the front driver side lights that have the problem, excpet the turn signal on the front left fendor, that one is nice and bright.

[Milkboot]

UPDATE



I had to honk my horn at some lady trying to talk on her phone while at a intersection [I know this because she yelled at me for honking at her to go thru the light] "I CANT TALK ON THE PHONE WITH YOU HONKING!@#" Anyways... I noticed when i did, the problem [See above] the Anti-lock light that has been comming on with my headlights and the slight glow from my left turn signal on the dash went away when the horn was pressed....


How can these things be linked?

[SnakeyesTx]

I still think its a wigged out ground somewhere. I guess we could put it up on ramps this week some time and look for a broken wire or something?

[Milkboot]

Well, I am going to start checking relays or somthing tomorrow at work since the horn thing is new

[Milkboot]

Todays Update, Well it just got dark, and i had to go pick up some CPU's for work for a new project of ours and had to turn on the headlights. When comming up to a intersection the traffic light had jsut turned yellow, so i pulled really hard on the steering wheel to make a left hand turn before it turned red, when when i did that, the problematic driver side low beam went out and on my dash i saw "Low Beam"

However when i left the vendors parking lot, i turned on my lights and both came on, one still dim as usual

why does this just keep getting weirder and weirder?

[BillionPa]

because a ground wire or wires is/are loose.

[Milkboot]

Wouldnt happen to know any tips or tricks that could help in narrowing down a ground problem would ya? :)

[Rus]

Considering the fact that the light problem appears to be related to your cabin functions like the horn and dashboard display (ABS light), there is probably a loose wire connection somewhere close to the dashboard. You mentioned hearing a popping sound after which things got strange. Perhaps you accidentally nudged a panel with your foot and it dislodged a wire behind it? There are some wire harnesses behind the speaker cover, and if you look up towards the firewall you'll see a few more poking through into the fuse box area up front. As mentioned before, look for poorly grounded wires (shady stereo or alarm installs will often leave bundles of wires loose) or frayed/melted/burned wires. HTH

[SnakeyesTx]

I'd just about die if my stereo wire harness install was to blame ... but don't tell him that :D

[Magnolia]

Help. This is a little off the subject but only related to the turn signal relay.
My daughter gave me her 95 525i (without manual) and the turn signal and emergency flasher does not work. I don't know where to look in the car for the relay. I searched the internet to buy but could not find one. I went to the local dealer here in Sacramento but they could not find the relay in their computer parts catalog. I bought a BMW parts CD but it's not listed there.
Meantime, I can not drive the car.

[Milkboot]

There should be a little relay box [aux relay box i think its called] near the front left corner of the engine bay. there should be some relays and i think a few fuses. The relays are in this pattern

OOO
OOO

The 2nd and 3rd relays on the first row are listed as turn signal/hazard, also say fuses 3,6,13,14 might be somthing to look at.