Multiple issues, Clueless

[Phatty5BMW]

Hey everyone, havin a few issues here recently. The car has been city bound driven due to needing new tires. Now that I have tires, I can drive her again :D To start off, I have had problems with the illumination lights in the cluster, i can get over that but i noticed no licence plate lights either. I used a test light to see if I had power to them and no dice. Working with limited daylight, I ran a quick + jumper wire to the plate light plug and walaa, both lights work and dash lights came on!!! Sounds like I have a shorted wire somewhere but havent had a chance to check it out yet, just wondering if you guys have had a same issue or might know a thing or two :)

Also, had an alignment done before new tires, after i got the tires I noticed at all speeds seems like im getting nailed by 40 mph wind gusts constantly. I'm going to be replacing front end parts but wasn't sure exactly what causes this. I'm going to take it in and have them check the alignment again but it doesn't seem like its the problem. The car never did this before when it was road worthy(good tires) .......

Thanks for any input guys,
Pat

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

check the truck/boot wire harness on the left hand lid arm, maybe a wire has failed.

frontend...it's it like a shimmy between 50 to 60 mph? or is it rear steering?

[colo525i]

For the license plate lights, check the trunk harness on the lefthand hinge of the trunk. The wire insulation likes to break and come off, exposing the wires and letting them break.

I'd try replacing the bulbs in the cluster first, if that doesn't work start tracing wires.

New control arms and tie rods + alignment will make it drive like new.

[Phatty5BMW]

It's at all speed ranges, almost feels like someone is jerking the wheel and I go all over the road i.e. drunk driving.....Seems to be more stable at higher speeds. I know I need rear dogbones and front sways but like I said, this was never a problem before. btw tie-rods are new that's why I got the alignment done.

[Phatty5BMW]

Oh ya, It's not a bulb issue, I have moved some bulbs around because I need a few but always forget to order them, but they were intermittent, but now they are just out 98% of the time. I dont think it is a capacitor problem, the symptoms aren't there. My parents e32 dash lights dont work either but has no effect on their lic. plate lights. With the wires jumped to the lic plate lights, still throw the Lic. Plate Light on the display.
Thanks for the input btw.

[Phatty5BMW]

ummmm bump?