Headlights on passenger side intermittent

[Whit]

Headlights (both high and low beam!) on passenger side intermittent, not blowing fuses anymore, just not working all the time. Any ideas?

[shogun]

Check the wiring between right and left side. All goes via the LKM-L = light control module luxus, which sits in the fuse box in the engine room left side (drivers side) and it is written LKM-L on top of it. Depending on the real year it was built you can also have a socalled mustard relay. That is - as the name says- mustard coloured and also sits there in the fuse box in front of and in middle of the CCM = check control module.
Inside the LKM there are relays, check if they are working. Just install the relay without cover and you can see the relays clicking.
Maybe it will be your first re-soldering job, unless one of your Philippino artists does it for you.
See here for LKM fix, additional LKM fix and mustard relay.
http://www.e32fixes.com/results.asp

First of all -because you have high humidity- check the contacts of the bulbs/connectors and the pressure of the bulb holders.
Maybe you switch both bulbs from right to left side and see if the prob moves to the other side.

[Whit]

Thanks. I looked again, the passenger lowbeam looks "half on." Almost like it is misdirected or barely on. Same fix? The passenger high beam is not working at all. Driver's side is normal on low and high beams.

[shogun]

The headlights all have individual fuses and also the relais in the LKM. So check the fuses or interchange them to see if any change comes. Open the LKM and look for bad ('cold') solderings or if the relais have a fault. A good radio repair shop can do that resoldering in 30 minutes. Same do with the mustard relay. By doing this you have eliminated already 2 possible probs.
If the light is misdirected: there are plastic clips behind the headlights, maybe they are broken. Use the online ETK (spare parts catalog) and go to lighting, there are explosion drawings with the parts.
Ask someone who has a basic knowledge with electrics to check the wirings with a multimeter. Wiring diagrams are online on my website.
It is now just a matter of checking step by step.

[Whit]

Thanks!

[Whit]

Got it! LKM was out. I resoldered it and all lights work. thanks!

[Whit]

BTW, the "half on" thing was a small light that sits above the main low beam headlight. It has a blue case and is on the end on a stafflike harness.

[shogun]

Oh, that is the socalled parking light. Usually it is white, but latest fashion is a blue bulb. (I do not like it on a E32)
I hope that they did not install LED's instead of that. Then you will have a parking light warning, even if the LED light is working.
Also check the side marker lights at the front between front door and wheelhouse.
There are usually also normal bulbs inside. But the jap. fans install now also these new side marker lights with LED's in it. Then also the warning signal will come, even if the LED's work, But for the control module, it cannot check it (the light of LED's).
So if LED's are installed as parking lights, you will get a warning. There are some tricks to bypass this, but better " re-tune " to normal bulbs.
.

[Whit]

The front bulb has a blue casing, but the light is white. I will check the side light for LEDs. Good Tip!

Oh, that is the socalled parking light. Usually it is white, but latest fashion is a blue bulb. (I do not like it on a E32)
I hope that they did not install LED's instead of that. Then you will have a parking light warning, even if the LED light is working.
Also check the side marker lights at the front between front door and wheelhouse.
There are usually also normal bulbs inside. But the jap. fans install now also these new side marker lights with LED's in it. Then also the warning signal will come, even if the LED's work, But for the control module, it cannot check it (the light of LED's).
So if LED's are installed as parking lights, you will get a warning. There are some tricks to bypass this, but better " re-tune " to normal bulbs.
.

[shogun]

One more. If that all does not help, also check the brake light switch
http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_25.htm