Windows, mirrors and heaters

[Kristian0123]

Hi guys

I have a problem with a 318i cab. Electric windows don’t work,heater doesn’t work and same for wing mirrors, for some reason, the windows will work with the drivers door open, but as soon as you shut it, the lights go out on window switches and they stop working!!

I’ve checked the connections on the stater motor and everything appears to be correct, obviously I’ve checked all fuses and I’ve tried to bridge the relays k5 and k7 relays, but still no joy

This is really bugging me and I haven’t got much hair left to pull out, so if anyone can help, or steer me in another direction, I would be forever grateful

[Satan]

Brianmoooore should be along soon the saviour of the site and has helped many of us in the past and is held in high esteem on this site.

Would be interesting to find out what the issues are.

[Kristian0123]

I’ve tried to pm Brian a couple of times, it seems he has vanished lol.come back Brian

Plleeease

[Satan]

I’ve tried to pm Brian a couple of times, it seems he has vanished lol.come back Brian

Plleeease

You don't PM Brianmoooore, its written in to the rules......... and he does have a life.

[Brianmoooore]

Haven't seen this one before! I'm afraid I do tend to neglect my PMs a bit - there were well over a hundred unread the last time I looked.

Windows with the doors closed, mirrors and heater fan are the items controlled by the two unloader relays K5 and K7, along with heated seats (which I'm assuming you don't have), so, if all these items started acting up at the same time, it would be reasonable to assume that the unloader relay control circuit is where the problem lies. Windows with a front door open are supplied from a different circuit.
The only problem is, you've already gone over everything relevant!
Switch on the ignition, pull out and plug back in relays K5 and K7 in turn. Each should 'click' when you pull it out, and again when you plug it back in. Does this happen?

P.S. Monday nights, except for in the summer, aren't the best for me to answer tech. questions - I go out fairly early in the evening, and tend to be a little 'lubricated' when I get home at around 10.30.

[Kristian0123]

Hi Brian

Thank you for coming back to me, I’ve tried the relays and they both click when pulled out and pushed in. I did discover today that when I turn the heaters in, there is a faint clicking that sounds like it’s coming from th top of the drivers side dash. Also if you push the drivers door door shut button, that’s when the lights go out on window switches and windows stop. I unscrewed the switch and as soon as it comes out, there is no power at all, it’s like the screw that holds it in, has something to do with the power to windows?? Could it be an earth problem

[Brianmoooore]

This is very strange! If the relays click, then they are being controlled by the starter motor part of the circuit as they should be, and it's difficult to see how they can't be feeding power to the relevant fuses right next to the relays. The fuses are 17 for the windows (from K5), 19 for the mirrors and 20 for the heater (from K7).
Next test is to check that 12 volts is present on these fuses with the ignition on. This is best done with a 12 volt bulb connected to two pieces of wire. Connect one wire to a good body earth. (rear bonnet bracket is nice and handy) and push the other wire into the top of the fuse so that it touches the fuse wire (if you have the original type of fuse), or, if you hve an aftermarket, more enclosed fuse, pull it out and push the wire into the fuse socket furthest away from the outside of the fusebox.
What you describe with the door pin switches is what should happen, given that the windows aren't working with the doors closed.

[Kristian0123]

Hi Brian

All fuses light the bulb, the heater is still ticking also!!

[Brianmoooore]

there is a faint clicking that sounds like it’s coming from th top of the drivers side dash.

Is your steering wheel on the right side or the wrong side?

[Kristian0123]

On the right side lol

[Brianmoooore]

On the right side lol

I asked because the most likely thing to 'click' associated with the heater fan, is the part of the resistor pack, which lives high up and the left side of the heater box.

We know the windows themselves are in working order, so I propose we concentrate on sorting them first.
From your tests above, we have power at fuse 17. From the outer side of this fuse a white/black wire runs down the duct under the fusebox, and goes to pin Q of the accessories socket behind the glovebox. Q is the pin, roughly in the centre, just to the right of the bottom of the four pin radio plug.
There should be a white/black wire plugged into socket Q, which runs to a blue or purple relay at the LH side of the space behind the glovebox.
From what you've said earlier in the post this relay is working, at least as far as the normally open contacts are concerned, so the fault is somewhere in what I've described above.
If nothing obvious is wrong, use the 12 volt lamp again to check for power at pin Q with the ignition on.

[BenHar]

There is a diagram of the accessory socket here: http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ory_Socket

Note that it is upside down on that page.

Hope this helps.

Keep following Brian's advice and you will get there.

Ben

[Kristian0123]

Thanks ben