Electrics going crazy!

[rossboy19]

Seem to be having big probs with my 89 325i. Was driving home from a mates last week and when I went to indicate...nothing. Indicators don't even make a ticking noise and are now completely dead, but the hazards still work? Thought it might be the stalk but the full beams are working off the same stalk. After this happened I decided to check all my lights and found a tail light also out. Have changed all fuses related to the lights and a relay also but to no avail. To add to matters yesterday my wipers turned themselves on randomly and the washer jets started squirting uncontrollably! Really don't know a great deal about cars but hoping someone on here can help so I don't have to take it to an expensive auto electrician that I can't afford! Thanks in advance!

[Grrrmachine]

When you have lots of things going wrong, you need to look for areas where those faults can be caused by one thing. Most likely here is the earthing for your dash controls.

If you remove the kick panel under your steering wheel (three plastic screws) you should get access to the mass of wiring under your dash cluster. You're looking for lots of brown wires all coming together to one bolt. Make sure that bolt is ultra-tight.

[rossboy19]

Great, will have a look shortly. Thanks for the response

[daimlerman]

Main dash earthing point is on the n/s,so assuming that the OP has a RHD car,this will be behind the glovebox's rear trim panel.

I have a feeling that your wiper/washer problem could be a sticky wiper motor,needs removing and it's gearbox exposing,clean out all the old,hardened grease and apply some nice new stuff.There should be a step by step for this in the wiki.
Another possible here is a sticking wiper stalk,some electrical contact cleaner may help.
Indicators,their relay hides behind the lower column shroud,you are going in there anyway for the wiper stalk! Assuming all indicators flash with the hazard switch,I would be looking at a stalk fault or a flasher relay fault.

Welcome to the zone,BTW

[rossboy19]

Thanks. Just checked the hazards and its only the flashers on the passenger side that work, drivers side are all dead. Guess that means its not a stalk issue

[Brianmoooore]

Whoa on this one! Apologies to all who have posted already, but you're largely leading the OP down the wrong path to a place where he'll likely end up with a few faults he didn't already have, as well as the original ones.
First, Unusually, I don't think there's a common cause to your problems.
Indicators: It won't be a problem with the 'relay' on the column. It's likely to be the glove box light, followed by the indicator switch (dip switch working is irrelevant) or the hazard light switch.
First of all check that fuse 4 is intact. If it's blown, check that the glovebox light switch is intact, fitted properly in place, and has a bulb in it.
If the fuse is intact, pull out the hazard switch, unplug it, link together the purple/grey and green/purple wires of its plug with a short piece of wire and try the indicators. If they work, the hazard switch needs opening up and cleaning.
Tail light: You don't actually say, but I take it you've tried a known good bulb? If so, there are three types/makes of bulb holder assembly used on E30s. One of these is unreliable and often results in one bulb not working. The other possibility is that the bulb cluster assembly isn't making contact with the round multipin socket properly.
Wipers/washers: The most common cause of this problem is a spare fuse in the fusebox that has come adrift from its holder in the lid, and has partly worked its way under the large black rectangular wiper control module in the fusebox, shorting out its pins. If this is not the case, it's likely to be the column switch at fault, with an exposed wire shorting to metalwork.

[billgatese30]

I'd agree with Brian. The wiper motor has nothing to do with sending a signal to the washer motor. This all comes from the wiring before or including the relay. I had this a few weeks ago and thought it was the stalk. I replaced it and as much as it is better, it still happens occasionally. Now it doesn't do it all the time though and its very rarely that the washer motor goes, however, the wipers will wipe 3-4 times, which is the same as if you activate the washer signal briefly. I'm thinking that what ever I have disturbed when replacing the stalk has improved things slightly and I'm getting a very brief short to the washer motor, which isn't enough to spray any screenwash, but is enough to activate the wipers for their 3-4 wipe cycle. I need to get in there again and try and trace where the problem is.

Make sure that the earth screw for the stalk is tight (brown wire screwed to the bracket on the column behind the steering wheel.) After that, look at the plug where the stalk plugs into the loom. This is clipped together with a few other plugs and they are all clipped en-bloc to the column approximately above where your left shin/ankle would be if your foot was on the clutch. Try unplugging/plugging the plug for the wiper stalk a few times to clean the contact on the pins. See if this improves anything and report back if not. Perhaps some one else may be able to enlighten you.