need help dipped beem

[Corasdad]

my dipped beam and dash lights dont work,I have changed all the fuses and moved the relays under the bonnet around but still nothing, I have a multi meter on order to test for power but i am very new to multi meters so will have to do a youtube crash course.
before I do that is there anything else i could try

[martauto]

Each side head lights are separately fused so I would have a look at the relay?
Also ,check out the "Wiki", it`s not bad.

Mart.

[Corasdad]

can anybody please help the plug that go into the head light switch can anybody tell me which colour wire does what, I keep looking at wiring diagrams but not really understanding it, so I need each wire spelling out for me

[fixedwheelnut]

Easier to start at the fuses then work either to the bulb or relays and switch from there.

Left High Beam bulb from fuse 1 White /violet wire from relay K3
Right High Beam from fuse 2 White/Blue wire

Left Dipped Beam from fuse 13 Yellow/White wire from relay K4
Right Dipped Beam from fuse 14 Yellow/Blue wire

Light switch;
Power in from fuse 23 Grey/Green wire pin 7 12v in
Dash lights Grey/Red pin 1 12v out
Grey/ Blue is from the fog light switch pin 10
Earth brown wire from pin 2
Headlights output Yellow/Green wire pin 11 This is not a voltage output it earths the relay to ground via the switch it also twins off and changes to yellow at connecter C202 to the high beam flasher stalk switch.

https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/images/ ... Lights.pdf

[Blanca]

Also check the earth wires, these can give problems as they all bunch up and go via a thick brown wire to the earth bolt just below the ignition module on the left inner wing.
First check earths at the side lights.
Come to think of it as the main beams work, Hmm

[TriggerFish]

my dipped beam and dash lights dont work

Stupid question, but just to be sure: do the rear lights, or sidelights work? Could be a problem with the light switch itself as I don't recall a link between dash and dipped beam?

[Corasdad]

all lights work except normal driving lights (dipped?) and dash lights, all fuses changed and new bulbs, I will be changing all relays (4 pin 30amp) for all new at weekend when i will look at the grounds also.
Thanks for the info

[Contours]

I haven't the car at the moment as it's in for an exhaust but I think the headlight relay is a 5 pin from memory--anyway check that yourself. Dont think the dips work with a 4 pin in there which sometimes happens when you're swopping relays about.

[Corasdad]

All my relays are 4 pin??
Maybe that's why they dont work surlly it's not that simple can anybody confirm it's five pin

[Contours]

I can get back to you tomorrow as collecting the car at lunchtime but think on mine the main beam is a 5 pin and dipped is a 4.

[fixedwheelnut]

All my relays are 4 pin??
Maybe that's why they dont work surlly it's not that simple can anybody confirm it's five pin

definitely five pin, you can see it on the wiring diagram

[Contours]

Just checked the car there now and discovered it's the other way around--the low beam relay K4 is a 5 pin and the relay K3 high beam is 4 pin. When I put a 4 pin relay in K4 the dims do not come on. The relay K4 is linked to the fog light circuit so you can have the foglights on while on dims. Make sure also that your fuses 13 and 14 which provide the power through the circuit for the low beams are good.

[fixedwheelnut]

Just checked the car there now and discovered it's the other way around--the low beam relay K4 is a 5 pin and the relay K3 high beam is 4 pin. When I put a 4 pin relay in K4 the dims do not come on. The relay K4 is linked to the fog light circuit so you can have the foglights on while on dims. Make sure also that your fuses 13 and 14 which provide the power through the circuit for the low beams are good.

Here is a scan of the diagram, it shows both K3 & K4 are both five pin relays the fog light relay K8 is four pin.

However I have looked at mine and K3 is four pin and K4 is five pin so that is probably a solid link in the fuse box from the one relay pin.

[Corasdad]

Does any five pin 30amp relay work

[Corasdad]

OK been and double checked my relays and they are 100% all 4 pins, this is how my e30 came to me as you can see there are some missing.
Can anybody give me the spec of the 5pin so I can buy one as I went to to local car shop and they didn't have any and said I would have to get from bmw

[BenHar]

For the dash lights have you turned the light switch clockwise to full brightness?

Ben

[Corasdad]

Yup still nowt

[Contours]

Fixedwheelnut wrote
Here is a scan of the diagram, it shows both K3 & K4 are both five pin relays the fog light relay K8 is four pin.
However I have looked at mine and K3 is four pin and K4 is five pin so that is probably a solid link in the fuse box from the one relay pin.

Yea, mine is the same. You cannot fit a 5 pin relay in position K3 anyway on my car as it is just a 4 pin socket. Interesting to see if the dims work with the 5 pin in position K4. A lot of the Bosch relays in my fusebox are original so they are a fairly robust item having got this far.

[Blanca]

You can only fit a 5 pin relay in a 5 pin socket so fit a std, 5 pin in where you can, it will not hurt.

[Corasdad]

Bmw in Colne have got me one on order but they are not sure if it the right one as they don't have wiring diagrams lol

[Corasdad]

Just want to say thanks for all that helped, my headlights work thanks to missing relay that's now been replaced, but my dash lights still don't work, any help again would be great.
Hope you guys are ready for the next problem which is the central locking

[Blanca]

Electrics are a magical thing, my left door window suddenly decided not to work, ??? and so it continues. get one thing fixed and another pops up.

Tracing is the way to go, trace the feed wire from the light that is dead and work back until you hit a live connection or live to dead, which ever is easier. in the case of the dash lights I would start at the dimmer in the headlight switch.

[Corasdad]

Dash lights working now Inc dimmer

[Blanca]

So don't keep us all in suspense, what was it?

[Corasdad]

Relay sorry for late reply, last owner had put a 4pin relay in but thanks to you guys it was pointed out and fixed, the dash lights I just found a live and jumped the wire to power the dash lights, its going for its first mot in 12yrs next week, I am not expecting it to pass but I will then have a bass line for what needs sorting

[dar1984]

Hi Guys,
Didn't want to start a new thread but having a similar issue. No dipped beams, have main lights, fog lights everything else. I'm just putting the car back together after restoring it. Have checked both earths on left wing and under dash board, car is a 91 325i sport. No power at fuses, checked relay and it's the correct 5 pin. Changed it out. Swapped the light switch for another one. Still no change.
Anyone any ideas?