E30 Zone

My 320i developed a fault the other night where all the dash illumination lights went out, I check all the fuses and all seems well. The car knows the lights are on as the OBC goes from bright (daylight running) to completley out, if you know what I mean.

Any Ideas

it could be the light switch itself, sometimes the variable switch goes(makes the interior illumination go bright and dark). try turning the lights on and off and turning the nob clockwise/anti-clockwise a few times. hopefully you'll see something happen, i'm not sure but i know the light switch connects to a few circuits(internally) so its the most likely cause. if you can, try another switch which you know is working to check. hopefully that'll sort it!

I've tried the wiggling switch thing but no joy.

I've got a spares car so I'll swap them and see what happens.

I might have knocked something off as I had the ECU out the day before, I'll have a good look about in the daylight and see whats what.

mine has the same problem!!
but i had the hole of the drivers side go out aswell though and found out it to be a corroded wire near the fuse box!!

Do you mean the drivers side lights etc, I had that a month or so ago when I was messing with the stereo, the dimmer for the stereo has a feed under the dash. I changed a fuse and it was sorted. I think I need to get under the dash and have a prod.

Are there many fellow E30 nuts on here in essex

I have just sorted this on mine

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... highlight=

It was the switch had an open earth on it.

Try this, take the bulb holder out of the rear ash tray. attach a wire to the earth (-'ve) (Iused crocadile clips) then attach the other end to the earthing bolt under the gear-stick gator. The gator cover just un-clips. If it is a faulty earth you will find that the dash lights will then light (as you are giving it it's own direct earth rather than earthing through the switch). Because of this the variable resistance (ie dash light intencity won't work)

Also see this post
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... highlight=

also I learnt that you need to have the fog light swich connected into it's socket as it also earths though that.

Cheers for the tips guys, mines all sorted now.

I was checking the ECU wiring due to a cold start problem I was having and though i'd check the switch while I was at it, pulled the switch out of the spares car (worth it's weight in gold) and fitted it. all sweet as a nut.

I also sorted the lamp above the lights/fogs switch by fitting a new bulb, I say new, new to the car.

I have a spare speedo out of the spares motor and pulled a lamp assembly out of the handbrake light and noticed the bulbs themselves were the same, carefully remove the bulb from the black holder and broke the tabs off, bent the remaining wire to fit and they work fine and seem to be the right wattage, talk about stingy, I'm getting as much out of the spares car as I can.