interior light delay

[M20olly]

just been looking at spec for my car on one of the articles and it says that my car shoild have a light delay. if it does it does not work. how could i mend it?

Might be mistake though cos i have never known an e30 to have a light delay.

oh well.

[TRICKYTREV]

The delay works on a microswitch on the drivers door handle, lift the handle , pause then open the door. If you don't pause the light will come on but not delay.............thats if you've got the switch fitted and it's working mate.

[Andy335Touring]

The relay that controls the delay function is fitted behind the drivers foot well speaker next to the ABS brain,it's an area thats can be prone to water damage so i'd have a look at the relay and make sure the terminals arn't all rusty.

[A1BMW325iSport]

sorry to nick the thread but do you guys know if the E30`s were ever fitted with both light delay and heated door lock or was it just one or the other?

[jamie325isport]

Mine has the heated door locks and a delayed interior light, mind you not to sure if the delay is down to the car or the alarm its got fitted.

[A1BMW325iSport]

ok, are both controlled through the same relay?

mine has both i think although only the heated lock part seems to work,
just wondered if there are two switches then on the handle or does one contact switch control both?

[Brianmoooore]

Some E30s had an interior light delay as standard, and any could have it as an option.
Keeps the lights on for about seven seconds after you close the driver's door, or switches them on when you lift the driver's door handle.
Can easily be retro fitted to any E30, less the door handle bit, by plugging in the relay, connecting the door switch input to the handle input and movinng a door switch wire from one connector to another.
You can find the same relay in old 5 series models IIRC.

[smithy318i]

Or you can make one yourself...

[Gav]

Slightly off topic, but on my 4 dr the interior light only comes on when the rear doors are opened, neither front door sets it off. Fronts still have the sensor things in the frame though?! On my 2dr both fronts made the light come on. I have a light above each pillar, should the 4dr have another one by the rear view mirror, there seems to be a blank there?! Or is the circuitry just knackered

[Brianmoooore]

Usual cause of non working lights of the front doors is the door switches themselves. They get tarnished and a little ridge of plastic builds up under the contact. Unscrew the single retaining screw, take them out and clean them up.
The blank above the rear view mirror is an access panel to manually operate the electric sunroof, but on my three tourings I have fitted an interior light from a Vauxhall, or the boot light from an E30 saloon into this panel, and fished wires around above the headlining from one of the other interior lights. Much cheaper alternative to the mirror with built in lights.

[Gav]

Usual cause of non working lights of the front doors is the door switches themselves. They get tarnished and a little ridge of plastic builds up under the contact. Unscrew the single retaining screw, take them out and clean them up.
The blank above the rear view mirror is an access panel to manually operate the electric sunroof, but on my three tourings I have fitted an interior light from a Vauxhall, or the boot light from an E30 saloon into this panel, and fished wires around above the headlining from one of the other interior lights. Much cheaper alternative to the mirror with built in lights.

thanks for that