E30 Zone

Just got a bit of an electrical issue with my car.

The battery goes flat and im led to believe that its possibly casued by a constant drain on the battery. I find that the electric window and sunroof buttons are constantly lit up even once youve locked up and walked away.

Is this the cause and whats the reason behind it? I noticed this the after i installed a different head unit, i dont know if its related??

Any help would be appreciated, cheers!

I reckon the window lights have nothing to do with it. how old is the battery?

Electric window switches shouldn't be lit up when the ignition is off and doors closed.
The lights in the switches would eventually flatten the battery over some considerable time, but whatever is keeping the switches on may also be responsible for a larger drain elsewhere.
First thing to do is identify where the power to light the switches is coming from.
Pull out fuses 17 and 28 (one at a time) and see if the lights go out (doors shut).
Also, check out what else doesn't work with these fuses out.
I'm assuming that the switch lights staying on is something new.

Brianmoooore wrote:Electric window switches shouldn't be lit up when the ignition is off and doors closed.
The lights in the switches would eventually flatten the battery over some considerable time, but whatever is keeping the switches on may also be responsible for a larger drain elsewhere.
First thing to do is identify where the power to light the switches is coming from.
Pull out fuses 17 and 28 (one at a time) and see if the lights go out (doors shut).
Also, check out what else doesn't work with these fuses out.
I'm assuming that the switch lights staying on is something new.

I have the same problem pulled out the fuses and it was the number 28 that put them off.Everything execpt the windows and cig lighter still seem to work.I dont have an electric aerial and don't know what a indepentent fuel-burning heater is.

shedrool83 wrote: don't know what a indepentent fuel-burning heater is.

Even living where you do, I doubt very much if you have one!
Fuse 28 also gets hijacked by alarm and ICE fitters, so I should look in that direction.

Alarm and ice still work with fuse removed.

Do your window switch lights remain on?

No the switch light go out with the fuse removed and the windows and cig lighter don't work

Brianmoooore wrote:Do your window switch lights remain on?

with fuse 28 in place!

Brianmoooore wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:Do your window switch lights remain on?

with fuse 28 in place!

Yes

Then, assuming these are factory fitted windows, and not incorrectly fitted dealer ones, relay K5 is either faulty, or has been 'got at'

Cheers Brain your the man.I will replace the relay and see if it does the trick

Just pull it out first, and see if the lights go out. Then try the horn relay (K2) in its place.

[quote="Brianmoooore"]Just pull it out first, and see if the lights go out. Then try the horn relay (K2) in its place.[/quote


Pulled relay 5 lights still on so pulled all other relays lights still on.Does this mean it has a direct feed from the battery?

I has this at the beggining, soneone had wedged a piece of wire in the window relay in the glove box....so thats what drained my battery, but it's fixed now thanks to Brian!!

Will check that tommorrow cheers

If the lights are still on with K5 removed, then it's been got at!
They go out with fuse 28 removed though?
The power (should) go directly from pin 87 of K5 directly to the inside edge of fuse 28.
IGNORE THIS POST. I'M NOT CONCETRATING AND AM WRITING RUBBISH!!

also check you haven't wired up illumination wire on back of stereo to a live wire as i came across that problem
on an e36 last sunday.

The bit that gets me is the windows still work with the keys out.

when keys are out they should only work with door open

Mines work with the doors closed.

I've lost the plot here, and may have given wrong information!
Answer these questions:
With all fuses/relays etc. in place, do the windows work: a) with the doors open? b) With the doors shut and the ignition on? c) With the doors shut and the ignition off?
Same three questions with fuse 28 removed?
Same three questions with fuse 17 removed.

Brianmoooore wrote:I've lost the plot here, and may have given wrong information!
Answer these questions:
With all fuses/relays etc. in place, do the windows work: a) with the doors open? b) With the doors shut and the ignition on? c) With the doors shut and the ignition off?
Same three questions with fuse 28 removed?
Same three questions with fuse 17 removed.

Brian i will double check tomorrow but iirc answer is yes to all unless fuse 28 is removed then the answer would be no

shedrool83 wrote:but iirc answer is yes to all unless fuse 28 is removed then the answer would be no

In that case the relay tucked away at the back left of the glovebox is faulty, has been linked across, or a fault with the door pin switches is holding it permanently on.
Ignore most of my previous posts - I've been doing three things at once, am dangerously ill with man-flu, and have been confusing fuses 17 and 28.

When you get to the relay, listen to hear if it clicks when you plug it in and out.
With the doors open it should. With them closed it shouldn't'.

Cheers again Brian will check that tomorrow and let you know how i get on.Let you back to dealing with man flu

Brianmoooore wrote:When you get to the relay, listen to hear if it clicks when you plug it in and out.
With the doors open it should. With them closed it shouldn't'.

Right Brian i removed the relay(blue)and it is clicking doors open and doors shut.The switch at doors seem to be ok as they are operating the interior light as they should or does this not matter.If it is the relay needing replaced what should i ask for.

If the relay still clicks with the doors shut, then the blue/brown wire from the relay is shorted to earth, one of the door switches is faulty, or the phantom bodger has been at work.
The door pin switches are two switches in one. The switch for the light is electrically seperate from the switch for the relay.
The blue/brown wire goes direct to the LH door, but the one to the right goes through a plug and socket after a few inches. Try pulling this plug and socket apart to eliminate the wire to the RH side.

Brianmoooore wrote:If the relay still clicks with the doors shut, then the blue/brown wire from the relay is shorted to earth, one of the door switches is faulty, or the phantom bodger has been at work.
The door pin switches are two switches in one. The switch for the light is electrically seperate from the switch for the relay.
The blue/brown wire goes direct to the LH door, but the one to the right goes through a plug and socket after a few inches. Try pulling this plug and socket apart to eliminate the wire to the RH side.

Couldn't see the plug and socket so disconnected the drivers door switch and the lights went off.Is it the drivers door switch at fault then Also when i took the switch out there was only one wire connect,found another behind speaker and put it back on but didn't make a difference.

Sounds very much like it! The switches aren't exactly sophisticated - you should be able to see what's wrong with it.

The switch is pretty simple (push it in and it breaks the connection)and there is nothing that i can see

How many terminals are on your switch?
What is the colour of the wire on the switch?
What is the colour of the second wire ?
Does the interior light work (on the door switch) with the second wire disconnected?
Do you have an interior light delay unit?

Brianmoooore wrote:How many terminals are on your switch?
What is the colour of the wire on the switch?
What is the colour of the second wire ?
Does the interior light work (on the door switch) with the second wire disconnected?
Do you have an interior light delay unit?

It has two connectors.
One yellow/grey
One green/grey

It also has a brown/blue wire which was connected to the bodywork via the screw that holds the door switch i place.The interior light works when only the brown/yellow wire is connected.If i disconnect the brown/blue(tape it up )and refit the switch everything works execpt the lights on the switches when the drivers door is open,they light up ok when passengers door is open(no keys)