e36 compact problems.. experts needed.

[munky30]

A friend of mine has just bought an M plate 316 compact. As much as I hate them, I like him so said I;d ask for some advice.

His windows wont go down, they're electric.

His brake lights dont work when the lights are on...

any ideas?

[kam-325i]

1, Windows - Check the breaker switch/Fuse.

2, Does it have a seperate "brake light bulb" or combined "stop and tail" bulb ?

[dazleeds]

all e36 windows have problems

not sure what fecks up but i havent seen many with fully operational windows

always start with the obvious tho

fuses/relays/switches/connections/1 touch relay if fitted

[Andyboy]

On an 1994 M plater it might be one touch driver's window only and the relay is actually part of the motor which unbolts. But the fact that both windows are down suggest a fuse/and/or power supply problem.

But I'm pretty sure that by the time the Compact came out they'd ditched that idea and put the relay somewhere else. I'll have a think.......

[dazleeds]

i seem to remember it being near the glovebox near the abs ecu

Damn i admitted remembering that

brake light sounds like some sort of short in the circuit

call Brian

[munky30]

Yeah I thought it sounded like a short/bad earth as they work when the main lights are off... I think they are separate bulbs as opposed to all in one twin element ones.

Will pass all this on but keep it coming, I'll get more info off him tomoro as I only saw him for 5 minutes tonight so didnt get much more than a bit of a rant about his 'shitty e36' (his words not mine)...

I get cheap parts off this guy so like to help him out in return when i can .