Side lights not working

[Dan318-is]

i bought my bmw IS and upon checking the lights the main beems worked but the dipped beams only worked at the rear, not the front.

naturally i assumed it was the blubs and replaced them bot, but there is still no front sidelights when i pull the lever for teh lights halfway out, but there is rear ones!?

Ne ideas?>

[Jamesb318is]

Fuses, relay, trapped/chaffed wiring?
Sorry cant really help with where to find said possible problems though! Fuse numbers etc are in your handbook, and poss relay position

[Dan318-is]

but wouldnt the same fuse run the main beams, which seem to be working????

[Jamesb318is]

I'm pretty sure they run seperate fuses

[Brianmoooore]

Left and right main beams are fused seperately (fuses 1 and 2).
Left and right dipped beams are fused seperately, (fuses13 and 14).
Left side parking lights and right side parking lights are fused seperately, (fuses 22 and 23).
Usual problem with front parking lights is the connection between the capless parking lamps and their holdes. Check the wires on the lamps are where they should be.

[Dan318-is]

i was hopign you would come along!! genius!

il check 2moro n let u know thanks a lot

[Dan318-is]

brian fuses still intact, and wires seem to be free

iv installed new bulbs but cant see them working

help me please!!!!

[Brianmoooore]

I can't make out from your first post exactly what lights aren't working, and under what circumstances.
Dipped beams are the outer two headlamps, main beams are the inner two headlamps. Front parking lamps are at the top of the outer headlamps, and the red lamps at the rear which come on with the front parking lamps are the tail lamps. There are also two lamps at the rear for the number plate.
There is also the parking light facility, where the parking light and tail light on one side of the car only is switched on by the indicator stalk, and on early facelift cars there is a running light arrangement where the dipped headlamps are operated at a reduced brightness when the ignition is on and the light switch is in the parking light position.

[Dan318-is]

it is the inner lights that do not come on when i pull the light stalk half way out

the outside lights come on when the stalk is pulled all the way out but the inner ones remain off

i have checked all fuses

[Brianmoooore]

it is the inner lights that do not come on when i pull the light stalk half wat out

They're not supposed to.

[Dan318-is]

so when the hell do they come on? i mean when i pull the stalk halfway out nothing happens at all no lights at the front??

[Brianmoooore]

the outside lights come on when the stalk is pulled all the way out but the inner ones remain off

That's how they should be when the headlamp column stalk is in the dipped position.
What happens if you pull the column stalk comp[letely towards you (headlamp flash)?
When the column stalk is pushed away from you the inner (main beam) headlamps should come on, along with the blue light in the instrument cluster.
Does this blue lamp light up?
Pull out relay K3 in the fusebox, and short together pins 30 and 87 of its socket with a short piece of wire. This should light the inner headlamps.

[Brianmoooore]

so when the hell do they come on? i mean when i pull the stalk halfway out nothing happens at all no lights at the front??

The small 5W bulbs at the top of the outer headlamps should light with the pull switch half way out. Most common problem with these is the wires on the capless bulbs not making contact or bent into the wrong plkace.

[Dan318-is]

so when do the inner ones come on then mate?

[Brianmoooore]

so when do the inner ones come on then mate?

When you pull indicator stalk fully towards you (headlamp flash), or when the indicator stalk is fully forward and the light switch is pulled right out with the ignition on. in both cases the blue light in the instruments should light aas well.

[Dan318-is]

so they full beams then

il try n fix my sidelights 2moro cos they not ocming on, n e idea how to access em

[Brianmoooore]

so they full beams then

il try n fix my sidelights 2moro cos they not ocming on, n e idea how to access em

Open the bonnet and look down on the top of the outer headlamps, just behind the plastic grill, in front of the slam panel. There should be a little black lever sticking up. Use this to turn the lampholder and it will come loose. The lampholders become brittle with heat from the lamp and may crumble. The rubber O ring is important - it keeps water out.
The lamps themselves are 12V 5W capless types and just pull straight out.

[Dan318-is]

thanks mate il try it 2moro an let you know

apreciate your help