Electrical Faults

Post Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:07 pm

Hi, I've just bought an E30 325, one of the first thing on my list is that the OBC works, however it doesn't light up at night! Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

Whilst on the electrics subject, the windscreen washer indicator is on constantly when there is plenty of fluid...

It's also an auto and I was wondering if it's normal that I can't see the gears... i.e. 1, 2, 3, D, N, R, P... Is there supposed to be a bulb in there or is this normal

thanks
Julien

Post Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:16 pm

First thing we'll do is move this to the correct forum!

All three of these faults are extremely common,and well documented on here, both in the wiki and in the archives with the use of the 'search' button.
1) The backlight has failed. Either pay BMW close to £30 for a new one, or solder in a couple of new 50p bulbs to the existing one.
2) Turn the level sensor in the reservoir the correct way up - it sits in a round hole, and can rotate.
3) There is a bulb, clipped to the selector lever, and this bulb can fail, but often one of the flexible wires to the bulb has broken. Pull off the 'brush' plate and have a look.

Post Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:17 pm

Check all the fuses, people on here will tell you all the niggles i had caused by blown fuses. Worth posting a photo of your fuse box up to make sure theyr all in the right places

Post Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:16 am

Niggles aren't caused by blown fuses. Niggles CAUSE blown fuses. Fuses don't blow by themselves.

Post Thu Sep 27, 2012 9:49 am

'Tired' fuses will be 'tired' as a result of a long term electrical fault in a correctly designed system, such as that found on an E30.

Post Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:42 pm

Brilliant - Thanks for all your advice! And soz on the wrong wrong forum... I've just joined as this is my first e30

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:48 am

Hi Again,

I've found out why there's no illumination in the auto box! That's purely because the previous owner has taken out the bulb and the connector altogether...

Where can I find one of these? I've looked all over ebay and can't find anything! I've also taken a pic of my fusebox, but I can't work out how to upload a pic on to here!

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:59 am

All the little instrument bulbs (heater controls etc) are 12V 1.2W capless bulbs, and they're all linked together with a grey/red wire IIRC. Hunt around for the grey/red wires, as they're very unlikely to have been removed (as diable says). If you really can't find them, I'm sure you can add one easily enough with a soldering iron.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:57 pm

I've got a picture to show you guys... I'm just not on sure what's the best way to upload it to here

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:20 pm

I'm in the process of scapping an auto, and fairly sure the light for the auto selector illumination is still there. Will have a look later.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:22 pm

juser wrote:I've got a picture to show you guys... I'm just not on sure what's the best way to upload it to here

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=171644

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:35 pm

Grrrmachine wrote:
juser wrote:I've got a picture to show you guys... I'm just not on sure what's the best way to upload it to here
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=171644

Nice - Thanks

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:37 pm

Here's what it looks like inside...

http://s1306.photobucket.com/albums/s57 ... 3de583.jpg

Now, I'm no E30 specialist, but where the screw thing is, right by the leaver is where it looks like the bulb should go!

Anyone ever seen this before?

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:58 pm

when you post a photo, you need the code that starts

No E30 should have those lock-block connectors. But it does happen that the wire that goes from the gearbox to the gearstick hole comes loose from its clip and gets shredded by the propshaft (talking from personal experience) so it may be that this is the only repair the previous owner could make. Take up greg124's offer of the wiring, and solder it in yourself.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 2:19 pm

greg124 wrote:I'm in the process of scapping an auto, and fairly sure the light for the auto selector illumination is still there. Will have a look later.

Dude, if you have the wiring, I'll surely take that off you if you wanna sell it!

Take a look at the pic I posted, it doesn't seem normal!

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:09 pm

I've just removed these from the car:

they should live in the little cylindrical housing just to the bottom left of the topmost philips head screw in the photo above. It looks as if you already have the bulbholder sat in the little cylinder.
You can very gently prise back the clip on the side of the cylinder and pull the bulb holder out by the wires. When it is working the bulb should shine out of the hole on the side of the cylinder.

The wiring on my car is brown and green/yellow, so it looks like you already have that. The wires do tend to break after being moved backwards and forwards for years, and I've seen a few with chocolate block fitted. The one I'm stripping has chocolate block in the green/yellow wire.

Send me a PM if you would like me to supply parts

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:25 am

Brianmoooore wrote:First thing we'll do is move this to the correct forum!

All three of these faults are extremely common,and well documented on here, both in the wiki and in the archives with the use of the 'search' button.
1) The backlight has failed. Either pay BMW close to £30 for a new one, or solder in a couple of new 50p bulbs to the existing one.
2) Turn the level sensor in the reservoir the correct way up - it sits in a round hole, and can rotate.
3) There is a bulb, clipped to the selector lever, and this bulb can fail, but often one of the flexible wires to the bulb has broken. Pull off the 'brush' plate and have a look.

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your advice... I fitted a new backlight with a resistor and LED's from maplin... Bit of a mission to get the OBC out, but managed it in the end!

On the washer fluid light, I've fished around in the reservoir and literally do not understand what I'm looking for

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:56 am

The reservoir has two electric items; the pump, and the level sensor. The thing that's not the pump is what you're looking for.

It works just like a toilet stop-cock - a floating arm rises and falls with the level of the fluid. But if the whole mechanism is twisted around, then the arm won't be able to move up and down. Just grab the electric terminals and rotate the whole sensor until it points the right way up.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:07 am

Grrrmachine wrote:until it points the right way up.

Which is with the plug and wires pointing straight upwards.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:41 am

OK - Thanks... I'll have a look, although I noticed there are two reservoirs... One seems to be for deep clean and the other for windscreen washer...

I've got the optional light wipers (which don't work) (even when I push the stem in)

But I'm going to flush out the windscreen washer in both of those tanks as they smell more like bog water than anything!

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:40 pm

Button on the end of the stalk is to set off the intensive wash/wipe sequence on the windscreen, and draws fluid from the second bottle. You should fill this with the special fluid available from BMW.
There's no direct control of the headlamp wipers. They are supposed to work every fifth time the windscreen washers are operated when the lights are on - and it doesn't seem to work if you do it five times in quick succession. Having said that, there's are good chance that they have seized up along their output shafts, but, this is usually easily fixable if you follow the instructions that are (probably) in the wiki.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:54 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:Button on the end of the stalk is to set off the intensive wash/wipe sequence on the windscreen, and draws fluid from the second bottle. You should fill this with the special fluid available from BMW.
There's no direct control of the headlamp wipers. They are supposed to work every fifth time the windscreen washers are operated when the lights are on - and it doesn't seem to work if you do it five times in quick succession. Having said that, there's are good chance that they have seized up along their output shafts, but, this is usually easily fixable if you follow the instructions that are (probably) in the wiki.

Yep, thanks... I looked in the wiki and it says it happens a lot. My friend who sold this car to me is a trader and noted every E30's he's had with this option, he's never seen one that works!

When I press the intense wash button all that happens (even with the lights on) is the windscreen wipers go off... You hear the pump, then the wipers! You're then supposed to hear the headlamp pump, then the washers right after - So I'm guessing that the pump for the lights is knackered!

Can I ask though... What's the special fluid from BMW got over windscreen wash from the shop?

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:16 pm

When you press the intensive wash button, the intensive wash pump should fire up for about a second, followed by the wipers giving several sweeps. AFAIK, the intensive wash switch is not linked to the headlamp wash/wipe system, although they both come as part of the same package.
There is a control unit mounted on the dual washer bottle which counts how many times the normal screen washers have been used when the lights are on. When the count reaches five, the box sends a short pulse to the headlamp motors, which powers both headlamp wipers off of their stops. Once they are off of the stops, the headlamp wash/wipe sequence becomes completely self contained within the wipers, which then receive power from an ignition switched supply.
After the first couple of wiper sweeps, the RH wiper motor switches on the headlamp washer pump, and the wipe sequence continues for, I think, another three sweeps.
As a result of the way they are controlled, it's actually quite unusual to see them in action. The usual clue is that you see the flicker of the headlamps as the wipers cross the lenses.
There is a thermistor built into each assembly, which protects everything against damage if they are seized or jammed for other reasons. I've only come across one unit that I couldn't repair, and that was because water had penetrated right into the motor, and completely rusted away about one third of its steel case.
Ordinary diluted washer fluid is used in the large washer tank, buut the stuff that goes into the small tank is used undiluted. All I know is that the genuine BMW stuff works and works well. One burst of the intensive wash is usually enough to clean away several weeks worth of sun dried bugs and the coating from filthy diseasal engined vehicles when it starts to rain after a dry spell.

Post Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:41 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:When you press the intensive wash button, the intensive wash pump should fire up for about a second, followed by the wipers giving several sweeps. AFAIK, the intensive wash switch is not linked to the headlamp wash/wipe system, although they both come as part of the same package.
There is a control unit mounted on the dual washer bottle which counts how many times the normal screen washers have been used when the lights are on. When the count reaches five, the box sends a short pulse to the headlamp motors, which powers both headlamp wipers off of their stops. Once they are off of the stops, the headlamp wash/wipe sequence becomes completely self contained within the wipers, which then receive power from an ignition switched supply.
After the first couple of wiper sweeps, the RH wiper motor switches on the headlamp washer pump, and the wipe sequence continues for, I think, another three sweeps.
As a result of the way they are controlled, it's actually quite unusual to see them in action. The usual clue is that you see the flicker of the headlamps as the wipers cross the lenses.
There is a thermistor built into each assembly, which protects everything against damage if they are seized or jammed for other reasons. I've only come across one unit that I couldn't repair, and that was because water had penetrated right into the motor, and completely rusted away about one third of its steel case.
Ordinary diluted washer fluid is used in the large washer tank, buut the stuff that goes into the small tank is used undiluted. All I know is that the genuine BMW stuff works and works well. One burst of the intensive wash is usually enough to clean away several weeks worth of sun dried bugs and the coating from filthy diseasal engined vehicles when it starts to rain after a dry spell.

Thanks for your thorough response Brian... Looks like what I have is my motor has seised! I'll have to dissemble all of it, clean it up and see what happens.