Lights went out during driving

[Black_Op_88]

I went a drive in my 89 e30 325is with m30 3.5 conversion. Then all of a sudden my lights in my cluster went out along with the illumination lights on the center console and the bulbs in the ash trays. Also my offside rear light isn't working and the number plate lights have also gone out.

I'm hoping this is a fuse or relay problem. Any ideas I will be hoping to get to the bottom if it tomorrow.

[kangman]

Hope this helps, looks like 23

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Fuse_Box

[JF008]

Its a good time to use that glove box flashlight to look in the fuse box

I never had a fuse blow without me messing with live wires tho..

any fuse stories?

[Brianmoooore]

As Kangman says, fuse 23 will have blown. Now you have to find out why.
The cure for a blowing fuse is NOT to fit a bigger fuse.

[Black_Op_88]

Well what ever it is it keeps blowing fuse 23. I have checked the connections on the licence plate light there not at fault and the rear light isn't at fault so I'm guessing it could be a pinched wire.

Would speaker or radio wires cause something here as that was the last work I did I put in a new speaker on the near side foot well. Time to start a hunt for the fault

[Brianmoooore]

How quickly and how definite is it that the fuse will blow?
One simple check is to pull out one of the two plugs on the bulb chck module on the LH side of the boot, and see if that cures the fuse blowing. Indicators will still work, but you won't have tail lights, number plate lights or brake lights.
Have you been messing with the radio itself? One of the wires in the radio loom (grey/red) will blow fuse 23 if shorted to metalwork.

[Black_Op_88]

How quickly and how definite is it that the fuse will blow?
One simple check is to pull out one of the two plugs on the bulb chck module on the LH side of the boot, and see if that cures the fuse blowing. Indicators will still work, but you won't have tail lights, number plate lights or brake lights.
Have you been messing with the radio itself? One of the wires in the radio loom (grey/red) will blow fuse 23 if shorted to metalwork.

I had the radio out because I had a to reattach the aerial. The fuse blows as soon as I pull out the knob to turn on the lights. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the wiring of the radio.

[mrLEE30]

One simple check is to pull out one of the two plugs on the bulb chck module on the LH side of the boot, and see if that cures the fuse blowing. Indicators will still work, but you won't have tail lights, number plate lights or brake lights.

do this first then come back, this lets us know if the fault is beofre or after this module

[Brianmoooore]

One simple check is to pull out one of the two plugs on the bulb chck module on the LH side of the boot, and see if that cures the fuse blowing. Indicators will still work, but you won't have tail lights, number plate lights or brake lights.

do this first then come back, this lets us know if the fault is beofre or after this module

If this all started after the radio had been out and replaced, I know where I'd bet the problem is!

[Black_Op_88]

OK so I've had the radio out and worked at placing the connections neater in behind and it seems to have sorted the short although I'm back with this poor reception problem with my radio really fuzzy and often struggling to find channels.

[Black_Op_88]

Ok so I thought my problem of the lights was sorted but no. When I pull the switch for the lights they all come on except the clock illumination and when doing this it takes the illumination away from the OBC. Could it be the switch for the lights or my clocks that's kicked the bucket?

[BenHar]

Have you turned the light switch clockwise to make sure they aren't dimmed right down?

Ben

[Brianmoooore]

Ok so I thought my problem of the lights was sorted but no. When I pull the switch for the lights they all come on except the clock illumination and when doing this it takes the illumination away from the OBC. Could it be the switch for the lights or my clocks that's kicked the bucket?

What kind of E30 has an OBC and a clock??????

[Black_Op_88]

Yes I have tried the dimmer but no they just aren't working. And when I said clocks I was referring to the instrument cluster. When I put on the lights everything comes on except the instrument cluster illumination and the OBC illumination goes out.

[Brianmoooore]

If you want this problem solved, try to be accurate in your descriptions. A clock is a thing that tells you the time of day!
What does "everything comes on" mean, exactly? Lights outside the car, or the heater panel, dash switches and ash tray illumination?
Which OBC illumination? The knobs are the display backlight?

[Black_Op_88]

Everything means everything, but I will list any way so I am more accurate
What comes on:
Lights outside
Temp venting illumination
Temp hot/cold illumination
Ash tray lights front/back
Illumination for fog lights front/back
Window switch illumination
Hazard light illumination
Rear window demist illumination

I think that is all but what does "NOT" come on is the speedometer, revs, temp and fuel gauge illumination. When I pull the switch that activates the lights it kills the illumination on the OBC but still NO illumination on the "Instrument Cluster"

Hope that gives you more understanding of my problem

[Black_Op_88]

OK so to get to the bottom of the no lighty on my cluster I removed it to test connections. Everything seemed fine so after having taken the dimmer switch out and the bulbs from the cluster I reassembled it and hey presto it worked. I'm not entirely sure what the problem was but I hope that will be the end of it.

Any way a long story short I'm out no wonga so good times. Roll on the summer.