Headlight failure (intermittant) E30 M3

Guest · Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:39 pm

My nearside headlight keeps failing when I put it on dipped. They're ok on side lights, but when I pull the switch out all the way they both come on, then within a few seconds the nearside one goes out, and is back to just side light. If you leave them like this it periodically comes back on but is out most of the time.

Before I get the sparky in, lets see if you guys can save me a few quid!!

Any idea's?

Adam.

Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:41 pm

Change the bulb!? Could be a filament that's on it's last legs.

Guest · Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:01 pm

Simon wrote:Change the bulb!? Could be a filament that's on it's last legs.

Blimey, hope so!! I assumed bulbs either worked or didn't. I'll be well chuffed if its that simple.

You don't happen to know what bulbs I need do you?!!

Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:07 pm

adaM3 wrote:
You don't happen to know what bulbs I need do you?!!

H1 mate.

Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:12 pm

I had this problem, it was simply just a loose connection plug on the headlight! Give that a firm push in just to check!

Guest · Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:49 pm

Simon wrote:

H1 mate.

Hi.

Oh, sorry, I'm with you now!! :lol:

So, plan for the morning...

Get up and dressed etc, leave the house, give the head light connector a good whack, then a possible visit to Halfords before work!!

Yet again, cheers boys.

Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:56 pm

No! Dont "whack" them lol but turn the lites on and when the lite goes out, have a fiddle with the connector/wires and see if they flick on!

Guest · Post Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:01 pm

6potWil6pot wrote:No! Dont "whack" them lol but turn the lites on and when the lite goes out, have a fiddle with the connector/wires and see if they flick on!

Gotcha. Treat it like a lady, not a punch bag!! I'll let you know how it goes.

Guest · Post Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:26 am

Ok, had a look this morning it seems like a bad contact (which I think I have narrowed down to the yellow plug). Had a mess about with it and its working ok at the moment, but for how long?!! Only time will tell...

Fingers crossed.

Post Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:23 pm

Seems like you may have found your fault, but it's very common for filament lamps to be intermittent.
The two ends of a broken filament can shake about due to vibration or the movement of the car. If they happen to touch a current flows and creates a magnetic field which holds the ends together. When the lamp is switched off, the magnetism is lost and the two ends spring apart again.