Light Out on Dash :(

[HaloArchive]

So, I was driving and this came on:

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7823/img00148201102281551.jpg (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/img00148201102281551.jpg/)

I got out of the car and, tested all lights, high, HID, signal, sides etc and they all seem to be working.

Que is the light on?

H

[kayger12]

Any after market bulbs up there?

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[mimalmo]

Make sure you test all lights (including signals) in the following modes
Daytime running mode (DRL's on if you have them)
Night running mode (headlights on)
Night hi-beams mode (high beams on)
Fog lights


If everything is working good in all those modes, you likely have a bad connection or a loose bulb.

EDIT: just noticed you have xenons so high and low beam function is identical - either it works or it doesn't.

[danewilson77]

1. Go to front roght corner.
2. Unscrew and remove.
3. Remove bulb.
4. Have beer.
5. Bend up lil clip (connection point in socket) a bit to ensure good contact.
6. Place a lil dab o di-electric grease on tip of bulb contact point.
7. insert bulb.
8. Re-install corner.
9. Have another beer.
10. Test.
11. Send Dane a check for $65.00 (Half an hour at dealer cost)

[HaloArchive]

Yeah, everything seems to be working fine. The PO put on some of the ballasts with electrical tape :facepalm: and, it has popped up once before and went away for months. Maybe some water got in there and isnt making it too happy. Ill check everything I guess once the weather dries up.

[danewilson77]

Good to hear Halo.......

[ryankokesh]

take out the led in the dash? Don't worry - it'll sounds like a better option once you drink all of dane's beers.

[danewilson77]

take out the led in the dash? Don't worry - it'll sounds like a better option once you drink all of dane's beers.

:rofl

[HaloArchive]

take out the led in the dash? Don't worry - it'll sounds like a better option once you drink all of dane's beers.

LOL. I have some single-malt for that.

[ryankokesh]

good call. (I'm currently picturing myself trying to unsolder an LED while drinking. Which is hilarious, if you understand that I can't do it sober.)

[billschusteriv]

I just had this issue with my E46. It seems the right front turn signal was on its way out. It was really really dim, but would still flash. So I replaced it. Good as new and no more light out warning light on the dash.

Coincidentally, two days later, I ended up changing a low beam on the same side.

[ryankokesh]

My turn signal inner bulb housing sort of popped out of the outer bulb housing and would intermittently throw a bulb out error. But it blinked really quickly so that I knew it was the signal.

[HaloArchive]

Well, I have auto-leveling 6K HID low and Halogen High, 6K HID fogs and LED white corners. I took a quick peek in the dark and wiggled some sketchy wires and, the problem still persists. I honestly have no clue where to start with the lighting or how to even really check the lights on an E46. Any DIY/guides?

[billschusteriv]

Do you have the BMW E46 manual by Bentley Publishers? The section in there on the lights was relatively thorough.

Changing the front lights on my E46 was the easiest time I've had to date changing those bulbs when compared with other cars I owned.

I'm on Tapatalk - I can get you pics in the morning. I might be able to find a DIY unless someone beats me to it.

[HaloArchive]

Do you have the BMW E46 manual by Bentley Publishers? The section in there on the lights was relatively thorough.

Changing the front lights on my E46 was the easiest time I've had to date changing those bulbs when compared with other cars I owned.

I'm on Tapatalk - I can get you pics in the morning. I might be able to find a DIY unless someone beats me to it.

I had a Bentley manual until the snow fell and I needed to use it for things other than its intended purchase usage. (Glad I got it on ebay for $5)
A few quick pics would help me bunches! I am glad were a community and membership will step up :)

Cheers~
H

[billschusteriv]

Do you have the BMW E46 manual by Bentley Publishers? The section in there on the lights was relatively thorough.

Changing the front lights on my E46 was the easiest time I've had to date changing those bulbs when compared with other cars I owned.

I'm on Tapatalk - I can get you pics in the morning. I might be able to find a DIY unless someone beats me to it.

I had a Bentley manual until the snow fell and I needed to use it for things other than its intended purchase usage. (Glad I got it on ebay for $5)
A few quick pics would help me bunches! I am glad were a community and membership will step up :)

Cheers~
H

I am having a few issues that will take me some time to resolve today.

In the meantime, IIRC there are two different types of mechanisms to hold in the front corner lights. If you look in the engine compartment directly above the light, you will see a hole leading to a screw or a clip. Loosening this screw will allow you to remove the corner light (I have a 2002 facelift e46 - this is the style I have). For the clip, you will need a long screwdriver (longer than 3") to depress the clip and push the signal forward.

For the sidemarkers, you will need a plastic prying tool to remove. I've heard some ppl claim a credit card may work. You can always wrap a flat/slotted screwdriver with a soft cloth (but the screwdriver could cut the cloth and damage your paint - do at your own risk!).

For the rear corner, you should be able to locate the bulb carrier retainer in the trunk and unlatch. Detatch electrical harness and replace bulbs!

Hope this helps. Sorry no pics yet. It will be a while.

[danewilson77]

I have the fix all for removing sidemarkers.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[HaloArchive]

I have the fix all for removing sidemarkers.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

And what would that be Dane?...

As for the light on the dash, I was driving and all of the sudden it went off and blinker is back to normal. Until next time it happens I guess. Although those pictures would be useful to make sure I can keep it from coming back on :)

[danewilson77]

Take duct tape......and tape it on the rear of the side markers. Pull sidemarker with the tape.....forward.....then pop out the rear. Voila.

[HaloArchive]

Ah crap, the light came on again.

[billschusteriv]

Ah crap, the light came on again.

This is similar to the pattern I experienced. I hope it gets to the point you can see which bulb soon; continue to monitor when the parking lights, headlights, and or fogs are on - or any combination thereof. Looking at it in the dark helps - I didn't notice that it was the front corner until I was looking at it parked outside at 930 (2130 for you navular types, DW) one night.

[danewilson77]

Step me through what you did to fix?

[danewilson77]

(2130 for you navular types, DW) one night.

:rofl

[billschusteriv]

Step me through what you did to fix?

Me?

When starting the car, I'd notice the "light out" warning light on the dash in the morning in the garage. When I drive, I'd turn on the parking lights and headlights every morning. I noticed when I cycled the turn signal, that the warning light would go out. Initially, I couldn't tell which light was going out - each lamp was throw'n amber on the garage wall. It took me going outside at night to see that one was significantly dimmer than the other.

I'm not sure about the design of the lights being used (I suppose I could look it up), but one theory WRT my lights is if there are two filaments in parallel in my incandescent bulb and one filament breaks, resistance goes up and current goes down (for a constant voltage). So the OBC sees the change in current and throws a light.

That said, if the OP has a Fluke/multimeter, you could always compare the current (no pun intended) bulbs with new bulbs. Although I wouldn't recommend buying new HIDs and LEDs just to check. Since the drivers side lights are "working", you could do a side to side comparitive check. (Just don't drop or get da grease mitts on the bulbs!)

Another theory is the connectors could be oxidized, which is adding additional resistance to the circuit - thereby reducing current and throwing the warning light. Fix for this would be cleaning the connectors and using some of that Di-electric grease DW mentioned earlier. (Autozone trys to sell it to ya in little red overpriced packets each time you buy a little light)

Did anything I said make sense? IDK if its coming out the way I intended...

[danewilson77]

No...I thought Halo said the light came back on.....

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Ah crap, the light came on again.

Unfortunately, Shelton says the light did come back on.

[HaloArchive]

Unfortunately, Shelton says the light did come back on.

Yes, the light came back on. And, I think telling a difference in lumen output would be very difficult since all lights are LED sans HID and HID-Fogs. I opened the hood and, really dont know where to begin with checking the lamps. Gosh, I can change oil and rebuild VW engines but cant figure out a headlamp.

[HaloArchive]

As of tonight, the light is still on and doesn't not see an off in its near future :(

[billschusteriv]

Can you swap a bulb from left to right, turn off the car, and turn the back on?

For example, start with your LEDs; turn off car, swap left and right bulb, turn on car, check for warning light, and perform operational check. If it works, then go on to the next type of bulb. Etc etc.

[Johnmadd]

take out the led in the dash? Don't worry - it'll sounds like a better option once you drink all of dane's beers.

Ive done that with my e30 to pass inspection, pulled the abs bulb to pass state inspection, lol, that's not as bad as the time my aftermarket foglights on my truck were bad and they were bolt ons and I snapped them completely off and asked if it would pass now and they had to say yes because they didn't even exist on the vehicle anymore.