Headlight issue

[BCS_ZHP]

Noticed when my son pulled the 325ci in this evening (only temporarily, he's racked up over 300 miles this week), the right low beam headlight was much dimmer than the left, almost out He had the fog lights on too, so asked him to turn the fogs off and the right low beam went back to normal. Does this sound like a light switch issue, need for a new bulb, or a grounding problem?

A couple of items I know of: it's a 2001 pre-facelift coupe, so no xenons, I think just normal halogens; the left headlight was replaced within the last year due to a rock hitting it; and, the bumper was removed and repainted not too long ago because there are no normal stone chips that an 11 year old car should have.

Ideas?

[MrMaico]

First thing that comes to mind for me would be a grounding issue since you said it got brighter with the fogs off. I'd probably start with just replacing both headlight bulbs and see what happens. May just be a bad connection at the socket.

Barry

[BCS_ZHP]

I searched last weekend and couldn't find the problem. Got an alignment this week and they found it, had to remove the headlight to fix it. They charged me an hour of labor for it, so not too bad.

[Johnmadd]

Good job, and may I recommend Sylvania silverstar, good product imo.

[zj96sc]

So....what was it? And how did an alignment shop find it?

[BCS_ZHP]

Sorry, it was a bad ground but not at the connector, somewhere further down the harness. The alignment was preformed at a different Indy than I've normally used, his price was half as much for the alignment as my normal Indy so decided to try him. And i asked him to diagnose the light issue. All in all impressed with this new Indy, they checked the car over completely, called me to inform of things they found and then only fixed the things I asked for. They confirmed I need to do a cooling refresh and brakes soon, both of which I had noted before I bought it. They picked up the front diff seal starting to leak but said hold off on that until I change the diff fluid which is in the first 6 month PM plan. Bonus was they cleaned the car inside & out at no extra charge.