Hi, my license plate lights and instrument panel don't light up.

[Magus]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I've been coming here for tips on my car *95 325i* for a few months but now I came to a problem that I haven't been able to fix. I really hope someone can help me.

My right license plate light blub went out on me, then when I went to replace it, both the license plate lights and instrument panel lights wouldn't turn on. At first they would come on after about 5 - 10 minutes of leaving my lights on, but now they don't come on at all. I've checked the fuses, I also saw that thread on the wires in the truck and my were cut but I've fixed that. Today I tested the current coming from the wires to the license plate lights and I wasn't getting any current, so I'm assuming there is a short somewhere, unfortunately this is as far as I can go without any more help.

Anyone have any idea on what I can do next? I don't have a job at the moment so I can't buy any new expensive parts. I need to fix this as soon as possible since I can't drive at night without my license plates lights on. Thanks so much for any help.

[bimmerfeel]

jsut try replacing the fuse to the license lighting circuit. I know you said you checked it but just try it anyway.

[LockDots]

also check the trunk wiring. especially for the parts of that bend when opening and closing. sometimes wires get dry, cracked up, and frayed up there and sometimes start shorting everythign out. definitely check all the fuses with the car running and all lights on with a meter on both sides.

[bimmerfeel]

Thanks for chiming in LockDots84. I had just read your comments a few minutes before on a previous post re: fuses and clusters. Hoped the suggestion to check fuses might help get the same results as that poster got from listening to you..

[Magus]

Ok I tried replacing the fuses, but that didn't help. I also already fixed the wiring in the truck. I had a split blue cable and two other cables were cut open. They still don't come on. Also I forgot to mention that the lights for the air/heater controls and the window switches in the center console don't turn on either (These haven't been working since I got the car)

[LockDots]

If you have that many lights out, sounds like it could be a short in the circuit(s) that provide the "illumination" power to those components. I'm kinda stuck on this one honestly. I know some high end body shops can diagnose and trace shorts like that but could be costly.

[Brent 930]

Did you repair the cut wires before or after the problem with the license plate light?

[Magus]

I repaired it after the problem, I really thought that would have fixed it. Sounds like I'm going to have to take it in to get it looked at.

[Magus]

Ok the weirdest thing happened yesterday. So I needed to use the car at night, so I rigged a couple of 9v batteries to the License plate light bulbs, when I got in the car my instrument panel was lit up (barely). This means that the wires from the license plates and instrument panel are connected somewhere, and I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to be the case. Any ideas on where I can check?

[LockDots]

no clues here :/

[johnf]

Ok the weirdest thing happened yesterday. So I needed to use the car at night, so I rigged a couple of 9v batteries to the License plate light bulbs, when I got in the car my instrument panel was lit up (barely). This means that the wires from the license plates and instrument panel are connected somewhere, and I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to be the case. Any ideas on where I can check?That's normal: the instrument illumination dimmer takes its power from the same light switch contact that powers the license plate lights. They are interconnected by a couple of the trunk to trunk lid wires you looked at (cf. the ETM for your year).

Can you describe how you repaired the trunk to trunk lid wiring?

[Magus]

Well there was a blue wire that was almost cut in half, so put it back together, then wrapped it with electrical tape. There were two more wires that were just starting to crack, so I wrapped those too. All the other wires looked great so then I bundled all the wires together and wrapped them in tape as well.

[405style]

trunk wiring loom. Splice ALL the wires, then sauder up some extensions, about 3 inches long, slide on a large heatshrink tube over the whole wiring loom, then slide on 2 pieces of wire fitted heatshrink wrap and shrink it over the connections you just made. connect the wires back up to the rest of the loom, slide over the small heatshrink wraps over each of the other wiring connections you made, shrink, and finally slide the large wrap over the whole loom to seal it and shrink.


In effect, extending all the wires by 3 inches takes off the extra stress they face as they shorten over time and allows more sag. Also, you ll notice your new wire patch will be in the bend point and alot more flexible then originally. Takes a while but well worth it. I did it and no more issues since!

[johnf]

There has been a multiyear long thread (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79896&highlight=tefzel) about this problem if you want to learn more.

I would replace the wiring spanning the entire length of the trunk to trunk lid tubing (as you do with the BMW repair kit). Having joints within the tubing may unexpectedly concentrate the stresses elsewhere. It also increases the wire bundle diameter and may aggravate matters.

[Magus]

Ok I'll replace the wiring, but with the instrument panel lighting up, doesn't that mean the cables going from the trunk to the panel are fine and the problem might be with a relay or the connection from the battery to the instrument panel/License Plate lights?

[95325i5sp]

http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/1995%20BMW%20318i-s-c%20-%20320i%20-%20325i-s-c%20%20Electrical%20Troubleshooting%20Manual.pdf
heres wiring diagrams for your car shouldnt be hard to figure out with all this. least now you know what wires are what for the most part.



now that i think about it heres the whole site with all the other cars and years for every one else.
http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

[bimmerfeel]

cool site, thanks. thing oughta be parked..

[95325i5sp]

cool site, thanks. thing oughta be parked..


i know, might thin out some of the electrical question posts:rolleyes and just all out help everyone.
actually i found it on here, so the mods probly know about it already.fills in a lot of the gaps in the bently manual, thats for sure.

[BMWMPow3r]

Even blown fuses don't look blown sometimes. swap another fuse in. check for galvanic corrosion