No voltage to passenger side low beam

[kiddM3]

I bought my car with an HID retrofit and everything has been working normally until the passenger low beam just stop working a couple nights ago when i turned the lights on.

I checked the bulb/ballast/fuses and everything is good. I took out the headlight and tested voltage on each of the pins (with the low beams switched on). I only have voltage on the brown wire on the passenger side. On the driver side i have voltage on the brown and the yellow/green wire.

I figured out that the passenger low beam wire is yellow/blue, so i exposed a little bit near the fuse box and found no voltage. I also tested the yellow/blue in the car under the dash and there is no voltage. I took the fuse out and tested at the pins and there IS voltage. There aren't any added relays to the HID retrofit, but is there a relay in the fuse box that could be bad that is causing this? I've done everything i can without ripping the entire car apart, can someone help?


I'm a little confused with the wiring diagram. Does the yellow/blue enter the car first and then come out to the fuse box? How come there is power at the terminal, but no power to the wire?

[das borgen]

bad headlight switch? try replacing with another one from a friend or whatever

[kiddM3]

bad headlight switch? try replacing with another one from a friend or whatever

The switch turns on everything except the passenger low beam. If the switch was bad, nothing would work. The only thing is that there is no voltage to the passenger side low beam wire.

[fun2drive]

Yes have both a low beam and high beam relay. I think they are interchangeable. I suggest checking that or swapping them to see if that does the trick. Low beam relay is #6 and high beam relay is #7.
If you don't know where those are open your fuse/relay cover and look from the driver's side at the fuse/relay box.
6 is the 4th relay on the far left counting from the left to the right on the top row. The relays on the far left have two rows of 6.
Again 6 is the 4th from the left looking at the top row and 7 is the next one over on the right or position 5.
Turn your cover over and all should be explained as to where the location is.
Your relay is bad...

[kiddM3]

Yes have both a low beam and high beam relay. I think they are interchangeable. I suggest checking that or swapping them to see if that does the trick. Low beam relay is #6 and high beam relay is #7.
If you don't know where those are open your fuse/relay cover and look from the driver's side at the fuse/relay box.
6 is the 4th relay on the far left counting from the left to the right on the top row. The relays on the far left have two rows of 6.
Again 6 is the 4th from the left looking at the top row and 7 is the next one over on the right or position 5.
Turn your cover over and all should be explained as to where the location is.
Your relay is bad...

I did not try this yet, but if the relay was bad, both right and left low beams would not work correct?

[rayesc]

From the wiring diagram the yellow/blue wire begins at the fuse box (the switch is a single wire that controls both headlights). When you tested for current at the fuse box did you put the fuse back in and test the other side of the fuse? You tested the yellow/blue as it exited the fuse box so if the fuse checks out you must have a bad contact between the fuse and the exit of the fusebox.

Sorry I can't help with practical examples but after studying the wiring diagram, that's the route I would go with my own troubleshooting.

You likely have this but just in case (for 95):
http://images45.fotki.com/v1200/photos/5/577568/2082822/95_Headlights-vi.png

[kiddM3]

From the wiring diagram the yellow/blue wire begins at the fuse box (the switch is a single wire that controls both headlights). When you tested for current at the fuse box did you put the fuse back in and test the other side of the fuse? You tested the yellow/blue as it exited the fuse box so if the fuse checks out you must have a bad contact between the fuse and the exit of the fusebox.

Yeah i was looking at the same diagram. I tested both sides of the fuse, both checked out ok, but i will test again tomorrow. So the yellow/blue starts in the fuse box and runs into the car to the ccm? And then back out to the headlight?

[Safetywork]

Let me guess.... DDM? I had the same issue on the passenger side.

[rayesc]

Yeah i was looking at the same diagram. I tested both sides of the fuse, both checked out ok, but i will test again tomorrow. So the yellow/blue starts in the fuse box and runs into the car to the ccm? And then back out to the headlight?

Yeah, its in the cabin, under the dash on the far left side.

(stolen from random google search):
http://www.ecubed.com/bmw/Tips/HIDBMWCheckControlLocation.jpg

[kiddM3]

Let me guess.... DDM? I had the same issue on the passenger side.

No actually these are zkw. What did you do to fix the problem?


Yeah, its in the cabin, under the dash on the far left side.

I exposed the yellow/blue attached to ccm, no voltage there.

[rayesc]

I exposed the yellow/blue attached to ccm, no voltage there.

So your troubleshooting so far is:
http://images17.fotki.com/v63/photos/5/577568/2082822/95_Headlights2-vi.png

Looks like the connections and wire (highlighted) between the fusebox and CCM are suspect. Good luck.

[kiddM3]

Where are the relays for the high/low beam on the 95? I am missing relay number 7 and i can't seem to find out why. The Bentley does not do well in explaining these things.

Edit*- Its def not the relay, bc the yellow/blue does not go through a relay. I probably will have to pull out the yellow/blue wire from that mess and replace it. In the mean time i connected another spare wire i had to the yellow/red and ran it out of the car to the headlight and that works just fine for now.

[rayesc]

Electrical problems make baby Jesus cry. Good luck on your quest.

[Safetywork]

No actually these are zkw. What did you do to fix the problem?



I exposed the yellow/blue attached to ccm, no voltage there.

I ended up giving up.... tossed the headlight units in the recycling bin. Reinstalled my OEM headlight units and everything's back to normal.