High beams always on, no fog lights.

[treetop604]

Hi, I am new to this forum and thsi is my first post.

I have a 1993 525i. My high beams are always on, even when I remove the key and lock the vehicle. So I have removed the fuses for the high beams which is a temporary solution. Im guessing because the high beams are permanantly on, this is why the fog lights also dont work.

I have searched the forum and found multiple LKM threads. I went to a junk yard and pulled a lkm from the same year and model to no avail... same problem. Unless that one was bad too, Im guessing that there is something else causing the high beams to be always switched on. I poped open my original LKM to inspect the solder. Everything looked good, but I touched up a couple of spots just in case... No change.

The switch on the steering wheel works. When I switch to high, the blue high indicator comes on. With the high fuses in, both high and low lamps are lit.

Anyone have any idea what else could be causeing the issue?

Thanks for your help

[M Quick]

IIRC on US cars the highbeams shares ground with the foglights, so if the headlights aren't grounded to them, the foglights won't work, so check the wires going to the highs. Can't really see how the highs can be on all the time though.. But probably you'll see something obvious with the cables!

[IT Jedi]

Yup. ECE LKM's allow highs and fogs to be on at the same time while US spec do not.

I have heard that the crash control module can cause this kind of problem.

The advice was:

Reinstall fuses 13 and 14 and verify that lights are still on. Pull fuse 6, if lights go out then I think there's a problem with Crash Control Module, N17.
The Crash Control Module has a relay that will turn high beams on. Pulling fuse 6 de-energizes relay (and entire crash module) and lights go off.

Crash module is either 1) bad or 2) it thinks you've been in an accident. Crash module should also turn flashers, but it doesn't, so this tends to rule out 2).

I surprised by the time delay after fuse installation. If relay was bad I'd expect lights to come on as soon as fuse is installed.

Crash Module N17 is about 1.5" square. It's in fuse box at the rearward end of the LKM to the right of LKM, as sitting in drivers seat.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachments/5-series-bmw/4048d1163967391-pin-location-crash-control-module-ccm-socket-p90.jpg

[treetop604]

IT, the force is strong with you.


I put in fuses 13, 14... High beams on.

Removed fuse 6... High/low/foglights work correctly. Flashers and signals have no response.

Replaced fuse 6 & Remove crash control module. Low/fog/signals/flashers work correctly. High beams have no response.

So, I will go on a hunt for a new Crash Control Module. Thanks alot for your help. I will post the results here :)

Yep, a new crash control module (crash alarm relay) did the job. Thanks!