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Thread: 1994 E36 dash lights and console light not working

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    06 R6|94 Euro M3

    1994 E36 dash lights and console light not working

    This is odd, It seems that I may have some electrical problem.

    The lights on my console and dash don't work when I turn the lights on.

    The guage lights work. I had my fuse checked earlier but nothing wrong with them.

    I don't think it's the bulb.

    And now my license plate light doesn't work either... -_- any tips?

    and now my fog lights don't work.. WHen I press the fog light buttons it doesn't turn on.



    Could I need a new dimmer switch?
    Last edited by rugboy; 09-01-2012 at 07:31 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    1994 Avus Blue BMW Euro M3 S50B30
    2007 Honda CBR1000RR Repsol

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Redmond, WA
    Posts
    1,054
    My Cars
    02 330xi i || 01 X5
    Quote Originally Posted by rugboy View Post
    This is odd, It seems that I may have some electrical problem.

    The lights on my console and dash don't work when I turn the lights on.

    The guage lights work. I had my fuse checked earlier but nothing wrong with them.

    I don't think it's the bulb.

    And now my license plate light doesn't work either... -_- any tips?

    and now my fog lights don't work.. WHen I press the fog light buttons it doesn't turn on.



    Could I need a new dimmer switch?
    Check the bundle of wires that runs from inside your trunk into the deck lid. It is next to the hinge on the left hand side, often times the wires fray or break at the rubber grommet where they go into the deck lid. Makes everything go haywire.
    Yoy.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    65
    My Cars
    06 R6|94 Euro M3
    I think the problem was... the aftermarket radio/cd player was shorting the lights. My friend was fiddling with the radio, and after my lights started to work.
    1994 Avus Blue BMW Euro M3 S50B30
    2007 Honda CBR1000RR Repsol

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia
    Posts
    151
    My Cars
    E36, E46, and MX5
    In case anyone else runs into a similar issue: My dash lights quit working suddenly. The head light switch had been broken for a while. It would not click into the on position but the lights would come on. Three of my trunk wires were completely broken and two more were frayed. I fixed these prior to replacing my headlight switch. That did not restore my dash lights. I replaced the headlight switch and volia! All is well again.

    BTW- I replaced the switch with the battery connected. The led on the switch came on w/ no key in the ignition. I was able to start the car and all seemed well until I tried to turn the car off. The ignition would cut the lights but not the engine. I then uninstalled the headlamp switch with the car running and was able to kill the engine. I diconnected the neg. battery cable and reinstalled the headlight switch. Reconnected the battery and fired it up. Light switch, dash lights, and ignition all functioning

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Gilbert, AZ
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    1995 325i
    I too had similar "Gremlins." No dash lights... Found fuse 37 was blown. Replaced it and it would immediately blow a soon as the head lights were turned on. Took the recommendation of e36fiend and found the problem. "Check the bundle of wires that runs from inside your trunk into the deck lid." Four wires completely broken and the insulation cracked on all of the remaining wires. The rubber "tube" that the wires are covered by looked fine. Only after removing the "grommet" that connects to the lid and pulling back the rubber tube did the faulty wires become visible.
    Message_1525955518658.jpg
    Last edited by 1skiboy; 05-10-2018 at 08:55 AM.

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