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Thread: Boot light problem

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2010 E90 N43 318i

    Boot light problem

    The battery on my 1997 316i was draining and we discovered that the boot light was always on. We only spotted it when we had to pull down the back seats to get some long planks of wood in.

    After doing some searching on the forums, I found I had the same problem with cables that flex when when lifting the boot - squeezing them made the light come on/off. I thought the quickest method would be to remove fuse no.33 which is marked as being for the "luggage light" but removing it did nothing to prevent the light coming on. Why did pulling the fuse not kill the light? In the end, I pulled the bulb out.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    686
    My Cars
    2011 E90 325xi
    If a fuse does not cut power then the fuse is not used to power the light. Either some owner messed with the electronics or the bulb found another source of power...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1,303
    My Cars
    1995 BMW 328
    Standard boot hinge wiring frayed wires issue at second guess if still occurs with switch disconnected

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by mtahir View Post
    The battery on my 1997 316i was draining and we discovered that the boot light was always on. We only spotted it when we had to pull down the back seats to get some long planks of wood in.

    After doing some searching on the forums, I found I had the same problem with cables that flex when when lifting the boot - squeezing them made the light come on/off. I thought the quickest method would be to remove fuse no.33 which is marked as being for the "luggage light" but removing it did nothing to prevent the light coming on. Why did pulling the fuse not kill the light? In the end, I pulled the bulb out.

    Thanks
    Because the problem is frayed wires power could come from another circuit so the "correct fuse" may not be the right fuse
    No warranty of any kind implied or given and no liability for any loss, damage or injury, no matter how incurred accepted.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    germany
    Posts
    3,331
    My Cars
    6/96 318is
    Quote Originally Posted by mtahir View Post
    ... I thought the quickest method would be to remove fuse no.33 which is marked as being for the "luggage light" but removing it did nothing to prevent the light coming on....
    The boot-to-boot-lid wiring may have gotten horked enough to tie the trunk light into the central locking system and/or license plate lights. (Usually that blows fuses.)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    31,073
    My Cars
    2004 330 vert 2004 X5
    Repair your trunk lid wiring and your problem will go away.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1,303
    My Cars
    1995 BMW 328
    Quote Originally Posted by flyfishvt View Post
    Repair your trunk lid wiring and your problem will go away.
    You can only lead a horse to water
    No warranty of any kind implied or given and no liability for any loss, damage or injury, no matter how incurred accepted.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2010 E90 N43 318i
    It was the boot hinge wiring. I stripped back the outer cover for the wiring loom and found that some of the wires had broken and were shorting together. So, I soldered them back together and it's been working fine ever since. Thanks for the suggestions.

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