Electric gremlins-would love some suggestions (1988 e32)

[Peter Coomarasw]

I am pretty poor with electrical systems so before I get out my pokers and blow up the car I figured I would ask for suggestions;

Here are the issues:
Corner door lights do not work, but when I when I attach the ground clip on the test light and put the probe into the two terminals (coming out from the bottom corner of the door) both of them light the test light. The bulb is good????
On the dash, the back-light for the transmission selector read-out: E P and the odometer and trip odometer box illuminate sometimes and sometimes they don't.
The courtesy lamps that should work in conjunction with the sun visors do not function at all.
The dome light that is in front of the sunroof switch panel did not work, I took it apart and messed around with it and got 2 of the 3 lights to work (center and passenger side) but only with the switch in the far forward position: I'm thinking center would be always off and back would be on when door is open- but they do not work that way.
Rear reading lights don't work.

I checked the fuses and all seem good, I removed the bulb control module and cleaned it up but that did not help.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[shogun]

I am also pretty poor with electrical systems, so I would check like this:
First of select the ETM for your built year and month and print out the pages for the fuse details, usually starts at around page 15, that shows all fuses in engine bay and under rear seat and for what they are http://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e32/
Also I would swop fuses, even if they look good, sometimes they are not, so better just swop and test.
Most of the items in your list are controlled by the GM module under rear seat. The bulbs in the cluster you have to check, maybe the contacts have to be re-bent.
Courtesy lights behind sunshades: remove the sunshades and see if the wires are disconnected , here you can see the connectors http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/head...headliner.html

In the door strikers are contacts for the interior light where this part slides in http://bmwe32.masscom.net/sean750/do...m/doorlock.jpg http://blog.bavauto.com/11235/bmw-do...o-diy-e34-e36/

Interior light switch repair http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/1245379/

Also the wires break often between A-pillar and door, especially on driver door side. Pull back the rubber there, here are some pics how to disconnect the plugs https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ns-Replacement