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Thread: Fog Lights FIXED

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    90' 735iL, 90' 535i, 93'

    Fog Lights FIXED

    My fog lights have been non op ever since I purchased my vehicle about one year ago. At the time I'd noticed that front right bulb had blown so naturally I replaced both. The new bulb didn't blow but the fog lights still did not function and I was still getting the FOG LIGHT chime.

    It's been about one year since then, and I recently became fixated with reviving my e32's fog lights as I've actually had need for them (they look really cool).

    Knowing more now I started at the fuse box and found a blown fuse #7 FRONT FOG LIGHTS. I replace the fuse, hit the fog lights and "POP" another blown fuse, #7 again.

    At this point I disconnect both fog lights, put in a new fuse, flip the fog light switch and get no warning chime. Fog light indicator comes on like everything is good.

    Next I plug in just the front left fog light and it functions properly. Once I add the front right light into the equation the fuse immediatly pops.

    At this point I know that the problem is definitely caused by the right front fog light. While fiddling with the lights for awhile I realized that the plastic plug that clips the wires into the fog light housing had deteriorated into non-existentince on the front left side. Where as the the right side still had the clip, and specialized fitting.

    Because of this, when plugging in the working, front left light I had to ensure I was plugging in the positive and ground wires correctly. Where as the right side still had the clip/plug and was therefore setup "correctly".

    Long story short, at some point something happened to the front right side of my car and during the rehabilitation process somebody swapped the positive and ground position when they put the new clip on.

    I popped the plug off, corrected the position of the wires and now I have fog lights!

    Hope this can help someone! I was ready to start resoldering stuff, glad I don't have to now 😃

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    1990 735I (E32) M30
    Congrats. This is the type of DIY fix that the BMW dealer would have charged you a minimum of 2 hours for. Down here that could be close to four hundred bucks. Not counting the shop supplies, the filth they leave behind for you to clean up and the list of fourteen things that need doing on your car......IMMEDIATELY. Love hearing these fixes. I bet your face lit up when you realized it was done. Glad you got your spark plug situation worked out.
    Last edited by CroughtonE32; 03-16-2018 at 07:09 PM.
    1990 735I (Auto) E32 Feb 1990 to Present
    1996 Z3 Roadster (5 Speed) E36/7 Jan 1999 to Dec 1999
    1983 733I (5 Speed) E23 April 1983 to Feb 1990
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d4tHoHGaJo
    https://1drv.ms/v/s!Av20xCMMocSsyEpl...h_oOk?e=ekIcAT







  3. #3
    Join Date
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    11/88 E32 750iL+98 E36M3
    On the older E32 the problem is also often the big plug left hand side/driver side behind the bumper, corroded connector pins http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/OBC_temp/OBC_temp.html
    This big plug is only on older E32 and for the front fog lights and the outside temperature sensor, newer ones have separate wire looms behind the bumper
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    89'750iL,98'740iL,00'M5
    Erich that is my exact problem too. I had 1 operational fog light and one dead, I went to replace them and noticed the bulb was ok. Messing around I shook that big connector and they started to flicker. Pulled the boot of the connector back and nasty water came out of it! I unfortunately cannot separate the connector from the plug, hard to reach and it will not twist off so for now its been left alone. I looked for this hardness from a newer 750 and realized what you had mentioned, different wiring... I will have to get to it eventually.

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  5. #5
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    Best is you remove the bumper, then you have access to it, and it needs a lot of power to twist and then pull http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/OBC_...onnector-1.jpg
    Have a look here, all plugs shown and how to dis-connect, 41 pages BMW breakout boxes and connectors (PDF) http://www.e38.org/breakoutboxesandconenctors.pdf
    just be careful with the plastic bracket for the plug, that is NLA 1 382 527 pic http://www.7-forum.com/forum/showpos...&postcount=131 http://www.7-forum.com/forum/attachm...1&d=1430065263


    Edit, I just remember I posted the part numbers on the German forum back in 2015:
    plug NLA used in 1988/9 E32 and E34 61131378901 old Nr. 61139408429 AMP 620613 (?) pls check on the pic http://abload.de/img/p10709012bu9s.jpg
    http://abload.de/img/p1070899i2jzq.jpg
    http://abload.de/img/p10709012bu9s.jpg
    Last edited by shogun; 03-23-2018 at 09:15 PM.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  6. #6
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    Would this require removal of just the bumper cover or the bumper itself as well? Very tight in the 750 with the headlight/fog light washing system. I was also thinking of possibly replacing that whole plug with an aviation style cannon plug, they are not too expensive when just needing a few. They are also water tight. Unsure of how many wires go into the 750 one. I work in the aviation industry and have tools for adding pins to the ends of wires.
    Great PDF, thank you for that.

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  7. #7
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    complete bumper removal is best to have full access, I use some small card boxes where I drop the bumper after taking out the front light washers + the 2 long bolts and then no need to disconnect the hoses for the washer system behind the bumper http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/210509 of course easiest is to remove the cpl. plug and replace with aftermarket connectors.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  8. #8
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    Perfect, thank you, ill just have to slide off the hose clips off the bottom of the bumper cover too. Hopefully not too difficult. I will go ahead and respray the bumper while im at it. Do you know if that painted area right underneath the headlights is part of the bumper cover? That small plastic strip that tends to fade over time?

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  9. #9
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    the bumper parts are here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=51_0597
    Under the headlights that is a metal piece, 9 FRONT PANEL 41331969820 http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=41_0160
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  10. #10
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    Going to try to tackle this today as I have also purchased a low speed fan resistor for my aux fan that's been dead since I got the car. I'll get the fog lights working at this time too. You suggest it's better removing the bumper cover and bumper together correct? No need to disconnect the hoses behind?

  11. #11
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    Was easy enough, just removed the washers, trim and the 750 alternator cooling duct from just the bumper side, it literally fell on the floor with a slight tug.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  12. #12
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    Fog lights now work. Connector was rotted out and so were the cables. They just came apart. Had to ditch the connector for now and solder them in place. Had an aircraft cannon plug to use but forgot the crimper at work. One problem I see is the difference in wire gauge from ground to the side marker light wires.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  13. #13
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    Remove the bumper, that is necessary in any case, then you will see the big round plug left side/driver side, or separate wire looms to the foglight. My 11/88 = 1989 built year has the big plug, 1990 maybe separate plugs, but all is behind the bumper, bumper removal I posted here under exterior http://www.e38.org/e32/
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  14. #14
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    Depends on the build date. At some point they changed the plug design to simply one length of harness from the fuse box to the lights/ temp sensor without any disconnect. I think this happened in 91 but not sure.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

    BMW 7er Website www.7er.com
    1989 BMW 735i Schwarz (sadly, sold) // 1989 BMW 750iL Cirrusblau Metallic // 1998 BMW 740iL Oxfordgrün Metallic // 2000 M5 Carbon Schwarz ///

  15. #15
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    Fog lights not working. when I removed plastic from LKM than short the solenoid than fog lights works but no light on dash for it

  16. #16
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    so that means you have to fix the relay inside the LKM, clean with emerey paper and rebend the contact.
    No light on dash for foglight = bulb in dash probably bad, replace it.
    If you do not want to pull the steering wheel off, pull the steering wheel out as much as possible and follow this instruction http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/422658/
    http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/422663
    if you want to remove the steering wheel with airbag, here on my website, also includes bulbs changing http://twrite.org/shogunnew/fixes/instruments.html

    pls add production month and year and model to your profile, this is not enough: E32 1990
    Last edited by shogun; 12-23-2018 at 10:06 PM.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  17. #17
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    Fog lights not working without SRS ECM

    Fog lights not working.Last time I removed SRS ECM I don't need it after that fog lights not working is that any wires link together ? Any one know what is wrong with that ? Thank you!

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    so that means you have to fix the relay inside the LKM, clean with emerey paper and rebend the contact.
    No light on dash for foglight = bulb in dash probably bad, replace it.
    If you do not want to pull the steering wheel off, pull the steering wheel out as much as possible and follow this instruction http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/422658/
    http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/422663
    if you want to remove the steering wheel with airbag, here on my website, also includes bulbs changing http://twrite.org/shogunnew/fixes/instruments.html

    pls add production month and year and model to your profile, this is not enough: E32 1990
    q


    Last edited by Annddrriy; 12-24-2018 at 10:33 PM.

  19. #19
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    SRS airbag light module is separate from foglights. But the module is not far away from the switches and wires, maybe you cut one of the foglight wires? Check the ETM http://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e32/
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  20. #20
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    I did clean up contact still nothing. Looks like power not going from fog switch to the LKM relay ?
    Last edited by shogun; 12-25-2018 at 01:38 AM.

  21. #21
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    Do you have a multimeter? Then systematically check for power.
    Also check the fuses, all which are related to foglights, details start from page 0661-00 http://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e32/e32_90.pdf
    foglight details are on page 6313
    I would start testing at the foglights first for power. Depending on country version you might switch ignition ON that the foglights can be switched on, then switch the foglight switch and then test with a multimeter.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  22. #22
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    Thanks!

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