Lost Brake Light and Dash Lights...

[Faster Life]

Hey all,

I haven't signed on in years, as my E34 has been upgraded to my satisfaction and has been trouble free for a long time.

Last night on the freeway, I lost my dash back-lights and got a "parking light" message. When I got home, the left brake light was out.

I found an E36 thread about this same issue. Suggestions were a bad bulb, bad fuse and bad wiring. I guess these lights work off the same wiring in an E36.

While all this stuff is easy to check, I figured this would be a good reason for me to come back on the forum too.

Here's the car if anyone is curious:

Thanks

[shogun]

slap with your hand slightly on the dash above the cluster and see if the cluster lights come on again.

[Faster Life]

slap with your hand slightly on the dash above the cluster and see if the cluster lights come on again.

That's always what I do first, and I'm about 50/50 with that repair. It failed...

[shogun]

so what else did you check?
Fuses?
The 4 wire plugs on the rear of the instrument cluster?

[Kingpin025]

If all those things fail, check the wire loom in the driver side trunk hinge.

[bigsixe34]

So was the A. parking light back on when you got home? and B. brake light message up on your dash? Sounds like it could be a short or ground issue somewhere.
I toasted 2 or 3 fuses trying to figure out why #5 / passenger parking light was blowing the instant I flipped the switch. Turned out the socket for the sidemarker light which had been tucked behind euro trim was shattered and shorting in there.

[jehu]

I can’t remember exactly what I lost I think tail lights on dash lights dome lights were part of it instrument cluster maybe but on the driver side floor near the fender that’s to the left side under the carpet is a large yellow Wiring connector it’s perhaps 4 to 6 in.² that is loaded with wires and is vulnerable to corrosion from moisture my car had holes in the floorboard and eventually those wires corroded and broke and I just had to splice some of those wires back together

[Faster Life]

I appreciate the responses and hopefully will have time this weekend to dig into it a bit more. If new bulbs and fuses don't work, I now have more places to inspect.

[squirrelhill]

So was the A. parking light back on when you got home? and B. brake light message up on your dash? Sounds like it could be a short or ground issue somewhere.
I toasted 2 or 3 fuses trying to figure out why #5 / passenger parking light was blowing the instant I flipped the switch. Turned out the socket for the sidemarker light which had been tucked behind euro trim was shattered and shorting in there.

Thanks for the suggestions as this may be my problem.... I keep blowing fuse #6 (turn signals and hazard lights) during heavy rains or after car washes. After sitting for a day or two, the fuse stops blowing and all functions return to normal. Couldn't find signs of any leaks re: front turns and rear tails, but it never occurred to me to check for moisture/water in the sockets behind the euro trim. Should be an easy fix if this is the issue.