PDA

View Full Version : Please Help! Turns Signals All Screwed Up!


demeegod
01-09-2005, 05:15 AM
Dear Members,

I have this vehicle and it has three wires coming out of the parking light/turning light area. My understanding is that they are gray (parking light), blue (turning/blinker) and brown (ground). Well, I went and bought the bulb socket for it and connected the ground to the isolated wall connection and the gray and blues to the contacts to the bulb. The bulb is a 21w/5 12 volt. Now, my turn signals haven't been working but I was under the assumption that it was because I didnt have any turn signals connected.

Well, I connected them tonight and the parking lights work fine but when I signal left nothing happens. Not on the dash, not on the left turn signal, not on the side, not on the rear. When I put it to blink on the right, the rear blinker goes really fast and so does the side. The front left blinker doesnt work at all. Now, another idea was lets see what happens when i try the emergency lights, well.. the answer was that the rear right and side blinked really fast but nothing else did.

Can someone please suggest something. I tried the fusebox and the emergency and turn signal fuses are good. (as the straight line in the fuse indicates) ... as i look at the fuse... it had ... i believe 15a on it.. i could be wrong.. but what stuck out was that the fuse read a higher voltage that 12 volt on the fuse.. is that common?

Anyhow, any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

I have to drive this car in the rain and driving it with no blinkers is scary.

1996 328ti
01-09-2005, 05:35 AM
You do have the correct bulb, don't you?
I had to ask.

demeegod
01-09-2005, 11:46 PM
They are 21watt/5 bulbs. According to BavAuto and that OEM site here... they are the right bulb. The one with the two contacts underneath.

1996 328ti
01-10-2005, 12:55 AM
A couple things.
Checking Bimmerforums (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246966&highlight=quick+blinker) I found that a fast blink can mean a bad bulb.
Also you may be using the wrong bulb or dirty contacts.

demeegod
01-10-2005, 05:20 AM
Well, a further update. I took out the rear light panels and checked every bulb and found TWO dead bulbs on the right side (passenger side) and replaced them. NOW, everything on the passenger side works perfectly.

O.K. Problem is I check everything on the left side (driver's side and left turn side)... not a single thing blinks at all. Not when the left turn signal is on, not when the emergency lights are on.

I have checked under the fender wiring to look for rust or scuffs... nothing... in fact no rust at all. Is there any way to tell whether the flasher relay is good? The right side blinkers now blink at a normal pace... apparently all it needed was a couple of bulbs replaced... but now what do i do on the left? The bulbs are right though... im positive of that.

Also, as a note, the parking lights work fine on the front, the sidemarkers are working on both sides, the rear lights (reverse, stop, night) are all working... just nothing blinks on the driver's side.

BMWDRIFTER
01-10-2005, 03:21 PM
It may be the flasher relay, it can go bad on just one side.

demeegod
01-10-2005, 10:53 PM
So, consensus/? We pretty sure it's the relay?

motorsport
01-19-2005, 02:40 AM
does it make the blinking sound? or just nothing? if so you need a new blinker, i dont know about a relay there is no real way to test one except take out the old one and put a new one in.

demeegod
01-19-2005, 08:39 AM
it doesn't make a blinking sound at all. nothing. It only makes a blinking sound when the right side is activated.. but when the left... nothing.

motorsport
01-24-2005, 04:14 AM
you need a new blinker for that side i would imagine.

BMWDRIFTER
01-25-2005, 02:26 AM
Have you fixed this problem yet?

demeegod
01-25-2005, 06:23 PM
Nope, I haven't really worried about it too much. I hate the idea that I may buy a relay and it turn out not to be it. I just wish someone would tell me (who knows better than I) that in all likelihood it's the relay if the fuses are good, the passenger side works, all the bulbs are good, the wiring through is good.

motorsport
01-26-2005, 03:00 AM
blinker..

demeegod
01-26-2005, 06:55 PM
blinker as in relay or blinker as in bulb... because i changed the bulbs.

motorsport
01-27-2005, 12:12 AM
no there is an actual blinker 'assembly' if you will the thing that makes the blinking noise. it is in the dash somewhere im not sure where it is in the e36. but if the right blinker isnt making any noises you need a newww.

Couverman98682
01-30-2005, 03:54 PM
Did you check your Blinker Fluid level?

demeegod
01-31-2005, 02:25 AM
LOL blinker fluid. COuld someone tell me more about this blinker assembly?

motorsport
02-03-2005, 12:51 AM
ha fluid for yea...ok it isnt really an assembly it and electronic part that controls the blinking. you say your left blinker still works? click it on and listen to that noise that is the blinker. if you click your right blinker on and it doesnt make that same noise you need a new blinker for the right side.

aceyx
02-03-2005, 01:25 AM
the assembly (relay) is just a switch. when you move the arm on the steering column, you're activating a switch . . . that activates a switch (the relay).

if one of those switches is bad (the relay), your blinker will bonker.


a properly functioning relay will audibly "click," since it's electromechanical. so, listen to motorsport's advice and listen.

exactly which relay are you listening for? well, it should be right next to the one that works. it should also be noted by the chart on the underside of the fusebox lid. if it's not there, it's probably above the driver's side kick panel.

if your key is in position 2, you should be able to hear just the two relays going at it. it may work in position 1 as well, but i'm really not in a thinking mood right now.


since the relay will make a noise every time the position is changed (on to off and off to on) it will be clicking in direct proportion to the speed of the blink. or possibly, not at all. it's likely the broken relay won't click at the same volume either (very muted).

if two different relays are going clickety-click, then you've got a wiring problem. in which case, i suggest taking it to a professional.

mharrigan
02-22-2005, 06:58 AM
I haven't really looked into this on the BMW, but on most cars there is one blinker for the left/right turn signals and a second blinker for the emergency lights. Since the emergency lights blink on one side only and the turn signals blink on the same side, I don't think it's either of the blinkers.

My diagnosis is a bad fuse (left and right sides may have separate fuses for turn signals). Definitely check this. The lid of the fuse box tells which fuses do what. Don't trust your vision - test the fuses by either swapping them or using an ohmmeter. The other likelihood is a problem with the switch associated with the turn signal stalk in the steering column. This will be difficult and possible expensive to fix since you probably have to replace the assembly. The assembly is complicated since it controls turn signals, hi/lo beams and OBC.

wasabinuki
02-08-2007, 01:06 AM
BUMP:

I have the same problem and would like to know if it's the relay that is causing the problem. I don't want to drop $100 on a relay and have that not be the problem.

Will'sBimmer
02-08-2007, 03:28 AM
I haven't really looked into this on the BMW, but on most cars there is one blinker for the left/right turn signals and a second blinker for the emergency lights. Since the emergency lights blink on one side only and the turn signals blink on the same side, I don't think it's either of the blinkers.

I think what Motorsport and everyone else was trying to say was that if the left side doesnt blink at all as you indicated in your quote. Then it is more than likely the relay. It is pretty rare for something like the control arm switch on the steering post to have a promblem. If it did i think that you wouldnt be able to use the other features that are associated with that control arm. I would go buy a new relay.

318iS
02-08-2007, 11:16 AM
turn on the indicator and get over to the flasher relay and hit it and see what happens....

wasabinuki
04-03-2007, 05:29 AM
Well I dropped $50 for a new flasher relay and I still have the problem, as well as some more information. When I put in the new relay and hit my hazzards both sides appeared to work for a split second, then I heard a pop. I though "oh crap" there goes $50 for the relay, but it turned out to be the 15 amp fuse (#34 on my 97ti) that controls the flashers. So I put in a new fuse and it instantly blew. So I pulled the new relay and put in my old one (where only the passenger side lights blink) and replaced the fuse. Now I am back to square a where only the passenger side blinks, but all my running lights work (DRIVE and PASS). It's not the end of the world since my running lights all work - it's just that I would like to be able to signal when I make a left turn ;)

newagecustoms
04-06-2007, 11:46 PM
I am having this same problem, i just finished reassembling my car in the bodyshop and now my blinkers on the left (drivers) side dont work. I didnt touch any of the wiring when I disassembled and reassembled. Is this going to be a new e36 flaw like the damn window regulators?

wasabinuki
04-07-2007, 12:41 AM
Take all 3 bulbs out on the drivers side. Put one in at a time and try the signal. If it works on the socket you're trying move on to the next until you find the one that is shot. I had the same problem and I found that the rear indicator socket was shorting out. You might also need a new flasher relay. Good luck.

zboot
04-08-2007, 03:26 AM
Take all 3 bulbs out on the drivers side. Put one in at a time and try the signal. If it works on the socket you're trying move on to the next until you find the one that is shot. I had the same problem and I found that the rear indicator socket was shorting out. You might also need a new flasher relay. Good luck.

Actually, to be thorough, you should check all the bulbs individually. . .it could be possible that two or more could cause the issue even though chances are it will only be one.

poolerb
12-11-2012, 08:38 AM
I had a similer problem. but my hazzards go off every time i use the wimdow or push any button in the car. WEIRD