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Old 06-26-2011, 05:00 AM   #1
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Default Windows & Instrument Cluster Lights Quit Working!

I'm on vacation, so my searching ability is limited. Recently purchased 1998 318ti suddenly lost power window function on Thursday. This evening, I noticed the gauges and climate controls were not illuminated (may not have suddenly occurred, this is the first time I drove it at night).

I tried replacing the fuse listed on the fusebox lid as serving the front power windows, but no luck. I tried replacing the gauge light fuse, also to no avail. I have no way to test the fuses ... Maybe they're bad, but I don't think so.

Any ideas? Am I facing some massive, costly electrical gremlin???

Thanks!
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Old 06-26-2011, 05:14 AM   #2
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Dimmer rheostat inside the headlight switch is blown. Looks like a horseshoe shaped spring. You can take apart the headlight switch and resolder it, but before you do, make sure you find what caused it to blow in the first place. It's usually one of the grey wires with a red stripe that go to the dimmer circuit. There's one on the back of the radio that people often accidently short out. The window switches, HVAC panel, cigarette lighter, sunroof switch, door lock switch and instrument cluster are all on the dimmer circuit.
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Old 06-26-2011, 09:41 AM   #3
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Awesome! So the lights and the windows must have stopped working at the same time. Twice we've left the lights on accidentally because the buzzer quit working (I forgot to mention that).

I removed the sunroof motor shortly after purchase. The sunroof is broken and is ever so slightly ajar on one side. I was hoping that I could somehow make it better by removing the motor, but I couldn't. Think something shorted with one of the loose connectors in the sunroof motor compartment?

Solder and I don't mix well. I'm wondering if I'd have an easier time just replacing the dimmer switch. If I tape up the loose connectors and I'm wrong about that being the cause, I guess it'll just blow up another dimmer switch?


Thanks for the great information!
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Old 06-26-2011, 10:01 AM   #4
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Did the windows stop going up and down or did the switches just stop lighting up? If the windows aren't going up and down, then that's another problem. I just know that all those things I mentioned are on the dimmer circuit and when something shorts it out(usually someone installing an aftermarket radio), the rheostat blows inside of the headlight switch. You'd think a fuse would blow first, but unfortunately the way it's designed, the rheostat seems to be the weakest link. Anyway, this is a pretty tricky thing to solder as it's located inside of the switch and unless you have surgical hands, you can easily melt the surrounding components within the switch. Your best bet is to replace the headlight switch altogether, but I really stress finding the short before you plug the new switch in. I used to have a spare switch that I repaired specifically for forum members that ran into this problem. I've exchanged it with a couple members, but I seemed to have misplaced it. I'll try to dig it out tomorrow if you'd like and you can just send me your blown one later. Otherwise you could try to swap one from one of your other ti's first to see if it fixes the problem. However, keep in mind that if you don't find the short first, you'll likely end up with two blown switches, lol.

Also, it just occured to me, but if you removed your sunroof switchand motor, you might have an open circuit which is causing everything on the dimmer circuit not to light up. Try plugging in the sunroof switch and motor and see if you get your lights back.

Last edited by cooljess76; 06-26-2011 at 10:04 AM.
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Old 06-26-2011, 10:15 AM   #5
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OK. Darn! So the windows ARE a separate issue then? No new head unit, so that won't be the issue. It's the stock unit AFAIK. The code card was in the glovebox and it' the right code. The ABS light is on. The code seems to indicate the passenger occupancy mat, so I tried replacing the seat with the original one from my 1996, but the one of the connectors isn't exactly the same. I thought about modifying the plug slightly, but decided if better not. Could I have screwed up something there? The original seat is back in place and hooked up. I disconnected the battery before beginning work and reconnected after plugging it in. My wife was driving the car on the trip. She and my daughter were enjoying the heated seats, so I guess I got it hooked up right.
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Old 06-26-2011, 10:52 AM   #6
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lol, dude you got all kinds of stuff going on! Alright, as for the ABS light, are you sure you don't mean the SRS(airbag) light? The ABS light is for the brakes. Now normally if you disconnect any part of the SRS system, including the seats, you need to disconnect the battery before disconnecting anything and only reconnect the battery AFTER everything is plugged back in. Failure to do this will trigger an SRS light that can only be reset with a special tool or at the dealer. I know you said your light was already on, so no further harm there. As for modifying the connector, no that would be a bad thing. Under the passenger seat, you'll have two or three connectors depending if your seats are heated. Seeing as you mentioned having heated seats, I'm assuming you have three connectors. I'm pretty sure that one is for the passenger occupancy switch, the other is for the seatbelt recepticle and the third s for the heated seats. Older models had a cable actuated SRS locking mechanism(seatbelt receptacle) and newer models have a pyrotechnic or gas actuated SRS locking mechanism. You can tell by looking at the seatbelt receptacle. On the newer model, you should see cylindrical gas cartridge and the ribbed plastic cover should be visibly skinnier than the older model. The older model will be bulkier and you might be able to see the cable when the seat is removed. Now you can use the older seat in your '98, but you'll need to swap out seatbelt receptacles. I'm currently using vaders out of a '95 M3 in my '97 ti, but I had to swap out receptacles. I disconnected the battery prior to disconnecting anything and reconnected everything prior to reconnecting the battery and the airbag light remained off. It sounds like the windows are a separate issue, but like I said, since you removed the sunroof motor and switch, you might have left an open circuit(pehaps something involving the comfort relay). I'd try plugging the sunroof motor and switch back in, just let it hang, and check if the windows start working and if the switches and gauges light up when you turn the headlights on.

Also note, the front seat belt receptacles are armed with an Automatic Locking Tensioner. This device retracts the recepticle about 2 inches in the event of an accident. 318ti's built up to 03/97 use a mechanical auto-locking mechanism(part#'s 72118167711 left and 72118167712 right) while models built after 03/97 use a pyrotechnic auto-locking mechanism (part#'s 72118221013 left and 72118221014 right).

Last edited by cooljess76; 07-11-2011 at 01:30 AM.
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Old 06-26-2011, 11:16 AM   #7
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Sorry! It was 4:30AM .. SRS, not ABS!

ABS seems to be the only system NOT giving me a problem (obvious hyperbole, but the CEL is also illuminated ... 1172 and 1179 IIRC)! The car runs great ... if only I can exorcise these demons!

Multisystem Organ Failure is always a worrisome sign to me. Maybe in reality it's just a handful of little problems, but I'm worried it's part of some massive underlying, as-of-yet undiagnosed problem!
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Old 06-27-2011, 12:25 AM   #8
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So did you try plugging the motor and switch back in? what happened?
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Old 06-27-2011, 01:22 AM   #9
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Didn't make any discernable difference. Nothing seemed to change.
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