Dash lights have me flummoxed

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PatinaBeforePolish
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:22 pm
Location: Baltimore, Md.

Dash lights have me flummoxed

Post by PatinaBeforePolish »

Instrument cluster and HVAC lights started working only when headlight switch rheostat was in a certain position, now nothing. Ashtray and cigarette lights also not working. Replaced headlight switch and hazard switch with known working units, still nothing. Trunk light and door buzzer share the same circuit and they work. The feeds all use the same wire color coding; white or light grey with a blue stripe. Any suggestions on what else to check?
79 528i
76 530i - Stored since 1992, can it be brought back to life?
86 944- 2023 project
78 F150- Everyone needs a truck
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Mike W.
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Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Sonoma County

Re: Dash lights have me flummoxed

Post by Mike W. »

Pull the headlight switch and stick a meter on the wire for those lights, should be easy to ID by color code, and see what you get, voltage wise. While not a fix, it will point you in a direction of being the switch or past the switch which would actually be a fairly short run.
Mike W.



02 525ita. Wife's, aka grocery getter
02 530i. New to the fleet, 3 pedals.
03 QX4, AKA the Datsun. Finally got the 4WD vacationmoble to stop smoking.
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PatinaBeforePolish
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:22 pm
Location: Baltimore, Md.

Re: Dash lights have me flummoxed

Post by PatinaBeforePolish »

Thanks Mike. It was the headlight switch but I didn't figure it out until I happened to notice a taillight, and side marker lights were out. Turns out the lid on the fusebox incorrectly identifies which functions are on specific circuits. I must have shorted something in my fiddling and was staring at the wrong fuse all along. I hope I have to never remove and re-install the driver's side lower panel again!
79 528i
76 530i - Stored since 1992, can it be brought back to life?
86 944- 2023 project
78 F150- Everyone needs a truck
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