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So I bought a 1981 528ia and the PO threw in a "new" headlight switch. I obviously knew this was code for "this won't fix the problem, but it looks good for the sale" lol

Headlights don't work high or low.

I haven't spent much time with the car yet, and I've spent way MORE time looking for pinouts..

I did the obvious so far checked the fuse box.. Relays don't click there...

I had taken the knee pad out to try swapping the switches. And after that failed to fix the problem I took the switch and my DVOM in the house and made my own predictions of what the Pinout SHOULD be...

PLEASE ! Correct me if my diagram is wrong, I'm guessing.



I don't think I'll have time for a few days to go see what the car actually has, at the connector. And I imagine my next step is probably digging deeper into the dash or inside the fuse box to find the problem.

I think I didn't ask the question correctly...

Where does 56 get power from? And where does 15 go /ground out?

Assuming they have to pass through relays somewhere....

You may find this useful (maybe necessary)








Copy. print, combine the pages for a seamless view and ignore the bleedthrough.

Thank you very much! That will make it much easier to diagnose.

I was looking for a tech manual. I found an e12 specific reprint in UK so shipping it here makes it 60$

But is the 22$ chitons 72-88 all BMW models good enough? Or should I cough up the extra $ for the e12 ?

The US Haynes manual is pretty good for E12s. They are out of print but sometimes show up on ebay and the like. The big blue binder factory manual is great for a few things but not really handy for most.

Ok so I do not have 12v at pin15 of the switch... Green wire..

Looks like I'll be pulling the dash apart to follow this wire.

no need to pull the dasy, get a diagram and figure out where the rabbit pops back up from its hole.

Google E12 wiring diagram

RonDwyer wrote:no need to pull the dasy, get a diagram and figure out where the rabbit pops back up from its hole.

Google E12 wiring diagram

Pulled the gauge cluster, and it was right there behind it... My car was apparently a condo for mice... Repaired 5 wires that were chewed through..

Don't know what the others were, but they are fixed now