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steinbachphoto · 10-29-2008, 09:19 AM

So on my Check Panel after a few minutes of driving my check light flashes and so I look at my panel and it says I have a Rear Light issue, but there is no issue at all, I always thought it was my DRL that was added to pass inspection, but I uninstalled that tonight and I'm still having the issue. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

E30M3 · 10-29-2008, 11:22 AM

I have the same issue with the rear lights on my M3.
What seemed to work for me was to go and clean all the contacts for both the left and right side tail lights.
This solved my check panel problem... for a while anyways,

while I was out driving last night it reappeared. Looks like its time to reclean those contacts.

fastbmw · 10-29-2008, 11:56 AM

I had the same problem, It seems the wiring harness for the rear lights eventually has minor shorts that cause the check panel to throw up faults. What I did was yank the harness out near the taillights and seperated the wires a bit. It works fine now, occasionally I have to jiggle the harness to stop the short.

redhatpat · 10-29-2008, 12:13 PM

I've had the "low beam" check light on most of the time ever since I bought my car. Stupid DRL puts ALL the lights on.

DS Rook · 10-29-2008, 06:21 PM

Had the same problem in my M3. Swapped all rear light bulbs, and never had a problem since.
Todd

rkettner · 10-30-2008, 09:45 AM

since your car is a convertible i bet that it is your third brake light. mine check light was on all the time. took the third brake light apart and it was all rusted inside.

i suggest some dielectric grase when refitting it.

Black_E30 · 10-30-2008, 10:00 AM

Cleanining the contacts inside the light sockets with scotch pad fixed a few different ones on my '87. Steel wool is OK too - just make sure there is no wool left inside the socket! Also minor corrosion and contact resistance at the grounding location might be an issue.

10-29-2008, 09:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
steinbachphoto Member Name: Dustin Joined: Aug 2007 From: Victoria,BC,Canada Posts: 80 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 2 0 Times in 0 Posts steinbachphoto's pictures '91 BMW 320i	1991 e30 320i Cabrio check panel issue with rear lights? So on my Check Panel after a few minutes of driving my check light flashes and so I look at my panel and it says I have a Rear Light issue, but there is no issue at all, I always thought it was my DRL that was added to pass inspection, but I uninstalled that tonight and I'm still having the issue. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

10-29-2008, 11:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
E30M3 Senior Member Name: Declan Joined: Nov 2007 From: Richmond Posts: 534 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 5 4 Times in 4 Posts '88 BMW M3	I have the same issue with the rear lights on my M3. What seemed to work for me was to go and clean all the contacts for both the left and right side tail lights. This solved my check panel problem... for a while anyways, while I was out driving last night it reappeared. Looks like its time to reclean those contacts. __________________

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10-29-2008, 11:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
fastbmw Senior Member Supporting Member Joined: Mar 2004 From: Vancouver Posts: 1,263 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 5 Times in 5 Posts fastbmw's pictures	I had the same problem, It seems the wiring harness for the rear lights eventually has minor shorts that cause the check panel to throw up faults. What I did was yank the harness out near the taillights and seperated the wires a bit. It works fine now, occasionally I have to jiggle the harness to stop the short.

10-29-2008, 12:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
redhatpat Senior Member Joined: Feb 2006 From: Pitt Meadows Posts: 866 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 2 1 Time in 1 Post	I've had the "low beam" check light on most of the time ever since I bought my car. Stupid DRL puts ALL the lights on.

10-29-2008, 06:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
DS Rook Senior Member Joined: May 2007 From: Northshore Posts: 548 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 2 6 Times in 6 Posts	Had the same problem in my M3. Swapped all rear light bulbs, and never had a problem since. Todd

10-30-2008, 09:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
rkettner Senior Member Supporting Member Joined: Oct 2006 From: North Vancouver Posts: 419 iTrader: 1 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	since your car is a convertible i bet that it is your third brake light. mine check light was on all the time. took the third brake light apart and it was all rusted inside. i suggest some dielectric grase when refitting it.

10-30-2008, 10:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
Black_E30 Member Joined: Apr 2006 From: Vancouver, BC Posts: 97 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cleanining the contacts inside the light sockets with scotch pad fixed a few different ones on my '87. Steel wool is OK too - just make sure there is no wool left inside the socket! Also minor corrosion and contact resistance at the grounding location might be an issue.

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1991 e30 320i Cabrio check panel issue with rear lights?