Complex lighting problem

[G-rex]

Hi Everyone,

I have a weird lighting problem that maybe someone can help me with.

I have a 1990 325is that has the following problem:

The light switch as three modes.

Position 1) Pushing it into the dash should turn on the headlight and the interior dash lights.

Position 2) Pulling it out would leave only the turn signal lights on, and the interior dash lights on.

Position 3) Pulling it at the furthest extent, it would turn on the headlights, and the fog lights, and supposedly the interior dash lights.

My current problem is this. Aside from having the switch in position 2, I wouldn't get any interior lights at all.

When it's in position 1, the front right signal lights would turn off, but it would still signal when i use the signal switch.

Concurrently, I have a problem where the rear right brake light would turn off. But sometimes when I start the car up it would be fine.

The license plate lights are consistently dead.

I've looked at the light bulbs, and everything seems to be fine. i.e. no burn outs.

Can anyone figure out what's wrong?

Thanks!

[onaquest]

check fuses?

[e30_m3]

does your car have daytime running lights? on my car when the switch is pushed into the dash you have no lights on. position two, should be your park lights, which i believe consists of all the side marker lights? and your dash lights. position three should be all lights on, headlights, side marker lights, tail lights, dash lights and license plate lights.

you can adjust the brightness of the dash lights by turning the switch knob.

[G-rex]

I should check the fuses, except, i'm not too sure where the related fuses are located (and I presume if I do find them if they're burnt out they should be black?).

E30_m3, I totally agree with you that that should be how the light switch should function. I just got this car, so i'm not too sure if it's a burnt out fuse, or it was wired improperly to begin with. During the first hour the lights in the back and the right signal light in the front would be on when the headlights were on. I have a separate button to turn the fog lights on or off, but if it's on, i would be able to turn that on or not with the regular headlights by pulling on the light switch to the furthest extent.

All the lights are manually controlled from that switch. The shifter's lights are dead too, and the passenger side window switch doesn't seem to respond too well when i try to roll the window up.

[G-rex]

EUREKA!

Fuse 23. '-_-

[onaquest]