Electric Gremlins!

[redslash2000]

Hey All!

Bought my 2009 23i Z4 about a year ago today and loving it. Getting much better with spannering and have a fun weekend ahead of me giving the car a major service and doing a couple gaskets (oil cooler & oil filter housing)

I wondered if anyone can provide any guidance on two smaller electric issues I’m facing:

1. I’m not sure how I skipped over this when buying the car, but the headlights etc work completely fine, however no lights come up on the dash/instrument cluster to tell me they are “on” for either side lights or headlights. Full beams work.

2. I have a strange issue with the fog lights which only seem to happen in cold/wet weather. From my understanding, the uk models only have 1 fog light on the rear. When starting the car, it will always ping and tell me with a yellow warning that my fog lights aren’t working, however if I press the button to turn it on they appear to work completely fine (assuming I’m correct in thinking there should only be one coming on)!

Was prodding around today and found a small puddle that has formed in the little cubby hole in the boot? Could this have to do with causing the electrics with the fog light to be dodgy and has anyone had issues with water getting in there? Haven’t had a look further than that.

Appreciate the help!

 

[B21]

There is no instrument cluster light for lights on..

There are two fog lights

If only one is on then you’ll get a bulb failure warning

 

[Chippie]

The leak could be from the boot seal around the top section, the sealant dries out and goes to powder, try removing it, cleaning and re sealing with a decent silicone sealant

 

[redslash2000]

Hah! I feel stupid now. Never had a car that didn’t have lights to tell you they were on and swore I could see them unlit but never mind.

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole I think with fog lights and got confused with the different specs across the world, so appears I’m wrong there and my back passenger side light is definitely out then. I shall learn about fixing this too then but must be a dodgy connection as it doesn’t ping me when the suns out!

 

[redslash2000]

The leak could be from the boot seal around the top section, the sealant dries out and goes to powder, try removing it, cleaning and re sealing with a decent silicone sealant

I think doing some maintenance on all the roof seals was in order anyway (re lubing them a bit) so I will add that to the list!

 

[B21]

Hah! I feel stupid now. Never had a car that didn’t have lights to tell you they were on and swore I could see them unlit but never mind.

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole I think with fog lights and got confused with the different specs across the world, so appears I’m wrong there and my back passenger side light is definitely out then. I shall learn about fixing this too then but must be a dodgy connection as it doesn’t ping me when the suns out!

Bulb gone or it’s mount defective ..it’s a two piece mount not a normal single mount

After that corroded connectors

 

[redslash2000]

Hah! I feel stupid now. Never had a car that didn’t have lights to tell you they were on and swore I could see them unlit but never mind.

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole I think with fog lights and got confused with the different specs across the world, so appears I’m wrong there and my back passenger side light is definitely out then. I shall learn about fixing this too then but must be a dodgy connection as it doesn’t ping me when the suns out!

Bulb gone or it’s mount defective ..it’s a two piece mount not a normal single mount

After that corroded connectors

Thanks, will check it out this weekend.

 

[B21]

Hah! I feel stupid now. Never had a car that didn’t have lights to tell you they were on and swore I could see them unlit but never mind.

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole I think with fog lights and got confused with the different specs across the world, so appears I’m wrong there and my back passenger side light is definitely out then. I shall learn about fixing this too then but must be a dodgy connection as it doesn’t ping me when the suns out!

Bulb gone or it’s mount defective ..it’s a two piece mount not a normal single mount

After that corroded connectors

Thanks, will check it out this weekend.

If the light unit has been messed around with muppets can inadvertently break the lead wires to the bulb mounts….I’m a muppet..similarly leakage from incorrect fitted double seal on the light unit ..after ‘maintenance’..

 

[javis20]

I've had water in the little boot box on the left side and it was a torn seal. Here is a DIY video, https://youtu.be/-0LUeMhHwWw

 

[matsmith749]

There is a 'lights on' indicator - a little green LED on the actual switch just to the right of the steering wheel.

 

[Chippie]

There is a 'lights on' indicator - a little green LED on the actual switch just to the right of the steering wheel.

Mine only lights up when they are set to auto lights, I leave mine on constantly as they go off when the ignition is turned off, just remember to turn them off if you have the ignition on but engine not running for a prolonged period.