Electrical Issue

[Squid]

Help/advice needed please: When I got up Friday the nearside indicator was on as wella s the nearside rear light ans center brake light. When I got in the car there was a smell like the smell from a cap gun for those old enough to remember! I have checked the fuses and none look blown.

The car starts but funny things are going on with the electrics such as the hazard indicators going some of the time and not able to turn them off, the lights not working and then working and the fog lights coming on without being turned on.

Any ideas what else I can try/look at please? I think water might have got in as it was raining that day and it feels damp inside but the carpets are not wet on the passenger side and I can't feel water under them either.

Edit: 2007 E85 3.0

 

[ph001]

The LCM module (part of the headlight switch assembly) controls the lights and indicators but it’s pretty rare for that to fail (it has to be coded to the car too).

If the car has been wet it’s more likely CANBUS corruption caused by the airbag control module. This is location under the centre console between the rear seats. If you pop the coin holder out you can see it and might even be able the pull the connector out. This will confirm if it is the culprit and restore your lights to normal operation. You will however get the airbag light on.

On a final note, make sure your battery is all good before you go delving around in control modules. The z4 sure does some weird things when the battery voltage goes low.

 

[colb]

Could also be down to the EWS/Alarm system due to water getting in the workings, not sure where the tilt sensor is on the Z4 but on Z3's it lives in the n/s boot well which fills with water and shorts out the sensor causing all sorts of electrical issues and alarm activations.

 

[Squid]

Due to work commitments I wasn't able to look at this further until now. I have ran Carly on it again and there are a few faults showing one of which is for the instrument cluster and says LM EPROM error / light module EPROM error. There are others:
Airconditioning - Solar Sensor right
Engine / Motor - Electric coolant pump communication
Gateway / ZKE - Windows interruption.

Is there anything that could cause these errors as still not sure where to start looking?

 

[Squid]

I have checked under the carpets and in the boot and it all seems dry.

 

[Squid]

For anyone interested the issue was the lighting control module which had burnt out for some reason. It also took some of the wiring with it!


M-Kraft fixed it all for me so thanks to James there, highly recommended.

 

[ph001]

My god, I've never seen an LCM module in that state! So much for fuses eh?

 

[Squid]

You would have thought a fuse would have blown prior to doing this much damage. At least it is fixed now and back on the driveway

 

[enuff_zed]

Jeez! That would definitely explain the smell.
Lucky it didn't take the car with it!

Maybe in this case, being a bit damp inside was your saviour.