Re:light Problems

[Little&Large]

Hi
I am just trying to get my car ready for a trip to France/Switzerland......and the lights have started to play up!Firstly the audible alarm when the lights are on and door open is not working and I suspect this is the root of the problem.Without the key in the ignition,if I switch the lights on only the nearside rear lights work,nothing else.With the car running all the lights work except the nearside headlamp(mainbeam works though).If I try to put the sidelights on by themselves they do not work!I have taken all the relays on the front panel off and given them a wiggle in the dark,but there is no sign of the headlight working(the sidelight on the nearside works though).
Can anybodyhelp?I have also tried banging the front panel and surround hoping there is a loose connection etc.As I said at the beginning I feel the problem may be associated with the door alarm as it worked when I first got yhe car(having said that-all the lights have worked whilst the alarm did not work as well)
Many thanks
Rob

[Peter.N.]

Hi Rob

I have just been looking at the circuit diagram and the tail lights are fed through fuses F14 and F18 then through the bulb failure sensor to the lights. the input to the two fuses comes from a common contact on the light switch which also feeds the number plate lights via F 10, so in theory your fault is impossible! but obviously not in practise. I am trying to think how an earth fault could cause this problem, but I cant.

The headlights are connected in parallel so theoreticaly if one works, they both work. I know this sound obvious, but I suppose you've checked the bulb? The light warning buzzer is fed from the number plate lights but also via a fuse F 9, the other end goes to the interior light door switches, I suppose they are working?

Happy hunting

Peter.N.

[Little&Large]

Hi all
It was the bulb!Both were not working and then when I bashed the front panel the offside one came on and then the nearside...which then went out!Bulb replaced with super duper Osram ones....they actually look as though they are on now!!!
On my 3 series you could adjust the headlights for Continental driving.Is is possible to does this on the XM-I was wondering what the knobs were above the lights on the front panel above the lights.I am off on a 1500 miles trip to France and Switzerland tomorrow...so wish me luck!!!
The car idles well now and starts reasonably well-I must still find out what the garage did to the fuel pump as it appears to have worked!Time will tell.
Regards Rob

[Peter.N.]

Hi Rob

You cant adjust the lights as they dip the wrong way, what you can do though is mask off the left dip beam. If you stand in front of the lights, on dip, put your hand on the lens and and slide it along until you have masked the beam that is going to the n/s and then cover that area with a piece of black sticky tape. The knobs above the front panel are to set the beam hieght and direction, if they work! if the lights are OK dont touch them.