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E30: turn signal turns on brights



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 29th 05, 06:53 AM
snuka
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Default E30: turn signal turns on brights

I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem yet.
I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my headlights on,
whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn and it would snap
back to the normal position, my high beams would come on. I explained
the problem to a mechanic that told me it would cost about $800 to fix.
I decided to just not use the signal lights at night. Now it's gotten
worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight, my high beams come on and I
can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of folded paper behind the turn
signal stick, it will move it up enough for the high beams to turn off
but then I can't use the turn signal or the paper will fall out and I'm
back to brights.
Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be causing
the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.
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  #2  
Old April 29th 05, 07:56 AM
Jeff Mayner
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Default

snuka wrote:
> I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem
> yet. I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my
> headlights on, whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn
> and it would snap back to the normal position, my high beams would
> come on. I explained the problem to a mechanic that told me it would
> cost about $800 to fix. I decided to just not use the signal lights
> at night. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight,
> my high beams come on and I can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of
> folded paper behind the turn signal stick, it will move it up enough
> for the high beams to turn off but then I can't use the turn signal
> or the paper will fall out and I'm back to brights.
> Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be
> causing the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.


What I'd do, is take apart what I could of the column and reassemble. I've
surprised myself with how many times this has worked. Not with what you
specifically describe but with other stuff. Sometimes disassembling and
cleaning, then reassembling actually works. Sure is cheaper if it works and
you can take it in if it doesn't. I'd suggest not going any further than you
feel you are mechanically capable though. Get yourself some contact cleaner
and meter to test for shorts/continuity and look for any distorted plastic
pins, keepers or missing springs. A decent shop manual with an exploded view
of the column area would be a major help with this. There is a site on the
net that for a small fee you can have access to exploded views of most
systems on most any car. I can't for the life of me remember the URL. I got
some great info when I was rebuilding the front suspension, actually putting
back to stock, on my Son's Pick-up. Didn't have to buy an entire manual.
Perhaps someone knows the name of the site. If memory serves, I found it
through Google. I used "1997 Ford Ranger Steering Parts" and it was amongst
the hits.

Just a thought.

Jeff


  #3  
Old April 29th 05, 09:41 AM
keith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

seems kinda obvious to me: the the column switches are worn/broken...
get thee down to a breakers yard and pulll another set from a similar
year E30.. when you are extrcting them from the donor vehicle, pay
good attention as to how the are fitted: takes pictures if you need
to. take everything to the connector leads. figure on spending
best part of a 1/2 a day getting them back in again. its not
difficult, just fiddly.

snuka > wrote:

>I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem yet.
>I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my headlights on,
>whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn and it would snap
>back to the normal position, my high beams would come on. I explained
>the problem to a mechanic that told me it would cost about $800 to fix.
> I decided to just not use the signal lights at night. Now it's gotten
>worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight, my high beams come on and I
>can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of folded paper behind the turn
>signal stick, it will move it up enough for the high beams to turn off
>but then I can't use the turn signal or the paper will fall out and I'm
>back to brights.
>Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be causing
>the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.


  #4  
Old April 29th 05, 02:38 PM
Somebody
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Jeff Mayner" > wrote in message
...
> snuka wrote:
> > I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem
> > yet. I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my
> > headlights on, whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn
> > and it would snap back to the normal position, my high beams would
> > come on. I explained the problem to a mechanic that told me it would
> > cost about $800 to fix. I decided to just not use the signal lights
> > at night. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight,
> > my high beams come on and I can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of
> > folded paper behind the turn signal stick, it will move it up enough
> > for the high beams to turn off but then I can't use the turn signal
> > or the paper will fall out and I'm back to brights.
> > Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be
> > causing the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.

>
> What I'd do, is take apart what I could of the column and reassemble. I've
> surprised myself with how many times this has worked. Not with what you
> specifically describe but with other stuff. Sometimes disassembling and
> cleaning, then reassembling actually works. Sure is cheaper if it works

and
> you can take it in if it doesn't. I'd suggest not going any further than

you
> feel you are mechanically capable though. Get yourself some contact

cleaner
> and meter to test for shorts/continuity and look for any distorted plastic
> pins, keepers or missing springs. A decent shop manual with an exploded

view
> of the column area would be a major help with this. There is a site on the
> net that for a small fee you can have access to exploded views of most
> systems on most any car. I can't for the life of me remember the URL. I

got
> some great info when I was rebuilding the front suspension, actually

putting
> back to stock, on my Son's Pick-up. Didn't have to buy an entire manual.
> Perhaps someone knows the name of the site. If memory serves, I found it
> through Google. I used "1997 Ford Ranger Steering Parts" and it was

amongst
> the hits.
>
> Just a thought.
>
> Jeff


OP may want to consider picking up a new stalk as well for the turn signal /
high beam. They are on ebay from time to time -- just make sure if you have
the full OBC that you get the stalk with the button for it or accept that
you won't be able to change the display from the stalk any more.

Anyway it's probably bad/worn contacts in the mechanism in the base of the
stalk which are probably not all that servicable. I paid $25 on ebay for a
replacment for mine and I see others regularly. Doesn't take more than
about an hour or so even if you don't know what you're doing -- best get a
friend to help steady the wheel while you release the nut, don't count on
the steering lock lest you damage something. Once you're into the colum
you can hook up your new switch and test it right away before even
installing it. It's all rather garden variety wrench work. Just make sure
when you take the wheel off that it's perfectly straight or you'll never hit
the right spline putting it back on...

-Russ.


  #5  
Old April 29th 05, 02:44 PM
Somebody
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"keith" > wrote in message
...
> seems kinda obvious to me: the the column switches are worn/broken...
> get thee down to a breakers yard and pulll another set from a similar
> year E30.. when you are extrcting them from the donor vehicle, pay
> good attention as to how the are fitted: takes pictures if you need
> to. take everything to the connector leads. figure on spending
> best part of a 1/2 a day getting them back in again. its not
> difficult, just fiddly.
>


Extraction is the same on the donor as on his car, not complicated enough
for pictures. Pry the roundel, release the nut, lift the wheel away, then
release the few screws from the bottom to release the top of the column
cover, exposing the stalk/switch assembly. A couple of screws to release
it, disconnect one big integrated connector. Installation is the reverse of
removal.

-Russ.


  #6  
Old April 29th 05, 04:38 PM
Jeff Strickland
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Posts: n/a
Default

Without actually experiencing your symptoms, I would guess the trouble is in
the Combination Switch itself. The switch that operates the turn signals and
high/low beam is called the Combo Switch, by the way.

There is no relationship in the turn signal circuit and the high/low beam
circuit, except the mechanical parts of the combo switch. Now that the
trouble is getting worse, this takes me even more strongly to the switch
itself.

The switch can be relatively easy to replace, but I haven't looked at how my
BMW is assembled. I have replaced turn signal/combo switches in the past,
and as a general rule they are pretty easy once the steering wheel is off of
the car. There will be a wire loom that snakes down the inside of the
steering column and has a connection in the vicinity of the brake pedal, and
frankly snaking the old wire out and the new wire in can be the tirckiest
part of the job.

$800 seems to be a very steep price for this repair. I have no idea what the
switch will cost, but I will take a stab that the repair time should be on
the order of about 2 hours for a trained technician. If the shop rate was
$75.00, then the labor would run $150 and the rest would be the cost of the
switch.



"snuka" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem yet.
> I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my headlights on,
> whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn and it would snap
> back to the normal position, my high beams would come on. I explained
> the problem to a mechanic that told me it would cost about $800 to fix.
> I decided to just not use the signal lights at night. Now it's gotten
> worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight, my high beams come on and I
> can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of folded paper behind the turn
> signal stick, it will move it up enough for the high beams to turn off
> but then I can't use the turn signal or the paper will fall out and I'm
> back to brights.
> Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be causing
> the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.



  #7  
Old April 29th 05, 04:49 PM
Jeff Strickland
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Somebody" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff Mayner" > wrote in message
> ...
> > snuka wrote:
> > > I've searched the net and haven't found a solution to this problem
> > > yet. I own an 87 325iC. Starting about two years ago, with my
> > > headlights on, whenever I used the turn signal and completed a turn
> > > and it would snap back to the normal position, my high beams would
> > > come on. I explained the problem to a mechanic that told me it would
> > > cost about $800 to fix. I decided to just not use the signal lights
> > > at night. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I turn on my headlight,
> > > my high beams come on and I can't turn them off. If I jam a peice of
> > > folded paper behind the turn signal stick, it will move it up enough
> > > for the high beams to turn off but then I can't use the turn signal
> > > or the paper will fall out and I'm back to brights.
> > > Has anybody else ever experienced this? Any idea what could be
> > > causing the problem? How hard would it be to fix this myself? Thanks.

> >
> > What I'd do, is take apart what I could of the column and reassemble.

I've
> > surprised myself with how many times this has worked. Not with what you
> > specifically describe but with other stuff. Sometimes disassembling and
> > cleaning, then reassembling actually works. Sure is cheaper if it works

> and
> > you can take it in if it doesn't. I'd suggest not going any further than

> you
> > feel you are mechanically capable though. Get yourself some contact

> cleaner
> > and meter to test for shorts/continuity and look for any distorted

plastic
> > pins, keepers or missing springs. A decent shop manual with an exploded

> view
> > of the column area would be a major help with this. There is a site on

the
> > net that for a small fee you can have access to exploded views of most
> > systems on most any car. I can't for the life of me remember the URL. I

> got
> > some great info when I was rebuilding the front suspension, actually

> putting
> > back to stock, on my Son's Pick-up. Didn't have to buy an entire manual.
> > Perhaps someone knows the name of the site. If memory serves, I found it
> > through Google. I used "1997 Ford Ranger Steering Parts" and it was

> amongst
> > the hits.
> >
> > Just a thought.
> >
> > Jeff

>
> OP may want to consider picking up a new stalk as well for the turn signal

/
> high beam. They are on ebay from time to time -- just make sure if you

have
> the full OBC that you get the stalk with the button for it or accept that
> you won't be able to change the display from the stalk any more.
>
> Anyway it's probably bad/worn contacts in the mechanism in the base of the
> stalk which are probably not all that servicable. I paid $25 on ebay for

a
> replacment for mine and I see others regularly. Doesn't take more than
> about an hour or so even if you don't know what you're doing -- best get a
> friend to help steady the wheel while you release the nut, don't count on
> the steering lock lest you damage something. Once you're into the colum
> you can hook up your new switch and test it right away before even
> installing it. It's all rather garden variety wrench work. Just make

sure
> when you take the wheel off that it's perfectly straight or you'll never

hit
> the right spline putting it back on...
>
> -Russ.
>
>


I agree, mostly.

I think the OP will discover a small piece of a contact has broken off and
is shorting the parts that turn the high beams on and off. I think that he
can feel the trouble but has told us that the feel of the switch has changed
over time. If I am correct, he should be prepared to have the car out of
service while he gathers up a new combo switch. I'm with you guys, I'd take
the switch out with the hopes that I could clean it and see what is wrong
and fix it with chewing gum and bailing wire, or whatever I have laying
around. But, I think that one of the contacts has broken inside, and he is
gonna need a new one.

As for aligning the steering wheel, this is not a big deal. The steering
column should have a peen mark on the end, and the wheel should have a
similar mark. When reinstalling the steering wheel, simply align the marks.
If there are no marks (I can't imagine this to be true) then I would take my
best guess at where the wheel goes, then button everything else up that I
could without putting the nut back on that holds the wheel in place, and
drive down my street to see if it is straight. If not, I could easily pull
it off and adjust it, then test again. When the wheel is on straight, then
put the nut back on, followed by the airbag.

ONE PROBLEM
When driving the car with the airbag out, the Airbag Fault light will come
on. This light will NEVER go out until it has been reset. This is a PIA
because the car has to go to the dealer or to a BMW independent to be reset.
The OP should be able to explain that the steering wheel was off for service
and the system does not require attention beyond setting the light off.



  #8  
Old April 29th 05, 04:50 PM
Jeff Strickland
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Posts: n/a
Default

OOPS,
Does the E30 even have airbags?



  #9  
Old April 29th 05, 08:27 PM
Somebody
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Posts: n/a
Default


"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> OOPS,
> Does the E30 even have airbags?


91's do, maybe a few 90's. Not his 87.

-Russ.


  #10  
Old April 29th 05, 09:47 PM
Ignasi Palou-Rivera
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Somebody" > writes:
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>> OOPS,
>> Does the E30 even have airbags?

>
> 91's do, maybe a few 90's. Not his 87.


Most 90s do, mine does have it (unfortunately as it's the old style
big explosive bag.) Randy W (used to be active on aabmw years
ago) figured out that only a few very early 90s do not.

PS: This is for US-spec E30s!

--
Ignasi.
'90 325is
(using SPAM trap e-mail address)
 




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