E34 Window switch light stays on

[melowpuf 19]

Anyone know the fix to this gremlin?? I'm assuming it will be a faulty relay somewhere. The interior lights all turn off as per normal but the window switch back light stay on. Not good when the car is not used daily.

I'm about to head out and pull all the relays one by one to try and find the culprit.

Other option could be a door switch pakaru, but I don't think so as the interior lights turn of with the usual delay. Usually if a door switch is left open the lights automatically turn off after a few minutes, at the moment they turn of within a few seconds of the doors being closed like they should.

Edited March 21, 2009 by melowpuf

[BM WORLD 1283]

yes try relays . also try LKM box in fuse box area and other gm and rm boxes under the seat.

[melowpuf 19]

yes try relays . also try LKM box in fuse box area and other gm and rm boxes under the seat.

From my tinkerings it has something to do with the central locking. the relay controlling the central locking system is staying live. So my next attempt will be to get into the modules under the seat and swap them out and see if they fix it.

Any idea if the electric memory seats are tied into the same circuit somehow?? or if there should be power to them when there is no key in the ignition?

[kiwi535 538]

From my tinkerings it has something to do with the central locking. the relay controlling the central locking system is staying live. So my next attempt will be to get into the modules under the seat and swap them out and see if they fix it.

Any idea if the electric memory seats are tied into the same circuit somehow?? or if there should be power to them when there is no key in the ignition?

i reckon its normal...mine does it and i have never had any troubleYou dont notice unless you park in a gloomy garage(which mine is)They do go off after some time(longer than the interior light delay)

[melowpuf 19]

i reckon its normal...mine does it and i have never had any troubleYou dont notice unless you park in a gloomy garage(which mine is)They do go off after some time(longer than the interior light delay)

I noticed it when I went to get into it tonight, I hadnt touched the car for a few days.

Before putting the key in the lock to unlock it I saw the glowing orange on the switches, hrmmmmmm they had been on since Thursday afternoon when I last used it, put the key in the ignition Click Click Click, DOH. Grab the jump pack and left her running for a while to put some juice back in the battery.

I swapped the battery out of my daily on Wednesday because it wouldn't start I thought the battery was dead. But that battery has been fine in my daily, and the battery from my daily is suddenly flat in this car now.

So it must be a drain somewhere, and since these lights appear to be staying on I will point the big pointing stick with the pointy end at the circuit that doesn't turn off after 2 days.

So to fix it for tonight I have no central locking and I hope the windows are on a separate circuit, but I have a gut feeling that they will be out of action without those relays also. I'll find out in the morning I suppose.

[jochen 4]

Anyone know the fix to this gremlin?? I'm assuming it will be a faulty relay somewhere. The interior lights all turn off as per normal but the window switch back light stay on. Not good when the car is not used daily.

I'm about to head out and pull all the relays one by one to try and find the culprit.

Other option could be a door switch pakaru, but I don't think so as the interior lights turn of with the usual delay. Usually if a door switch is left open the lights automatically turn off after a few minutes, at the moment they turn of within a few seconds of the doors being closed like they should.

(using a 1995 E34 as my basis for diagnosis)

Electric window switch illumination is switched on via the Electric Power Protection Relay, K15

K15 is controlled by the General Module

So either K15 is stuck on at al times, or the GM is not switching K15 off. You can tell by disconnecting X253 from the GM. If the relay switches off, then the GM is faulty.

The GM is located in the rear power distribution box, which is under the back seat.

K15 is located in the rear power distribution box as well

To help identify K15, note that the K15 relay has the following wire colours on it:

Red/Green - power via F37 30A, hot at all times

Red/Brown - switched power to the electric window switches and illumination

Brown/red - relay control wire from the GM

Jochen

[jochen 4]

I just checked a 1988 E34:

K15 is still K15

But the fuse was numbered F47, 30A

For a 20-year old car, it's worth having the Electrical Trouble Shooting manual on hand for such diagnosis

[melowpuf 19]

I just checked a 1988 E34:

K15 is still K15

But the fuse was numbered F47, 30A

For a 20-year old car, it's worth having the Electrical Trouble Shooting manual on hand for such diagnosis

Thanks for that Jochen, I have the ETK and TIS discs here at home but the ETS disc is up at my workshop.

The gremlins on the E34's have usually been experienced by many, I knew it wouldn't take long for the answer to come along. grrrrr now look its 2:30am and I want to go out and pull the GM and swap it out.

It also makes it easier for others in the future if they run into the same problem if the gremlins are documented somewhere.

I'll post up once I check out the GM.

[kiwi535 538]

Thanks for that Jochen, I have the ETK and TIS discs here at home but the ETS disc is up at my workshop.

The gremlins on the E34's have usually been experienced by many, I knew it wouldn't take long for the answer to come along. grrrrr now look its 2:30am and I want to go out and pull the GM and swap it out.

It also makes it easier for others in the future if they run into the same problem if the gremlins are documented somewhere.

I'll post up once I check out the GM.

Jochen do you know how long the accessories stay on...Ie cigarette lighter When i am charging my phone i leavee the car with the phone charging but when i go back its always off.I assume the unloder relay has some timing from the GM.

However it is normal for the window switches to stay illuminated after you have left the car.(not for days tho!)I assume they go off at the interval commanded by the GM to the unloader reelay

[melowpuf 19]

Jochen do you know how long the accessories stay on...Ie cigarette lighter When i am charging my phone i leavee the car with the phone charging but when i go back its always off.I assume the unloder relay has some timing from the GM.

However it is normal for the window switches to stay illuminated after you have left the car.(not for days tho!)I assume they go off at the interval commanded by the GM to the unloader reelay

Yes the delay is very handy, but not for days, thats a bit extreme maybe they forgot to install the solar charging panels on mine for the extended power delay. any how post back in a few minutes Im going to get down and dirty in the back seat

[jochen 4]

Jochen do you know how long the accessories stay on...Ie cigarette lighter When i am charging my phone i leavee the car with the phone charging but when i go back its always off.I assume the unloder relay has some timing from the GM.

However it is normal for the window switches to stay illuminated after you have left the car.(not for days tho!)I assume they go off at the interval commanded by the GM to the unloader reelay

In my E39 it was 15min.

Knowing BMW they would not have changed much from one model to the other.

so time it - I bet it'll be 15min

[str8_6 275]

My rear switches never lit up when I got the E34. I re-souldered bulbs in them and noticed they stayed on for days too... possibly why the bulbs burnt out in the first place.

Never had problems with the battery though.

[melowpuf 19]

My rear switches never lit up when I got the E34. I re-souldered bulbs in them and noticed they stayed on for days too... possibly why the bulbs burnt out in the first place.

Never had problems with the battery though.

Are you using the car as a daily??

[melowpuf 19]

Success.... It appears that the GM has had a failure.. Swapped it out and voila. I swapped the relay box out aswell just because I could.

[hotwire 352]

Success.... It appears that the GM has had a failure.. Swapped it out and voila. I swapped the relay box out aswell just because I could.

Now to diagnose & fix the GM

[melowpuf 19]

Now to diagnose & fix the GM

Put GM and Relay Module on the ground.. turn key in ignition, select gear, drive forward over top of GM and RM, select reverse, drive back over the top of GM and RM. Select gear and drive till each of the back wheels is sitting on top of the GM and RM. STOP. Rev engine, Select gear, Drop Clutch.

GM and RM diagnosis complete.

Not worth the time or effort to repair, plenty lying around just swap them out.

[kiwi535 538]

Put GM and Relay Module on the ground.. turn key in ignition, select gear, drive forward over top of GM and RM, select reverse, drive back over the top of GM and RM. Select gear and drive till each of the back wheels is sitting on top of the GM and RM. STOP. Rev engine, Select gear, Drop Clutch.

GM and RM diagnosis complete.

Not worth the time or effort to repair, plenty lying around just swap them out.

so now you will find the window switches(the centre console ones) stay illuminated for some time after you lock the car up.Your job is to stay there and time the delay.