Electrical fault on e46?

[lynnae endersby]

I bought a 2002 318i a year and half ago. The rear bumper had parking assist 'circles' (I don’t know what exactly they are called) but I assumed the assist was never installed.

The car always gave me a long beep whenever I put it in reverse. I assumed this was a normal BMW thing. (I still don’t know if this is standard) But about a month ago parking assist started working!

It started working intermittently and nowadays it works about 90% of time. Unfortunately I started getting an error message telling me my rear left parking light didn’t work. The warning would go off after a while and the light would start working again. A week later the same started happening with my left headlight. The warning light comes on and the headlight stops working. After a while the warning switches off and the light starts working again.

This has been carrying on for a few weeks now and I don’t like driving around at night with a sporadic left headlight.

Does anyone know what the cause might be? And more importantly tell me where in the CBD I can go to have the problem fixed?

Thanks alot!
Lynnnae

 

[Iceman007]

I bought a 2002 318i a year and half ago. The rear bumper had parking assist 'circles' (I don’t know what exactly they are called) but I assumed the assist was never installed.

The car always gave me a long beep whenever I put it in reverse. I assumed this was a normal BMW thing. (I still don’t know if this is standard) But about a month ago parking assist started working!

It started working intermittently and nowadays it works about 90% of time. Unfortunately I started getting an error message telling me my rear left parking light didn’t work. The warning would go off after a while and the light would start working again. A week later the same started happening with my left headlight. The warning light comes on and the headlight stops working. After a while the warning switches off and the light starts working again.

This has been carrying on for a few weeks now and I don’t like driving around at night with a sporadic left headlight.

Does anyone know what the cause might be? And more importantly tell me where in the CBD I can go to have the problem fixed?

Thanks alot!
Lynnnae

Ok the rear is because of a bad earth and the front could be because of a simple globe thats faulty or the light control module. I would go for the globe first in the front and then ad an new eart to both rear lights for there is a manufacturing defect on all e46 tail lights there is actually a service bullatien out on it. I did Mine as a precaution for it happend to my fathers 318. And the Buggers only fix the affected tail light under motorplan and not both. its an easy DIY

 

[zaleonardz]

The circle thingies on the back bumper is called PDC sensors or Park Distance control sensors.

If you have a facelift E46, which you do, you will have rear PDC. If you get an continues beep, one or more of your sensors (5 or 6 if memory serves???) went poof. Its not normal that you get a loud beep when you start a BMW, its because the PDC sensor(s) is not working.

Second issue with the brakelight. There cars have been known to wear out the wiring harness that goes to the trunk lid, and you would have to do that.

These to faults are not related as they all run off of different control units, except if the vehicle maybe got a smack from the back and the repair was done poorly.

The PDC sensors are like 1 to 2k, new somewhere round there. Diagnostic computers should be able to tell you which one.

Any decent auto electrician could sort this out for you.

 

[Iceman007]

Yes I have diagnosed few BMW's and the laptop does tell you which ones are the problem. Tail light thats an earth. I try to help where I can

 

[lynnae endersby]

thank you very much for all the help!

I'm very relieved to hear these the park assist and the 2 light faults might not be related. Oddly enough the car has not been beeping loudly at me when I put it in reverse the last two days.

Will a auto electrician have diagnostic equipment that would detect these faults or will I need to take it somewhere else?

 

[Iceman007]

thank you very much for all the help!

I'm very relieved to hear these the park assist and the 2 light faults might not be related. Oddly enough the car has not been beeping loudly at me when I put it in reverse the last two days.

Will a auto electrician have diagnostic equipment that would detect these faults or will I need to take it somewhere else?

well That you will have to ask the guys on the forum, for I do all the work on my car myself including diagnostics.

 

[zaleonardz]

Where are you located ?

 

[lynnae endersby]

In Observatory, so any good auto electrician I could be refered to in the CBD would be very helpfull if you know of any.

 

[Iceman007]

Ihave a link for your tail light http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=533309
A nother one
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=512469&highlight=
Just one peace of advice. Take an earth from the body and dont splice it with the brown wire. You welcome to come check mine

 

[zaleonardz]

Maybe Gizmo out in the south (he is a forum user) You can send him a PM.

 

[Iceman007]

Ther you Go even a site Moderator has given you guidence. And thats why this site is so good we help each other in the right direction.:thumbs:

 

[zaleonardz]

:thumbs:

 

[lynnae endersby]

thanks guys!

I have emailed Gizmo to see if he can help me or refer me to someone (not sure if he is located in JHB or Cape town)

 

[zaleonardz]

he is in the south of jhb.

 

[Iceman007]

he is in the south of jhb.

Thats a bit far. Maybe Freerider has some advice

 

[zaleonardz]

Well there is an Observatory in JHB as well

 

[domsmith]

In that case, maybe just a loose connection at the battery, check those and the ground wires you can find those would be the easiest and cheapest first steps.
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