Help with "rear" light on the check panel

[sdjaytee]

Hi there

I have a 1992 325i cabrio with a rear light issue. I turn the car on all the check panel lights go out, step on the brake and brake check light goes out. Everything seems to work. I pull the headlight switch and the "rear" light on the check panel comes on and wont go off with the reset button. All low beam and high beam headlights work. The rear lights both come on and work when the headlights are turned on. All the turn signals work and the side marker lights work like they should. Ive swapped all the bulbs with no change. Turning on just the high beams doesnt trigger the check light only pulling the headlight switch. One difference is the third brake light has been removed. But like I said the brake light on the check panel goes off like its suppose to. Any ideas?

thanks
Jeff

[Panici]

Hi Jeff,


Those rear light bulbs, are they of the correct/original type and wattage rating?

Contacts inside the bases are clean and corrosion-free?

[sdjaytee]

Hi Jeff,


Those rear light bulbs, are they of the correct/original type and wattage rating?

Contacts inside the bases are clean and corrosion-free?

Hello

Thanks for the response.

The contacts and the bases are indeed clean and corrosion free. I dont see any issues on the contact and metal bars that the bulbs insert into and touch. The connector base looks to be clean as well, I added stabilant 22 and a little dielectric grease when I noticed the issue which had no effect. As for it being original wattage, I went off of the bulb list post pinned in this forum. Which are sylvania 7506 and 5007 bulbs. I didnt use the genuine bmw ones. All four of the different bulbs light up when they should, rear lights on when the headlights switch is pulled, reverse lights, and brake. The turn signals both work and dont have that issue where one or both flash faster then they should. And the rear side markers work (although i didnt replace the side marker bulbs)

[iansane]

Are the license plate lights on that circuit?

[sdjaytee]

Are the license plate lights on that circuit?

They are and both turn on like they should when the headlight switch is pulled

[sdjaytee]

I have the active check relay pulled out of the car, anyone know how that can be tested to make sure its good for the rear light fault?

[Vincenze]

https://e30journey.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-dreaded-active-check-brake-light.html

[sdjaytee]

https://e30journey.blogspot.com/2017...ake-light.html

Yep thank you, found that blog. Still going through it so I can understand what hes doing to test the check relay.

[sdjaytee]

Got it figured out. When the PO deleted the third brake light something wasnt fully grounded in what he did the work. He also added an inline fuse in the harness I guess for extra safety? That fuse had blown and was causing some haywire. Fixed all that and no more rear light fault on the check panel.