Headlight Frustration, puzzled.. Help!

[frickendom]

First of all, I searched! But my case seems to be different..
I purchased this car a few weeks ago now im occuring some problems with the headlights.

My headlights do not turn on what so ever unless the high beams are on. The High beams are unplugged. I changed all the fuse, but my k4 low beam relay is missing. I took out the k3 high beam relay to put into the k3, but it does not work still. I have a strange electrical wire type kind of thing connected to slot 26 fuse into k4 low beam relay slot. What is this? Im lost guys...

[Mo Brighta]

First of all, I searched! But my case seems to be different.. I purchased this car a few weeks ago now im having some problems with the headlights.

My headlights do not turn on what so ever unless the high beams are on. The High beams are unplugged. I changed all the fuse, but my k4 low beam relay is missing. I took out the k3 high beam relay to put into the k3, but it does not work still. I have a strange electrical wire type kind of thing connected to slot 26 fuse into k4 low beam relay slot. What is this? Im lost guys...

It would help to post a picture of the 'strange electrical wire type kind of thing', maybe the PO tried to rewire to keep lows on at all times.
Normally they go off with highs to keep from overheating the high/low bulbs. Some like all on at all times to get more light on the road, since these cars don't have the best lights in the world. You might want to pull out the rewire and go stock as a starting point, then let's talk.

Do you have sealed beams, elipsoids, or what ? There are some bolt-on improvements you can get, from brighter bulbs to new Hella/Cibie or what not. I can also suggest improvements for the tails, High Performance Lighting is my business, I'd be happy to help.

Quite a few are looking at HID headlight upgrades, but I'm still not convinced they give the biggest bang for the buck; biggest buck, maybe, but there are less expensive Halogen units that do very well.

Good luck,
Andy the tail light guy

[Erik j]

If both low beams do not work, but the high beams do, then your low beams are burnt out. There are about 100 threads in here for the same problem. Replace the sealed beam bulb and let there be light!

Your low beams have 2 (two) lights in them, a high and a low. The lows burn out but the highs are still in the same bulb and work.

[frickendom]

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Here are the pics

[frickendom]

It would help to post a picture of the 'strange electrical wire type kind of thing', maybe the PO tried to rewire to keep lows on at all times.
Normally they go off with highs to keep from overheating the high/low bulbs. Some like all on at all times to get more light on the road, since these cars don't have the best lights in the world. You might want to pull out the rewire and go stock as a starting point, then let's talk.

Do you have sealed beams, elipsoids, or what ? There are some bolt-on improvements you can get, from brighter bulbs to new Hella/Cibie or what not. I can also suggest improvements for the tails, High Performance Lighting is my business, I'd be happy to help.

Quite a few are looking at HID headlight upgrades, but I'm still not convinced they give the biggest bang for the buck; biggest buck, maybe, but there are less expensive Halogen units that do very well.

Good luck,
Andy the tail light guy

I have elipsoids, where can I buy a relay?

[frickendom]

If both low beams do not work, but the high beams do, then your low beams are burnt out. There are about 100 threads in here for the same problem. Replace the sealed beam bulb and let there be light!

Your low beams have 2 (two) lights in them, a high and a low. The lows burn out but the highs are still in the same bulb and work.

I already searched and no its not the the "two lights in them". BTW its called 2 filaments

[Mo Brighta]

I have elipsoids, where can I buy a relay?

Yep, looks like someone tried to bypass a relay there.

Did you take the bulbs out of the lows and look closely (or test them with a 12V supply) to see if the bulbs have failed? That might be a good place to start, then (as you seem to have figured out already) next step would be toss that wire thingy and put a relay in there.

I have a ton of relays, used. Do you want to restore stock operation? Email me with your VIN and date of manufacture (on driver's door post sticker). I'll contact the dealer and some other sources to be certain I send the right one. How's $6 sound, shipped?
Andy

[accident]

this happens when you do a sealed to ellipsoid conversion as well, unless you hood up the secondary power wire as well. which model E30 do you have?

[frickendom]

this happens when you do a sealed to ellipsoid conversion as well, unless you hood up the secondary power wire as well. which model E30 do you have?

I have the Sedan 1991 318i

[frickendom]

Yep, looks like someone tried to bypass a relay there.

Did you take the bulbs out of the lows and look closely (or test them with a 12V supply) to see if the bulbs have failed? That might be a good place to start, then (as you seem to have figured out already) next step would be toss that wire thingy and put a relay in there.

I have a ton of relays, used. Do you want to restore stock operation? Email me with your VIN and date of manufacture (on driver's door post sticker). I'll contact the dealer and some other sources to be certain I send the right one. How's $6 sound, shipped?
Andy

You said any standard bosch relay would work? I tried my high beam relay and it didnt work.

[accident]

look at the headlight wiring, does it look like it's been spliced? i cant remember if the 318 came with ellipsoids, but i'm leaning towards no.

[frickendom]

I do not see any splices.
Update....
I tried sticking a relay in it and the low beam still doesnt work. If i pull the weird wire out of there, my high beams wont work either...

[DaveSmed]

Does K3 have a 5 pin socket?

[frickendom]

Does K3 have a 5 pin socket?

no, its 4?

[DaveSmed]

Really? Not the relay, the fusebox. It looks like you have the wrong relay in K3.