my headlights are acting crazy....

[90pioneer]

91 318I...


If you turn the low beams on, the headlights come on just fine....

But when you turn the high beams on the driver side low beam turns off,and the driver side high beam does not come on. Any ideas what is wrong?

But both passenger side lights work as normal.

Also the blue indicator light does not come on in the guage cluster. Think it's because of the problem with my headlights or the bulb is burnt out?

[schtozo]

When you turn high beams on, the low beams should turn off by default. Thats why the drivers low beam is turning off and the passenger low beam should too. So if the drivers high beam isnt turning on its toast.. Change it for a known working one to test.

[mbonanni]

Your case is lucky. My buddies turn signals stay on while his highbeams are on. and if his headlights are on his rears do not work.

Like wtf.

Sorry I did not contribute. Best of luck.

[tH16]

I would switch the high beams and see if the problem persists. It would rule out a wiring issue and narrow it down to the individual high beam.

[Freude am Fahren]

Please specify if you have sealed beam lights or if you have ellipsoids. Also, mention if you have done any mods to the lights such as HIDs or sealed beam-> ellips conversion, or if you see evidence of such work by the previous owner.

[lambo]

Wait, so the low beams are supposed to turn off when the high beams are turned on?

[Devil Inc]

On ellips, yes. Sealed beams, no. Unless BMW changed something after '88. Also, it isn't too difficult to modify the ellips for the lows to stay on with the brights.

[lambo]

Also, it isn't too difficult to modify the ellips for the lows to stay on with the brights.

I am definitely interested in that because my HID's need some time to "warm up" and are essentially use until like 10 seconds after they switch back on...

[McGyver]

On ellips, yes. Sealed beams, no. Unless BMW changed something after '88. Also, it isn't too difficult to modify the ellips for the lows to stay on with the brights.

not quite true. sealed beams have 2 filaments in the low (they switch when the high beam switched on/off), and one on the high beam. elips/euro-elips/smilie have a single bulb in each. my 89 vert has lows that stays on with the high beam. then again, BMW has no reasons for how they wired crap in different cars...

I am definitely interested in that because my HID's need some time to "warm up" and are essentially use until like 10 seconds after they switch back on...

i know i saw a DIY for jumping wires in the fuse box that would accomplish this, but im not sure where...

[AT-JeffT]

Check Fuses 1 and 2 they are for the left and right high beams respectively.

[u3b3rg33k]

Wait, so the low beams are supposed to turn off when the high beams are turned on?

As was mentioned, if you have sealed beams, yes. the low beam filaments are not active when the high beam filaments are. The same is also true if you have H1/H4s (same connectors, same electrical wiring, better lighting).