Interior light dilema...

[325is_MadBimmer]

So as i am installing my alpine headunit, it has a feature where you can hook it up to the interior lights and the display will dim with the lights when you turn the knob.

so i tried hooking up to the wire to one of the climate control bulbs and i accidently shorted the bulb and now none of the blubs work.

everything in the car works fine, but all of the interior lights that light up when you turn on the headlights do not work (the blubs that you can dim and brighten with the headlight switch knob). Actually when i turn the headlights on the OBC actually gets really dark and you can not read anything on its display.

i checked the fuses and they are all fine.

now my diagnosis is:

- is there a realay that also controls those lights?
- what do the other (other from main computer in the glovebox) computers control?
- (GOD I HOPE NOT) i fried the harness that splits into all of those bulbs.


what do you guys think?

[ZinRot325i]

Stupid question:
Have you tried....REPLACING the bulbs?

[325is_MadBimmer]

Stupid question:
Have you tried....REPLACING the bulbs?

yes :(

[asubimmer]

you need a new headlight switch, the pull thing. It happened to me a while ago

[325is_MadBimmer]

you need a new headlight switch, the pull thing. It happened to me a while ago

ohh god i hope thats it!

the headlights still turn on and off though?

[asubimmer]

yep everything worked but the interior lights. It was weird

[325is_MadBimmer]

yep everything worked but the interior lights. It was weird

thanks man, you pretty much saved my from pulling the f-ing harness out tonight...

[asubimmer]

no prob man, I did the same thing when I put in my e46 m3 lighted shift knob. It was no fun waiting for the $5 part when I was trying to drive at night not knowing how fast I was goin.

[Alluvium]

i ahd i similar problem, my cabin lights dont go on if you use the switch to turn them on, they only work when you open the doors


havent figured it out yet tho ...

[StereoInstaller1]

So as i am installing my alpine headunit, it has a feature where you can hook it up to the interior lights and the display will dim with the lights when you turn the knob.

You are referring to the orange wire on your deck? That goes to the dashlight wire. It will make the display dim. Use a testlight to check which wire of the factory deck harness turns on with the headlights.

- is there a realay that also controls those lights?

A realy cannot "dim", it can only turn on or off.

The chance of having fried your harness is unlikely, however, the guy who thought it was the dimmer circuit on the headlight switch is probably correct.
Luke

[asubimmer]

update? did you get a new headlight switch?

[325is_MadBimmer]

update? did you get a new headlight switch?

ohhh yes! i meant to come and thank you but i didnt have time that same day and then i left for the weekend.

thanks so much for the help man, i feel so much better now. it doesnt BUG me anymore.

[jht3]

you blew out the rheostat in the light switch. either buy a new switch or jump the pins to bypass the resistor.

[asubimmer]

awsome glad that its all fixed now!!

[Burnsey]

bumping this cause I'm a newbie and had the same problem. fixed mine as well. except my heater/ac lights still don't work, and my computer does seem to light up?