DIY - E36 window switch retrofit

[Jand3rson]

The pics on the write up coming back ever?

I don't have them hosted anymore, Curt. They're hosted permanently, along with the write-up and wiring schematics at strictlyeta.net.

[Bimmerfanatik]

I'm pretty sure the blue base switches, otherwise known as E36 sedan rear window switches from the rear doors, don't light up. Other white base switches (console, sunroof) light up.

[YAN-3]

ok kinda resurecting this but would e32 or e34 switches work? ill try them out but thought i would ask, maybe someone knew. they look almost the same.

[ZinRot325i]

e32/34 REAR switches MAY work. They aren't the same,
They don't have a bezel so it would be hard to mount them in the console.

The front switches are in a pack of 4, all together. They don't separate.

[YAN-3]

true by b. now i just did a quck search for them on ebay and found ones with yellow, green, white and blue backings. ONLY white and blue will work for us correct?

why? i mean whats the reasoning behind it?

[BDSax]

i think anyswitch would work as long as you use a DVM to figure out what does what

[dude8383]

true by b. now i just did a quck search for them on ebay and found ones with yellow, green, white and blue backings. ONLY white and blue will work for us correct?

why? i mean whats the reasoning behind it?

the blue and white is regular operation, and the green and yellow are the one-touch switches.

[YAN-3]

so in order to get one touch i would need more than just the switch right?

[erik325i]

I'm pretty sure the blue base switches, otherwise known as E36 sedan rear window switches from the rear doors, don't light up. Other white base switches (console, sunroof) light up.

If you wire the blue based switches up like Josh did in his write-up, they don't light up.
I think that the switches themselves are supposed to light up because I took apart a blue based switch and saw that there was indeed a light in there.
Therefore, I would assume that the reason they don't illuminate is because of the wiring.

Someone that has an e36 sedan with blue based switches needs to check to see if they illuminate to test my theory.

-Erik

[Jand3rson]

If you wire the blue based switches up like Josh did in his write-up, they don't light up.
I think that the switches themselves are supposed to light up because I took apart a blue based switch and saw that there was indeed a light in there.
Therefore, I would assume that the reason they don't illuminate is because of the wiring.

Someone that has an e36 sedan with blue based switches needs to check to see if they illuminate to test my theory.

-Erik

That's a possibility, I'm really not sure. At any rate, it doesn't bother me.

[So Live]

You wouldnt happen to be the guy who wrote the one for strictlyeta.net? It looks word for word.

[Jand3rson]

You wouldnt happen to be the guy who wrote the one for strictlyeta.net? It looks word for word.

Yeah, that was me that wrote that, along with my brother in law.

[AndrewBird]

IIRC, there was an extra brown wire on the switch that we did not connect. I am thinking now that this wire is the wire for the light.

[Jand3rson]

IIRC, there was an extra brown wire on the switch that we did not connect. I am thinking now that this wire is the wire for the light.

That may very well be. Maybe one of these days we can get in there and check it out. Until then, I'm not worried about it.

[BDSax]

what some one needs to do is use a Digital Volt Meter and test what wire on the e30 side gets power only when the lights are turned on.

i have been playing around with the Green base and white base switches, i just need to figure out what does what.

does anyone know how the switches work? like is it normally open then when you push the switch it closes the curcuit? or is it vice versa? that would help some of my confusion?