Identifying Connectors / electrical issues

[FastAndLight]

Taking off the kick panel above the pedals and beneath the steering column, I have a huge mess of wires. It looks like I have some sort of BMW alarm system:



There is this plug coming out of it:



Which plugs into this connector from, what appears to be, the wiring harness for the car. It looks like this connector goes into the panel behind the speaker, so it may be locking stuff, or maybe the door switch. Notice the stray brown wire. I tried grounding it, no real effect, so I tried wiring it to what looked to be the missing spot in the connector and attached it to the brown / yellow wire from the above pic. That didn't do anything either.



Finally there is this connector that seems to be from the wiring harness, but the colors don't match the other wiring harness connector of the same size (pic above this one):


Really, I'm discovering all of this while just trying to get my check panel "brake light" indicator to turn off. My brake lights work fine. Sometimes it will be off, especially when it is super cold, but when the car warms up it will come on. Otherwise it is on all the time. Also, randomly, my left turn signal will flash fast for a bit, then it will switch back just fine. All of the bulbs are fine.

Any help would be appreciated.

[jlevie]

I can't say anything about module and it's wiring. But I can provide some input about the other two problems. The brake warning light is coming on because the current flow through the brake circuit is lower than it should be. That can be the result of aged bulbs, corrosion on brass based bulbs (the wrong kind), corrosion in bulb sockets, tail light or 3rd light connectors, a bad brake light switch, or a bad ground (behind the rear seat back). Though usually if the ground is bad the license plate and/or rear tail light warning LED's will also be on. Occasionally the fault will be in the check relay module in the left rear fender well, in the check relay module in the 3rd brake light or the check panel itself

You can clean the bulb sockets with a round brass bristled brush (like a shotgun bore brush). Don't use anything more abrasive as that can remove the plating and the sockets will quickly corrode. Contact cleaner and several cycles of disconnecting/reconnecting the the tail lights may help. Replace the bulbs if they don't have plated bases or if there is any darkening of the envelope. A new brake light switch may be needed.

The fast blink of the turn signal will be a poor connection to the bulb, a bad ground, or a bad turn signal switch.

[FastAndLight]

I can't say anything about module and it's wiring. But I can provide some input about the other two problems. The brake warning light is coming on because the current flow through the brake circuit is lower than it should be. That can be the result of aged bulbs, corrosion on brass based bulbs (the wrong kind), corrosion in bulb sockets, tail light or 3rd light connectors, a bad brake light switch, or a bad ground (behind the rear seat back). Though usually if the ground is bad the license plate and/or rear tail light warning LED's will also be on. Occasionally the fault will be in the check relay module in the left rear fender well, in the check relay module in the 3rd brake light or the check panel itself

You can clean the bulb sockets with a round brass bristled brush (like a shotgun bore brush). Don't use anything more abrasive as that can remove the plating and the sockets will quickly corrode. Contact cleaner and several cycles of disconnecting/reconnecting the the tail lights may help. Replace the bulbs if they don't have plated bases or if there is any darkening of the envelope. A new brake light switch may be needed.

The fast blink of the turn signal will be a poor connection to the bulb, a bad ground, or a bad turn signal switch.

Jim,
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have put a bit more information on my study of this problem over the past few months.
Check panel brake light:
-I cleaned the rear light harness, connector, etc thoroughly. No apparent corrosion anywhere there.
-I've replaced the brake switch
-I've been all through the relay in the trunk and it seems to be fine
-I've checked out the third light and it is pristine

With the check panel brake light and the turn signal there is one common element, a bad ground. I haven't checked the ground behind the rear seats, so I will get at that next. However, I think there is something bad in the rats nest of wires under the kick panel. The previous owner really did a number in there...and I'm not even sure what it is supposed to look like, but I doubt it is supposed to look like mine.

The turn signal was working fine all day today, so I won't be able to get after that one again for a bit. It only started happening when it started to get bitterly cold over last week. That is also when the brake check panel light stopped coming on. I am wondering if the grounds are working better because of the cold somehow. Also, my radio reception is pretty bad, which also could be attributed to a bad ground.

[FastAndLight]

Lame to keep replying to my own thread, but I have identified this connector:


It is the SRS Connector (not used on my car since I don't have airbags). For those that need it, here are the pin outs:

1 .5 Brown / Black from pin 7 Active Check Control, On page 6216-2 of Electrical Troubleshooting Manual
2 not used
3 .5 Red - Should have voltage, goes to splice S232 page 1230-0
4 .5 Violet - Should have voltage, page 6216-2
5 .5 Black / Green - Goes to splice S233, page 1240-0
6 .5 White / Black - Goes to C101 then to diagnostic connector, page 1230-0

Hope that helps someone. Still trying to figure out WTF the other ones are, and now why my seatbelt warning light is coming on. Probably from the relay that has a hole in it:



The wire tracing continues. Thank god for the Electrical Troubleshooting Manual.