Reversing light error
03-10-2018, 05:15 AM
#1
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My Ride: 2006 525i e60 N52
Model Year: 2006
Reversing light error
I've searched the forums for a similar issue but didn't see anything, but apologies if this has been answered before.
I've got a 2006 e60 525i with a warning about the left reversing light.
I've checked the bulb & holder and can't see anything that looks wrong - bulb changed: no difference.
Had a look for a faulty earth, or corroded connections, can't see any problem with that. The continuity between the holder and the earth point is good and the spade connections all seem bright metal and not a hint of rusting.
Had a look at the fuses in the glove box, nothing there seems wrong, nothing blown.
Had a look at the light control module, couldn't see any components obviously faulty.
There is another (I think related) problem - the car gives an increased discharge warning. Never fails to start, but clock is wiped if left for a while without running. When I start it in the mornings I also get an odd issue with the radio, it runs but cuts out after a few seconds. Once the car has been running for a few minutes, this problem goes away. Seems to me like the battery is being discharged by something after I take the keys out to a point where there's just enough power to start and run the basics, but nothing auxiliary. So until the car has been running a while (and the alternator has charged the battery) the radio doesn't run properly.
It seems like the issue with the light may be keeping the car in some sort of "wake" mode and draining the battery to the point it just stops everything (to preserve the ability to start the engine) - maybe I'm just joining 2 problems into one without good reason though.
Any thoughts?
I've got a 2006 e60 525i with a warning about the left reversing light.
I've checked the bulb & holder and can't see anything that looks wrong - bulb changed: no difference.
Had a look for a faulty earth, or corroded connections, can't see any problem with that. The continuity between the holder and the earth point is good and the spade connections all seem bright metal and not a hint of rusting.
Had a look at the fuses in the glove box, nothing there seems wrong, nothing blown.
Had a look at the light control module, couldn't see any components obviously faulty.
There is another (I think related) problem - the car gives an increased discharge warning. Never fails to start, but clock is wiped if left for a while without running. When I start it in the mornings I also get an odd issue with the radio, it runs but cuts out after a few seconds. Once the car has been running for a few minutes, this problem goes away. Seems to me like the battery is being discharged by something after I take the keys out to a point where there's just enough power to start and run the basics, but nothing auxiliary. So until the car has been running a while (and the alternator has charged the battery) the radio doesn't run properly.
It seems like the issue with the light may be keeping the car in some sort of "wake" mode and draining the battery to the point it just stops everything (to preserve the ability to start the engine) - maybe I'm just joining 2 problems into one without good reason though.
Any thoughts?
03-10-2018, 02:02 PM
#2
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My Ride: 2006 525i e60 N52
Model Year: 2006
Some success today, pretty sure the radio issue is a faulty MULF unit. I've just disconnected it for now and it seems to have resolved the issue.
Hoping it will resolve the battery discharge issue, but maybe hoping for too much on that.
Hoping it will resolve the battery discharge issue, but maybe hoping for too much on that.
03-12-2018, 11:07 AM
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My Ride: 2006 525i e60 N52
Model Year: 2006
For anyone finding this and wanting to know potential solutions - the intermittent radio issue was definitely the MULF unit - don't really need it just now so will leave it disconnected and it doesn't seem to have caused any issues.
I swapped the 2 bulb holders on the back over and tried the reverse lights again and both worked. I think maybe there was some oxidation on the connection and it chipped it loose using the different connector blocks (that's the only thing I can think of, but the connections all seemed bright metal.
But when I put the trim back on, the left reversing light gave the same issue as it had. I took the trim back off and the light started working again. I think what may be happening is the trim is pushing against the connector block and causing a disconnect. Going to leave the trim off for a while and see if the problem occurs again.
As for the increased discharge, that's no longer happening. I think either the dodgy connection or MULF was causing the increased discharge after I switched the car off - here's hoping anyway.
I swapped the 2 bulb holders on the back over and tried the reverse lights again and both worked. I think maybe there was some oxidation on the connection and it chipped it loose using the different connector blocks (that's the only thing I can think of, but the connections all seemed bright metal.
But when I put the trim back on, the left reversing light gave the same issue as it had. I took the trim back off and the light started working again. I think what may be happening is the trim is pushing against the connector block and causing a disconnect. Going to leave the trim off for a while and see if the problem occurs again.
As for the increased discharge, that's no longer happening. I think either the dodgy connection or MULF was causing the increased discharge after I switched the car off - here's hoping anyway.
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