E46 Update: Can't See Shit, Captain

"Party-vi" (party-vi)
05/23/2016 at 07:26 • Filed to: None

The E46 has no parking lights, fog lights, turn signals, or hazard lights. the low beam headlights are stuck on whenever the ignition is on. Here’s to hoping it’s just a fuse and not the LCM.

DISCUSSION (17)

PS9 > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 07:40

#BMWlyfe

petebmwm > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 08:00

Definitely sounds like lkm, otherwise those would all be separate fuses...

petebmwm > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 08:00

Sounds dumb, bit also could be ignition Switch

Party-vi > petebmwm
05/23/2016 at 08:06

Boo and hiss. Fuck.

petebmwm > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 08:10

Just get it scanned..if you do need a new lkm though you’re gonna have to get it coded for your Vin, because the e46 holds odometer reading in there too.. otherwise you’re gonna get the tmu dot.

Party-vi > petebmwm
05/23/2016 at 08:15

I had read that I would need someone to recode it if it’s replaced. Good info. Thanks.

-this space for rent- > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 09:02

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthr…

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 12:08

If I had to guess I’d say one or more of the drain tubes on your sunroof has shrunk and pulled away allowing water to enter the cabin, running down the front pillar and soaking down the lcm. That’s the lost likely cause of lcm failure on the e38 anyway.

I’d suggest pulling up the carpet to ensure that there isn’t water pooling under there. Between the rubber and foam backing there could be gallons under there without the carpet even being wet.

Either way, you should probably drop the headliner to ensure all of the drain tubes are connected, or your replacement lcm is going to suffer the same fate.

Party-vi > LOREM IPSUM
05/23/2016 at 12:47

Well shit. I had not thought of that. Guess I’ll be checking fuses and looking for moisture tonight.

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 13:30

I don’t think there are any fuses, like most would expect to find. The lcm itself as a whole is probably fused but since it handles the switching for every light in the car and is fancy and electronic, there isn’t the need for an individual physical fuse for every set of lights like most cars would traditionally have. Again, this is based on my e38 experience but I expect that yours is similar.

Have you posted on Bimmerforums.com by chance? Their collective experience and willingness to help on every and any matter is an absolute asset when tinkering with these cars. I learned tons there, so you might also find them to be helpful.

Party-vi > LOREM IPSUM
05/23/2016 at 14:34

Amazingly I have not found any other posts where every single light is dead and the lowbeams are stuck on. There’s a fuse for the LCM, and I’m wondering if when the fuse fails the headlights stay on for safety reasons.

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 15:31

Honestly I’m not sure, but it couldn’t hurt to post there in the e46 forum asking them for their thoughts. Might help to narrow things down a bit.

Party-vi > LOREM IPSUM
05/23/2016 at 15:33

I will find out tonight if it’s a blown fuse. I’ll be checking those and I’ll unhook the battery and see if resetting everything corrects the issue as well.

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 16:21

Sounds good.

Be warned though that there are a lot of fuses scattered throughout the car. There are two boxes in the trunk, one high amp and one low amp with traditional blade fuses, then there’s the underhood box which has another fuse block hidden below it along with some relays, and there are more high amp fuses under the passenger seat, and more relays behind the glove box.

Check what you can though, for sure!

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 16:25

And as someone above mentioned, the ignition switch can cause all sorts of wacky issues as well if it’s beginning to wear.

One of the methods for testing them was to flip down the passenger sun visor and open the mirror guard to turn on the vanity light. Doing this often causes the wacky behavior to subside. If it seems to resolve the issue, it’s a faulty ignition switch... oddly enough.

Party-vi > LOREM IPSUM
05/23/2016 at 17:00

See now this is the good information I come here for. I’ll definitely check that out too. The car starts and runs fine as well, and it’s strange the ignition switch would cause a problem. I’ll check the side street lights too and see if those work still or not.

LOREM IPSUM > Party-vi
05/23/2016 at 17:52

Good luck my BM-Brother.