Bulb Indicator - classic my luck

[unluky]

So I drove the Z4 in today for it's yearly inspection for license renewal and of course I throw a bulb indicator on the way to work this morning. Wont pass with a warning light on, so I stop and check every single bulb I can and see nothing wrong.







I have done some searching on here and googling, but don't see anything that might be a common reason for this?

Both headlight work - dim and high (I know it is just a cover, but I checked.
Passing beams work
Front parking lights work
Front turns work
Fogs work
Both side (logo) turns work
Rear lights work
Rear turns work
Reverse lights work
Threw a case of shotgun shells on the brake and the rear brake lights work and also the 3rd brake - I even covered it and checked for each bulb working.
Turned the hazards on and checked again and all were working.

Does that warning light cover more than what I checked? Like interior lights or anything else I am not considering?

Also - say I unplugged a light and it came on and then I pulled it back in - would it go out? As in do I need to reset it once it is on, or does it go off when the problem is fixed or at the next ignition cycle?

If I turn the lights to the "off" position before I start it and it still comes on, does that mean it is NOT part of the head lights - or will it sense that even with them off?

Really need to get this thing inspected and I can't seem to track this one down.

Anything I am not thinking of? I guess I will go home tonight and unconnect and reconnect everything and see if I find something.

Any other advice?

[AmmarYasirA]

Errr...license plate lights?

[Finnegan]

Do you know anyone with a cable and BMW software? IIRC that would identify the culprit. Would also let you clear the fault. (But license plate it might be.)

[NickyC]

Sry, but this thread and your forum name made me laugh. Best of luck finding a quick and cheap fix! :P

[pungo]

Originally Posted by AmmarYasirA

Errr...license plate lights?

I don't believe they are monitored, at least not on my 07 M.

Originally Posted by unluky

If I turn the lights to the "off" position before I start it and it still comes on, does that mean it is NOT part of the head lights - or will it sense that even with them off?

In the coding, there's cold monitoring and hot monitoring.

[FrankieZ4]

Mine does this every so often as well. I just turn my headlight knob to off, wait 15 seconds, then turn it back to the Auto setting and that bulb indicator goes off when the knob is put back to the auto headlight setting.

I have no idea why this works, but i have to do it every 10 days or so. I chalked it up to electrical gremlins of a 7 year old car.

[Taylorguy74]

I have an angel eye bulb out - even though they are turned 'off' by me through programming, it still illuminates the check bulb light. Bugs the crap out of me, but one day I'll simply replace the bulb.

[unluky]

Excellent idea - that is exactly what I was looking for - something I did not consider. I just went and checked though and they are both on and working. I did change them over to the LED ones many months ago, but they both seem to be working just fine!

Thanks for the tip!

[unluky]

OK - so even if the switch is off and I get a light - that does not mean it is not the headlight system. That is what I was wondering. Hoping I could narrow it down.

I do not know anyone with the software and the nearest dealer is over an hour away. If it would have waited 1 more day I would have had my inspection done and had a year to track it down!

May have to black tape it till after the inspection or something.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by unluky

Excellent idea - that is exactly what I was looking for - something I did not consider. I just went and checked though and they are both on and working. I did change them over to the LED ones many months ago, but they both seem to be working just fine!

Thanks for the tip!

Did you have the AE coded to ignore the LED bulbs or were the LEDs you bought can-bus and did not cause the bulb out error?

[unluky]

I bought the kit ones from Leather Z that were already ready to go for our cars. I have had them in for 5-6 months now though and never had a code.

[StickMon]

Do you have panic brake lights?
I think they started with post facelift tail lights.
It will be hard to know if they're bad, but the car scans them at ignition on.

Just for a sanity check, I'd try putting the stock halos back in.
The "no error" aka "canbus" (although it has nothing to do with canbus) function is achieved with chip resistors that are run near their max dissipation.
One of them may have frazzed. The LED will still light fine, but the entire assembly won't pull enough current to make the module happy.

[pungo]

WHS^

I'd put the stock angel eye bulbs back in and see if that clears the error.

[SCHMOUPE]

Originally Posted by FrankieZ4

Mine does this every so often as well. I just turn my headlight knob to off, wait 15 seconds, then turn it back to the Auto setting and that bulb indicator goes off when the knob is put back to the auto headlight setting.

I have no idea why this works, but i have to do it every 10 days or so. I chalked it up to electrical gremlins of a 7 year old car.

I thought I was the only one with this issue. Mine usually comes on after a "spirited" drive and then turns off on its own upon next start. My guess is something is on its way out!

[unluky]

I do not have angel eyes, but I do have the "panic" lights - although I do not know how to test them or even make them come on. I know it is from hard braking, but not sure if it is triggered by pedal pressure (don't thing so) or G force or what.

Had to work on one of my other cars last night, so will maybe get to check on this tonight.........the joys (frustrations) of having 4 cars in the garage - always work to do. Time for a few to go down the road.

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by unluky

... I just went and checked though and they are both on and working. I did change them over to the LED ones many months ago, but they both seem to be working just fine!

Changed what over to LED ones? We thought you were talking about halos/angel eyes.

Panic lights come on at -0.6g, from what I hear.
I think the only way to check them is take them out and test with a power supply, 9V battery, or ohmmeter.
Unfortunately when BMW added them on the post facelift cars, they didn't make a hole in the body so that you could get to them through the trunk.
You have to remove the tail light assembly to get the bulbs out.

[VitaminT]

I had this issue and I couldn't find it. I believe it ended up being the little "city" light in the corner of the headlight housing or something. I can't remember if this is the same thing that powers the factory inner halo or not.

[Koevoet]

Could it be interior lights?

[pungo]

Originally Posted by Koevoet

Could it be interior lights?

No, the interior lights are not monitored.

[StickMon]

Neither are those front corner markers or the hamburgers or the reverse lights.

[unluky]

No - Taylorguy74 was talking about his angel eyes - my 2004 does not have them. The only LED's I have are the license plate ones sold by LeatherZ and came prewired for our cars.

These here: http://leatherz.com/product/Z4LEDLicenseLights.html

Which lights are the Hamburger lights? The side turn markers I assume? Mine are working, but want to know what not to waste my time on this weekend as I go through it bulb by bulb......sigh.

On a positive note, the electric tape over the dash light worked to get my inspection passed, so I am no longer on a time crunch to fix it. =)

Appreciate all the help!

[StickMon]

Yes, hamburgers are side turn signals.