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vinleb · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 122 Location: Boston North Shore

High beams didn't work and the fuses were replaced now they work but the lo beams shut off when the high beams come on. Is this normal? If not any idea what it could be? Still waiting on the Bentley.

greenie · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 420 Location: los angeles

It appears some e30's switch off the low beams when the high beams come on, and some don't. My 91 318ic, without fog lamps, and with Hella European cans, lights up all four. I think cars with fog lamps switch off the fog lamps as well when going to high beam, but I may be wrong. It makes sense that the electrical system might be stressed running six lights. If you have fog lamps, you are running four 55 watt bulbs already, so try turning off the fog lamps and seeing if the low beams stay lit. Just an idea...

Steve

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

My 325e shuts the lows off when high beams come on and I believe the fogs go off as well but I'd have to check the fogs... Has been this way since I bought the car new. This is normal.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

cjhsa · Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan

My fogs definitely go off - not sure about the lows - but the brights are the brightest I've ever seen in any car. When you kick 'em on it lights up like daytime.

85-325e · Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY

Now that I think of it, yes, the fogs go off too... The green fog light indicator on the dash goes off when the highs come on.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

Ado324d · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 77

My car runs all six at the same time....

It some European perversity.... Smile

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BMW 324d; 1987

Ado324d · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 77

That remaindes me....

I saw some newere BMW 5 that when low beam is turned on, on the high beam is small light, like position light.... Is that original thing or someone did that? It kinda looks cool.
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BMW 324d; 1987

greenie · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 420 Location: los angeles

I don't think my car was rewired so perhaps the change to all four lights being on in the high beam position was a response to people complaining about lack of illumination. Or, now that I think of it, if your low beams are purely low beams as opposed to hi/low's then they would turn off as well. I considered rewiring the lights so that both sets would be on all time- four low beams and four high beams- let's face it, the small low beams just don't put out that much light. The Hella's made enough of a difference to put that plan on the back burner...

Steve

Ben V · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Vancouver,BC

Government Regs require that the fog lights turn off when switching to Hi beams

wazzu70 · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 838 Location: Issaquah, WA

When I had the sealed beam lights in my 91 I remember all 4 turning on at once. When I switched over to the Smileys the lows turn off with the highs. The H1 bulbs draw a lot more juice it seems. Either that or since I wired it up I goofed Very Happy

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-Nick

1984 BMW 325e
1991 BMW 325i
1976 Honda CB400F Super Sport
"The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"