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electrical problem

 
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walshja



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 1139
Location: guilford, ct, usa

PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:16 pm    Post subject: electrical problem Reply with quote

I removed my passenger seat to replace the seat back adjustment gear, replaced the gear (problems there as well), but when I put the seat back in the car and connected all the wires, my fog lights went on, and won't turn off. I disconnected the battery and reconnected and the hazards then went on. Had to disconnect and reconnect the batter a few times to get the hazards to turn off, but nothing I did would solve the fog light problem.

finally removed the fuse to get the fogs to turn off. Everything else in the car is fine. I disconnected all the wires to the seat, hoping that would clear the problem, it didn't.

Where would I even begin to look for this problem?
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joe

1994 325iC, 195k miles
http://home.comcast.net/~walshja/index.html <--- check it out

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idanity



Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 3097
Location: N.W.U.S.A.

PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2011 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

re-remove your seat.

pull up the carpeting (it should have a fold over from the back foot well to the bottom of the front/under seat.

ensure you didn't crimp any wires together, check the side/ under the door sill.
its a long shot,but if this occurred right after you re-installed a seat, chances are something got crossed or 2 wires got cut and are now grounding out...or a screw is going through ` 1 or more
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PJK



Joined: 14 Feb 2002
Posts: 1829
Location: Shingle Springs, CA

PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2011 12:54 am    Post subject: Re: electrical problem Reply with quote

Hi Joe,

Since this issue started with removing and replacing the seat I would not rule out what Idanity said.

I am looking at the schemos in the Bentley and logicly trying to figure out what could cause this.

You said that pulling the fuse turned off the lights. I am assuming that the headlights and taillights work and are still controllable.

The power feeding the foglight fuse comes from a relay in the same box with the fuse. The relay coil is fed from the foglight switch in the dash which is in turn fed from the main lighting switch. The ground on the relay coil is through the high beam headlights to turn off the fogs when high beams are on. Turn on your high beams and if they light and the fogs remain lit the problem almost has to be the relay. Remove the relay and see if the fogs go out. If they do swap the relay with a similar one in the box. If the fogs are now controllable and a problem appears in the circuit formerly fed from the good relay you can condemn the the foglight relay. You may be able to pop it open and unstick the contacts and file them.

Good luck,

Phil

walshja wrote:
I removed my passenger seat to replace the seat back adjustment gear, replaced the gear (problems there as well), but when I put the seat back in the car and connected all the wires, my fog lights went on, and won't turn off. I disconnected the battery and reconnected and the hazards then went on. Had to disconnect and reconnect the batter a few times to get the hazards to turn off, but nothing I did would solve the fog light problem.

finally removed the fuse to get the fogs to turn off. Everything else in the car is fine. I disconnected all the wires to the seat, hoping that would clear the problem, it didn't.

Where would I even begin to look for this problem?
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