Instrument Cluster light

[easymoney]

I posted this problem few months ago and never got any replies. I'm getting really desperate driving at night in the dark. There is no light on the cluster and other associated lighting system on the dashboard/shifter indicator. Everything is functional except for the lights. It happened after I had some paint job done. Body shop personnel said they "jumped" the Touring after the batter went dead and that's all they did (they said). I have taken it to the dealer and they said the cluster needs replacing ($140 diagnostic fee). I think this is B.S. because I have tried 3 different clusters, an LCM, dimmer switch and the light switch and still have that problem.

[easymoney]

I'm still driving dark at night!

[maardein]

Are the other backlights on? For all other switches on your dash? For climate control etc.

And you checked the fuses I suppose?

[DP540]

Yuo will need to replace the battery, as im sure the body shop messed it up. I also wouldnt be suprised if they fried your electrical. Its in the oqners manual, that jumping poses a threat to the electrical system.

Check the fuses first, if they are ok then get a new battery!

I have had similar symptoms a while ago. New battery solved the problems!

[Qsilver7]

... Its in the oqners manual, that jumping poses a threat to the electrical system...

REALLY?
Perhaps you are confusing the warning to NOT disconnect the battery when the engine is RUNNING...but I don't see any warning about NOT being able to jump start the battery. In fact, BMW gives details on how to do it correctly and even provided remote jump start locations under the hood.

Jump Start Directions 6 cyl engines (from owners manual):



Jump Start Directions 8 cyl engines (from owners manual):



Warning to NOT disconnect the battery cables while engine is running (see first paragraph in left column):

[jagerhund]

There is no light on the cluster and other associated lighting system on the dashboard/shifter indicator. Everything is functional except for the lights. .....I have tried 3 different clusters, an LCM, dimmer switch and the light switch and still have that problem.

Start with the basics and build from there. Have you confirmed that your alternator is charging and your battery is good?

Can you provide more description as to what actually works and what does not? Does your Tach and Speedo work?

Just for some base line info, the dimmer switch on my car will dim out all interior switches and gauges, the only light that does not dim is the Park indicator lamp which lights when car door opens and car boots up.

Very interesting symptoms...too bad you are on the left coast, I would swing by and give it a shot with the old fluke.

[easymoney]

Start with the basics and build from there. Have you confirmed that your alternator is charging and your battery is good?

Can you provide more description as to what actually works and what does not? Does your Tach and Speedo work?

Just for some base line info, the dimmer switch on my car will dim out all interior switches and gauges, the only light that does not dim is the Park indicator lamp which lights when car door opens and car boots up.

Very interesting symptoms...too bad you are on the left coast, I would swing by and give it a shot with the old fluke.

First, alternator is working fine. I drove the Touring last month already from Los Angeles, Ca to Vancouver (Whistler) and back and all over Southern Cal and like I said it's dark at night and scary cause you dont know if the temp is "creeping" up. Everything is functional except for the lighting on the dashboard/cluster. And BTW, fuse is good.

Yuo will need to replace the battery, as im sure the body shop messed it up. I also wouldnt be suprised if they fried your electrical. Its in the oqners manual, that jumping poses a threat to the electrical system.

Check the fuses first, if they are ok then get a new battery!

I have had similar symptoms a while ago. New battery solved the problems!

Replace the battery? I don't know why I have to replace it when it's holding the charge.

The fuse is OK.

Are the other backlights on? For all other switches on your dash? For climate control etc.

And you checked the fuses I suppose?

Backlights are also out for all other switches on the dash and the fuse is OK.

[BimmerBreaker]

Maybe they jumped the car from the battery and not the terminals in the engine?

[maardein]

Backlights are also out for all other switches on the dash and the fuse is OK.

In that case, it sounds like a relay problem. There should be a relay, that puts on the backlight whenever you put on your lights. I don't have anything at hand right now, but I think you should try to find the relay for the backlight.

[eckounltdpnoy23]

What exactly did you have done at the body shop?

[easymoney]

Maybe they jumped the car from the battery and not the terminals in the engine?

That's exactly what they did 'cause the battery was completely dead.

[Crabbypants]

Hi folks,

Long time lurker, first time poster

This looks very similar to what is happening to me. I haven't driven my car at night in a few weeks, but my wife went into labor at 2am last Friday morning so we jumped in the car to make the trip to the hospital. The red backlight for the instrument cluster speedo/tach briefly lit up normally and then went almost completely dark. If I turn the lights off and back on, it does the same thing. The dimmer switch has no affect.

Since the lights are able to momentarily show at full brightness, this doesn't seem like a fuse problem (which I would think should be a completely dead dash light). The backlight behind the climate control buttons is also affected. Every other bulb inside and outside the car works normally. Hidden menu shows the battery maintaining roughly 13.5 volts. Car starts normally. My instinct tells me there is some kind of voltage drop problem here, but I know literally nothing about the electrical systems of these cars.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I'm completely stumped.

[alexkid]

the body-shop must have used a high voltage start to try and boot your car, and left the terminals on. I had the same issue from my body-shop and all my lights blew in the car (back lights / reverse / fogs / interior). My cluster was not affected,

get a fuse tester and start looking all over check all relays etc.

good luck

[easymoney]

The problem of not having lights in the dashboard/intrument cluster have never beed fixed. After spending almost $500 bucks for diagnostics I got tired of jumping from one Indy to the other (couple with GT1/Carsoft) and lastly, the Stealer! Frigging Stealer told me I need a brand new cluster ($1100) but it's not guranteed to solve the problem (I told myself screw you f#@k$$rs I'm not spending that much if you will not guarantee that it would solve the problem). After over 1 1/2 years driving at night not seeing the speed and and warnings lights, I went to see my friend who is in Cypress, CA who is a mobile electronic installer to have my Audio/Navi checked out (going to Las Vegas for few days) and I also told him about the cluster light problem. After going to the fuse/relay boxes he cant find anything wrong. LCM I know controls the exterior lighting but I told him to check it out anyways. Reluctantly he started "poking" into the wires with his Snapon tester. After hitting one of the wires (I believe the DSC switch) all the the friggin' lites lit up like Christmas tree! I mean all the lites associated when you turn the switch on (dashboard, window, AC, etc.) glowed like when the A-bomb was dropped into Nagasaki! Long story short, he just made a "jumper" with a relay into one of the wires supplying the cluster/switches and I can't remember which one. After a long time driving "dark" at night my misery was finally fixed and made my trip to Vegas more relaxing.

[ZeroR2]

Great! You owe your buddy a nice lunch.

[easymoney]

Already taken cared of!

[Bella Sera]

I've had a (probably) related problem for months; the digital dash and radio lights jump from dim to bright at random; actually took a long time to figure out wht was happening because I would catch a flash in peripheral vision and by the time I looked at lights they were steady. Appears to be the "Lamp Module" which senses if the headlights are on or not and adjusts the dash intensity to day or night accordingly. Anyone know about replacing this module and what it's really called?

[Qsilver7]

The "Lamp Module" (aka LCM) is located in the side panel in the passenger's foot well (right side of car).

But the MID, IHKA (ac/heat control panel), and instrument cluster dim not only due to the headlights...but all have a photo-cell sensor that detects ambient light and will adjust the illumination of the displays accordingly.

Quick question...do you have a lot of peripheral devices around the front of your dash? If you do, might they be blocking the photo-cell?

The instrument cluster photo cell (see illustration below):

EDIT: Wait, what car do you have? Is it a 3 series or a 5 series? I looked to see which instrument cluster you have and found that you don't have anything listed for an e39???? Having your car's info helps us help you better...without it...I don't know what instrument cluster you have nor if the info I have is valid for a 3 series.

[joako]

That sounds like such a ghetto fix. I would have traced the wiring and fixed what was broken.

[easymoney]

That sounds like such a ghetto fix. I would have traced the wiring and fixed what was broken.

Like I said after spending so much for diagnostics from Indy's and the stealer I have to settle for the "ghetto fix".

[Giancarlo976]

Call TNG in La Crescenta.

[mattmartindrift]

Like I said after spending so much for diagnostics from Indy's and the stealer I have to settle for the "ghetto fix".

it may not pay off in the end....


my guess is a shorted ibus wire, or otherwise. the LCM is a digital control; so, don't ever plan on having it re-coded with your current wiring configuration - you're asking for something to fry.