Hi Guys

Sorry its not a Ford question but wondered if anyone had any help. I've recently bought a BMW 325ci on a 02 plate. Battery went flat on the weekend so changed it yesterday, but noticed this morning the passenger headlight is staying on when the ignition is off!! thought it might be the parking light or follow me home light but it still stays on permanantly. ANyone with any help? Thanks

 

Good old bms lol. Have you googled the fault??

 

lol yes so much for german quality!! yes i've googled it but not come up with a great deal other than it being a possible fault with the follow me home lights, but they were fine before i changed the battery!!

 

Have you checked for any loose connections to the headlight? What about disconnecting the battery again?

I'm sure my mates E46 had this problem but it was a while ago and I'm not sure how he solved it, thankfully mine are fine.

 

Gonna have a look on the weekend i think, the weather has been bloody awful and by the time I get home from work its dark!

 

I fit hid kits at work everyday .in the last month I have seen about 3 bmws with this problem Evan a 2013 BMW ..and also mercs have this problem ..they reset. The Ecu and sometimes that works ..have you got hids ????

 

hi mate. no not got hid's just the standard halogen lights

 

When you fitted the battery did you program the new battery to the ECU ? If not then get it done asap and that will sort it out.

 

Possible light control module fault (part of headlamp switch) new ones are pricey and have to be coded, used ones can be fitted but they will put a 'tamper dot' on the dash as the module will not have same VIN as car. I have read that certain diagnostics can re-code certain year range modules.

Also BBA reman offer a repair service.

Doesn't 'coding' a new battery in only add the mileage and CCA rating of battery so it's charged correctly?

 

I have fitted a fair few battery's to bmw and i have come across this problem before where it keeps a headlight on at all times and a quick battery code has sorted it out. Not sure why this happens but hey its a bmw so anything is possible and its worked for me in the past. Coding the battery in MUST be done otherwise the ECU will not send the correct charge to the new battery and you will be back to pushing it to get the thing to start.

 

What do you use to do the coding? Do you have a GT1/DIS or 3rd party stuff?

I have an E46 myself and should get some kind of diag kit for it.

 

The company i work for has a all singing and dancing bosch unit that lets you do everything regards programing for just about every car out there. Not sure how much it cost but you can bet its not cheap as they always supply our depot with top end equipment.

 

Ah..not a 'diy' type thing then!

 

thanks for all the help guys! well the car cut out on me again on the way to work as if he battery was flat again, yet its a brand new battery! i havent coded it I just simply connected it up. could this be the problem?

 

yes the battery needs to be coded to the car otherwise it wont charge and you will just kill your new battery mate.

 

Does this work like the old ones where you leave the indicator stalk in one direction and that light stays on like an overnight parking lamp? My e36 does this i'm sure, I know the VW's and Vauxhalls do?

 

Yeah, my E46 does this, but that only puts on a side light.

Not the full headlamp.