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2004 BMW X3 HEADLIGHTS

Tiny
AFFLETIC1
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 BMW X3
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 64,300 MILES
Hello there, my wife and I have a 2004 BMW X3, 3.0. In January 2008 we purchased it from a hometown dealership in Long Beach, CA, but now live in Alabama. For the past week the low-beam & high-beam headlights as well as the rear lights flicker on and off, sometimes staying off. The dashboard lights and all other LED signals stay operational without problems. Any good ideas on where I can begin a process of elimination on the car and fix the problem? I took it to a local BMW dealership who performed a diagnostic test, and fiddled with the battery cables; then said it was fixed. Unfortunately it is not. I'm looking to see if it is something I can check or do myself before I bend some arms at the dealership and be obligated to pay a ridiculous amount for something simple (?).

Your help is appreciated!
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 AT 2:22 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
The problem may not be as simple as it seems. The lamp control is managed by the general module and if there were a fault set, it would have been retrieved at the dealer, assuming of course that whomever was involved in the repair knows how to fix an E-83. If you paid for, and did not receive proper repairs, go back and hold them to account. Without the proper training and equipment, there is not much beyond checking fuses or bulb replacement that is possible at the consumer level.
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 AT 3:19 PM
Tiny
AFFLETIC1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Seems like the switch may be the problem. Checked to make sure it was a BMW windshield. Then covered up the daylight sensor: the lights came on in auto mode.

Any idea on how to replace other than dealership?
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 AT 11:30 PM
Tiny
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  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
What is to be replaced?
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 AT 10:08 AM
Tiny
AFFLETIC1
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
"Seems like the switch may be the problem." The lights switch, or lamp control module.

Thinking it might be the culprit; are the symptoms indicative?
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 AT 9:00 PM
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
The symptoms might indicate anything from a loose ground wire to an intermittent lamp control module. Without the proprietary software from BMW, it is doubtful the problem can be determined, or a repair completed. I am sorry to be such a downer, but the sophistication of the BMW electrics makes it tough, even for factory trained technicians, to properly diagnose these intermittant issues.
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 AT 9:48 PM

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