Brake lt Circuit error?

ColdAccord · 05-01-2007, 06:12 PM

apparently my taillight isn't working, but it's not the bulb. when I turn the car on, the taillight comes on. then after like 20 seconds i get the 3 messages "tail light, parking light, and Brake Lt Circuit, Owners manual" in the check panel or whatever it's called (I'm an e30 head new to e32's).

the bulb is fine, the fuse is fine, whats the problem?

MANDD · 05-01-2007, 09:42 PM

If your vehicle is a 735I....

For the tail light, parking light faults it sounds like the Mustard relay (parking light cold monitoring). Fault in relay from poor solder joints. Located in the engine compartment fuse box, the color is mustard hence the name.

The brake light circut message is usually the brake light switch, this was a safety recall from BMW. Call the dealer and ask them to check the vin to see if it was replaced. Campaign No. 96V-111 (DB28066-DB28146)(DB63734-DB72069)(DC25222-DB31766).

Mark.

328IScreamer · 05-01-2007, 10:35 PM

is that so annoying?!?!?! my car does the brake lt circuit but they work perfectly fine! what car do you have? I have a 97 e36

Hound · 05-02-2007, 11:11 AM

this is for an E32 7 series, hence it being in the 7er section

I have the tail light out issue, gives a false positive, I heard that can be a corroded connector in the housing for the tail light that could be the culprit.

Every so often my parking lights go out, ahh the life of a 7er owner

Seven · 05-02-2007, 12:05 PM

Yep, e32s are notorious for corroded connectors. My e32 showed the same symptoms. I just popped the trunk, wiggled the bulb around a bit and voila, it worked again. Good news is, accessing those bulbs is ridiculously easy on the e32 ... check out your connectors first, could be as simple as just moving the buld around a bit.

Just a note, if the connectors are corroded it may take a bit of playing/cleaning to get the bulb to work. First time I moved the bulb around it did nothing. Then I went through the motions of checking the fuses, trying different bulbs, etc ... until I tried moving the orginal bulb again which eventually worked, and stayed working for the duration of the time I owned the car.

Hound · 05-02-2007, 04:34 PM

if memory serves, there is a writeup somewhere out there on how to fix the corroded connectors.

Cold, here is a site that I find invaluable for DIY's and general how-to's and info. www.e38.org/e32

BTW, welcome to the 7er section

JongExr · 01-10-2008, 09:16 PM

sorry just passing by but had the same problem with my 5 series 12 cut wires trunk harness if it has one