Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 15:48:01 -0400 From: "dave" <alofusblountmaybenospamel.net> Subject: Re: Quirky electrical fault, earth problem maybe?
"Sam" <Samnospamchofsun.com> wrote in message news:2tkdujF20s4jcU1nospamberlin.de... >A fault has developed on my '88 900i. > > It first manifested the other night when I arrived home and switched off > the ignition, except the engine did not stop and the lights remained on, > until I took my foot off the brake then it stopped. > > On investigation I find, with the ignition off, when I depress the brake > the parking brake and brake warning lights dimly illuminate before a relay > clicks, then these warning lights brighten and the headlamps illuminate > and possibly the fuel pump spins up. > > I found a mention on a forum relating to a similar fault where earthing > faults were implicated but of course I can't find the link again :-) > > Anyone else had similar problems? > > Cheers all > > Sam > Sam, Although I have not personally experienced the running engine symptoms, I did have lights coming on all over the dash one time, flashing in time to my right turn signal. I turned out that the connector to the rear tail lamps had a corroded ground connection. I ended up soldering an extra wire from the ground of the tail light assy to a spliced wire going to ground in the trunk. The ground on your '88 is further complicated by the "daisy chain ground" in the rear electrics. You should look at installing a wire from the (maybe both) tail light assy's to ground. I am pretty sure the tail light ground problem shows up on a forum search. Good Luck dave