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View Full Version : Lighting problem on a K1200RS


StevieWonder
02-20-2005, 10:58 AM
The bike has the Euro light switch and PIAA fog lights installed.

I changed the bulbs yesterday (hi and lo beam) to upgrade the wattage. Both worked fine before I changed the bulbs, but neither work after the bulb change. The bulbs were both removed and bench tested ... they work fine so it's not a bulb issue. Reinstalling the old bulbs made no difference. There are no blown fuses in either of the two fuse boxes under the seat.

Interesting sidebar pieces of information:

1. Fog lights are wired on anytime the headlights are selected on. The do come on with the headlight switch selected to on.
2. With the parking light selected on, the fog lights flash when you use the lower, flash part of the high beam switch and the blue, hi beam light on the instrument cluster flashes blue with use of the switch.
3. All taillights, brake lights and turn signals function normally.
4. With the headlight switch selected to on, the fog lights come on but use of the hi beam switch (flash or steady on) has no effect on them.
5. With the headlight switch selected to on, the blue hi beam light on the instrument cluster stays illuminated regardless of use or position of the high beam switch.
6. Test light indicates power to BOTH sides of the wire-connector block that attaches to the hi beam bulb.
7. The ground tests good.


Electricity is like magic to me ... I can't see it and don't understand it.

Any EE types or master electrician types out there with some ideas? I really don't want to spend $400 for the guys at the local BMW dealership to troubleshoot the problem ... unless I HAVE to.

GregFeeler
02-20-2005, 04:27 PM
The bike has the Euro light switch and PIAA fog lights installed.

I changed the bulbs yesterday (hi and lo beam) to upgrade the wattage. Both worked fine before I changed the bulbs, but neither work after the bulb change. The bulbs were both removed and bench tested ... they work fine so it's not a bulb issue. Reinstalling the old bulbs made no difference. There are no blown fuses in either of the two fuse boxes under the seat.

Interesting sidebar pieces of information:

1. Fog lights are wired on anytime the headlights are selected on. The do come on with the headlight switch selected to on.
2. With the parking light selected on, the fog lights flash when you use the lower, flash part of the high beam switch and the blue, hi beam light on the instrument cluster flashes blue with use of the switch.
3. All taillights, brake lights and turn signals function normally.
4. With the headlight switch selected to on, the fog lights come on but use of the hi beam switch (flash or steady on) has no effect on them.
5. With the headlight switch selected to on, the blue hi beam light on the instrument cluster stays illuminated regardless of use or position of the high beam switch.
6. Test light indicates power to BOTH sides of the wire-connector block that attaches to the hi beam bulb.
7. The ground tests good.


Electricity is like magic to me ... I can't see it and don't understand it.

Any EE types or master electrician types out there with some ideas? I really don't want to spend $400 for the guys at the local BMW dealership to troubleshoot the problem ... unless I HAVE to.



You need to provide more details before I can offer much other than guesses. First off, how are your fog lights wired? IOW, do they get their power directly off the battery running through a relay triggered by the headlight switch circuit? What wattage are this higher output bulbs you put in the head light?

StevieWonder
03-05-2005, 09:30 AM
Turned out to be the grounding strap built inside the headlight "bucket". Just a coincidence with the lamp swap. Looks like it had been hanging by a thread for a while. No way to get to it so I was forced to buy a new headlight assembly at $270 .... OUCH.

eric2
03-08-2005, 11:02 AM
BTDT, actually the housing does come apart
but its not necessary. Run the grounds for each bulb
to the frame, if you ordered the headlight cancel
it. The brown wire is the ground

http://www2.i-bmw.com/pp/data/500/3602headlight.jpg

StevieWonder
03-08-2005, 10:54 PM
OK !!!

Thanks for the tip. I'm on it. :thumb