99 328i - rain caused my right turn signal to stick on

[beni]

Hi all,
I bought a '99 328i this past weekend and love it so far. Unfortunately I seem not to have made it too long before the electrical gremlins started. I drove it to work today and parked in the outdoor lot where I usually do. When I got back in the car several hours later (it was raining all day), the right turn signal was stuck on. The hazards worked correctly and if I turned the left signal on, the right one would turn off until I turned the left off, and then the right would come back on. All of the lights are working and blinking at normal speed. I have a strong suspicion that this will go away once the car dries out, but since I live in Seattle I can't really afford only to drive/park this thing outside when it isn't raining. Has anybody seen this before? I opened up the hood and didn't see any standing water anywhere in the engine compartment. What else should I check?

thanks.

 

[aNoodle]

Hey there.....the original 1999 328i's rule the 3 series stables!!!!!!!

I think your car is working properly. I believe you hit the turn signal stalk to indicate you were turning into your parking spot. If the wheel doesn't return to center to turn off the turn signal it will illuminate solid that side of the car. Said another way, when the car is parked/off, engaging the turning stalk will illuminate that side of the car's turn signal solid in the front and parking light on that side. Bottom line: don't leave your turn signal on when you park your car.

I suppose that could be called a programing glitch, but you don't have an gremlins!! Maybe they indented for this to be a "feature??" But why would anyone want to leave the parking lights on only one side of the car, by using the turning stalk instead of the parking lights??

 

[GodfatherBMW]

In europe when the turn signals are left on with the key off. It will stay illiumated so cars passing you can see you. I think you should check your bulbs and contact points sockets also.

 

[beni]

Oh, I guess I was a little unclear on what happened. The turn signal isn't on when the car is turned off. When I turn the car on, the right turn signal blinks as though the signal stalk were pushed up and it won't go off. If I turn the left side signal on, the right side turns off but as soon as I turn the left one off the right signal goes on blinking again. The car has dried out overnight now and is still doing it, so it'll be going in to the shop tomorrow. The car drives so nicely but I don't feel all that cool driving down the road with my hazards on constantly because I can't turn off my blinker.

 

[aNoodle]

Ha! Maybe it's the turning stalk then? Sounds like it could be messed up. I would start with replacing that....does it feel sloppy at all, like it doesn't return to center or has some play in it? ....Maybe it's a switch.

This is a good site....http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?PHPSESSID=48d45aae6f69722994cb36a814e12794

 

[beni]

yep, turns out it was the switch and the rain had nothing to do with it. Fortunately I found a shop that could get me in today and $288 later I'm all fixed up. Luckily I bought an aftermarket warranty with the car, so only $100 is coming out of my pocket. I'm pretty happy considering some of the stuff I thought I might be in for. Time to enjoy the car now!

 

[aNoodle]

yep, turns out it was the switch and the rain had nothing to do with it. Fortunately I found a shop that could get me in today and $288 later I'm all fixed up. Luckily I bought an aftermarket warranty with the car, so only $100 is coming out of my pocket. I'm pretty happy considering some of the stuff I thought I might be in for. Time to enjoy the car now!

If you don't mind, could you tell us which switch they replaced? This could happen on my car next....and I don't want to pay $288! LOL. That site above has all the parts listed. Did your receipt give you the BMW part #?

 

[beni]

Sure - it's part #1 on the page http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showpart...=45459&prod=19981200&btnr=61_1061&hg=61&fg=35 - part number 61318363668 (the whole turn signal stalk/switch). New one works like a champ.

 

[alekm]

do you know by any chance how much labor did they charge? I have the same problem.
Oddly I washed my car yesterday so there was watter involved.

The site for ordering parts is not working right now .

Anybody had a chance to replace this part on their own? Can you do it without interfering the airbag system?

I found another website with parts, this one sell it for $93

http://catalog.alloembmwparts.com/?year=1999&make=BM&search_button23.x=30&search_button23.y=13

 

[aNoodle]

UNBELIEVABLE!! I'm so glad I was watching the forums for this one. Guess what happened to me last week!?!

I guess the stalk decided to die. it was stuck to the right. The electronic switch/chip is in the housing of the stalk itself. It didn't matter where the stalk was pointed, it would keep turning to the right, unless you put it to the left. I was on a road trip, so I had to take out the three turn lights so people didn't think I was a nut case with my blinker on all the time. Problem with that is then the blinker goes into DOUBLE TIME to warn you the side marker light is out.

GOOD GRIEF!!! It was hours before I was back to the garage. It was worse than dripping water torture...that damn blinker clicking the whole way. LOL

Anyway...thanks beni for putting this in the forum. I went over to the local dealer and got the stalk for $87 after club discount. The bently manual walks through all the steps to replace it. I took off the air bag, steering wheel, then the trim. At that poin you can take off the piece that has both stalks attached to it.

I busted apart the old turn stalk and found the chip in there looking like new...not sure why it decided to quite just shy of 7 years old. Anyway, popped the new one in (doesn't even need a screw), then put back on the wheel and all. It took me, as a novice, only 45 minutes to do the change. How your dealer ever racked up all those labor charges ($200?) is beyond me.