Headlight Gremlins

[Bear]

1990 E30 Cabrio with build of 05/89 and I start car and turn on low beams and all is well, go to high beams and all is well, go back to low beams and no lights at all, so I must now drive with brights only. Turn off the engine and restart and all is well until I go to the high beam setting and then I am back to square one. Any all all responses gladly accepted.

[Bear]

If it matters, the headlights are sealed beam, not ellipsoid and with high beams on, all of the headlights are working, it is coming out of high beam that I lose all lighting.

[Rfitz25]

disconnect battery!!
take kick panel off (careful not to bend tear iot or loose/break chime thingy with wires)
take steering colum cover off (easy)
remove all the plugs levers and connectors (screws) clean em all up. (note how to put em back as you go)
spray the heck out of the switches with electrical parts cleaner and maybe some light WD 40 after. blow em out with compressed air before you go hot!.

This worked on my bad turn signal switch and electric mirrors and door switches for mirrors.
Might work for you.
Years of crap and oxidation.
Maybe try and clean the light switch on dash too, from the back?. (sounds like this is OK though)
My cruise control even works. LOL

There is a big white connector with all the wires from this lever, high low beam,turn signals OBC too, might check that, disconnect reconnect.

As long as you are in there, clean/lube the ignition lightly/carefully.

May be one of the relays. (I think its next to the fuse box)
Check wiring diagram
remove and clean them or replace.

Ask starMavin? LOL

Say Hi to my folks in Va beach LOL (E36 525i 40K mi)

[Bear]

I am thinking maybe a high beam relay not fully opening when I go from high beam to low beam, does that sound reasonable?

[german-speed-demon]

yeppers. chek the relay block out under the hood. My baur actually corroded one of the spades off.

[Starmavin]

My last post didn't post... Change your high beam relay and your low beam relay.

[Bear]

Thanks guys, I am off to the relay box with multi-meter in hand.

[Bear]

STARMAVIN, I have a Bentley and can check the relay ports but how do I check the relay itself, also could this be the dimmer on the multi function switch?