[CYL]

I was spending my whole night changing all the interior bulb to led after work.
They all worked fine after the installation, but...

Just now I went to buy something and when I started my car, I found that the middle light in the front dome light section didn't work, I tried to put the right dome light into the socket and see if it works, but it didn't.
Then I put the right dome light back to its original housing, but it didn't work TOO!

Tested with original OEM bulb, still didn't work. Now the whole front dome light doesn't work.

Have checked the fuse but nothing wrong with it. No error appears on the iDrive.

Anyone may know what is the issue please??

[JJH]

Check the wire and connections to the dome unit itself? You may have disconnected something when you were doing the LED install and its popped off ....

[vtl]

Might not be the same issue, but when I did my LED interior the right dome light didn't work with the LED I put into it. I tried using the LED from the other working dome lights but no luck. Eventually I removed the ignition key and plugged it back in and the new LED started to work!

My guess is that the intermittent connection of the LED (because my LEDs only worked in the correct polarity) caused the footwell module (module that controls the lighting in your car) to temporarily shut down that light.

I think interior LED retrofits work best when the LED has extra ballast resistors (they're normally sold as CANBUS LEDs). I got some error codes from the footwell module (only viewable in INPA software) until I soldered in some extra resistors to my dome light. I believe the footwell module does some load sensing and because LEDs are so efficient, there is not enough load for the module to be happy.

Might try removing the battery cable to reset the footwell module if cycling the ignition didn't work.

[CYL]

All the led work fine initially. But just suddenly the front dome light C (the middle dome light in the front) doesn't work.

I thought the dome light C might be faulty, so in order to test it:
I pulled out dome light C and put dome light R (the right dome light in the front) into dome light C housing, it didn't work,
So I concluded that there is something wrong with the dome light C housing, then:
I put dome light R back to dome light R housing, and it didn't work TOO (was working before I put it into dome light C housing)

Feel like the dome light C housing can fxxk up other bulb too?

All fuses are good, and the led that I bought are canbus (as advertised)...

[CYL]

Also, for the Rear footwell light, and for those who are going to change the bulb too, it is W2.3W bulb, I haven't changed it yet since the pack that I bought doesn't come with this tiny bulb.
FYI:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...obalID=EBAY-AU

And for the dome light, I found a better one that fits better than the LED board that people are selling. I am going to buy them once I have sorted out the issue.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...obalID=EBAY-AU

[vtl]

Can you test the bulb and verify its not faulty? Check the resistance between the two contacts? If the footwell module detects a short on the bulb it may very well disable the output (NOT a fuse it is disabled electronically). Did disconnecting the battery reset things? Or the original bulbs still don't work after that?

[CYL]

Originally Posted by vtl

Can you test the bulb and verify its not faulty? Check the resistance between the two contacts? If the footwell module detects a short on the bulb it may very well disable the output (NOT a fuse it is disabled electronically). Did disconnecting the battery reset things? Or the original bulbs still don't work after that?

As I said above, I have tested it by putting another bulb into the socket, it's not working, not just that, the bulb wasn't even working when I put it back to its original socket after the testing.
Feel like the middle socket in the dome light is voiding it, if not, why it wouldn't lit after putting into the middle socket..? I am lost

Which footwell light are you referring to? Front or rear?
The problem that I am facing is the Front Dome Light only.
And all my footwell, front and rear, are still working fine.

*Even the OEM halogen bulb didn't work when I tried to put it back to the socket.
Since the fuse and the bulb are fine.
Is there any chance that the electronic modules inside the front dome light being faulty? If not, what should I check further to address this issue please?
Thanks.

[vtl]

Originally Posted by CYL

As I said above, I have tested it by putting another bulb into the socket, it's not working, not just that, the bulb wasn't even working when I put it back to its original socket after the testing.
Feel like the middle socket in the dome light is voiding it, if not, why it wouldn't lit after putting into the middle socket..? I am lost

Which footwell light are you referring to? Front or rear?
The problem that I am facing is the Front Dome Light only.
And all my footwell, front and rear, are still working fine.

*Even the OEM halogen bulb didn't work when I tried to put it back to the socket.
Since the fuse and the bulb are fine.
Is there any chance that the electronic modules inside the front dome light being faulty? If not, what should I check further to address this issue please?
Thanks.

Don't test the bulbs by putting it into another socket. Test it externally so you don't potentially ruin anything else. Then you can tell whether its the bulb or the socket that isn't working. Test the bulb with an external battery or power supply. You need to determine whether the socket blew your bulb, your socket is not providing power or if your orignal LED bulb failed

To clear things up I am not referring to a footwell light bulb. The 'Footwell module' is an electronic ECU where all the lighting systems are controlled and powered. All the interior and exterior lights are controlled by this 'Footwell Module'. Chances are the Footwell ECU module detected a fault and disabled the output.

My advice:

- Test all the halogen bulbs in your dome light with external power. Make sure they light up)
- Reinstall your halogens and disconnect the battery to attempt to reset the module

If they still don't light up then its a Footwell module issue. After that, further diagnosis with INPA software will be required

[CYL]

My advice:

- Test all the halogen bulbs in your dome light with external power. Make sure they light up)
- Reinstall your halogens and disconnect the battery to attempt to reset the module

If they still don't light up then its a Footwell module issue. After that, further diagnosis with INPA software will be required[/QUOTE]

Thanks.
When you mentioned disconnect the battery, do you mean disconnecting the battery cable in the trunk? or if I disconnect the fuse for the dome light will be good enough?

If problem persists, can I use the BMWhat app to diagnosis? or must need to use INPA software? (My BMWhat app adaptor is coming, should receive it in 1 week or 2.)

[vtl]

Must disconnect the battery from the trunk. The fuse for domelight is just for the domelight itself and has nothing to do with the Footwell module.

I am not sure what the capabilities of BMWhat are because I have never used it. The various electronic modules in your car have two different types of fault memories: Error and Information. If BMWhat can read those codes then it could be helpful.

[CYL]

Thanks VTL!
Will give it a go after work today.

While I was trying to figure out which fuse is for the dome light last night, does anyone have a list of the explanation for the fuse card that is stored in the glove box?
Have searched on the internet but couldn't find an exact one.