[Chesmu]

Originally Posted by RichP

Are you getting an error after the car is on for a while; cycling?

Yes...exactly. At rest in my driveway, i'll turn on the signal without a problem. If I drive for two minutes and try the turn signal, it will flash properly for two seconds and then ERROR. Suggestions?

[Chesmu]

Originally Posted by calvino

I'm not a tech guy but since you have LED bulb and LED don't use that much electricity just connect it to your side bulbs I think that will work the only turn on went you use your turning signal. I think that may work

I don't have the LED's installed. And the front turn signal is connected to the sidemarker... that's where I'm drawing the power fo rthe front turn signal from. Do you think switching to LED's will help? As ive said the connections seem sound, but the error message flares after two or three minutes of driving.

[///Matt]

May as well stick the LED's in the turn signal and see what happens? =)

[calvino]

yes switch them for the LED to see if it works if not try to unplug the ground cable that you add from the sidemakers the headlights have their own ground already maybe is that what is causing the problem

[calvino]

remove your blue ground cable ( the one that you add that comes from the sidemarker) and add the front LED I'm like %90 sure that it will work.

[Chesmu]

I know the headlights have their own ground alreeady, but by completely isolating wire #12 from the everything else and powering from the sidemarker, wouldn't I have to complete the circuit from the sidemarker by connecting a ground? I'll try replacing with LED's this weekend and will re-do the wirng with pics. Stay posted.

I really am sorry to get everyone's hopes up like that...sorry it hasn't worked yet.

[txusa03]

wild guess here but could it be that the error takes a while to show up because by splicing into this and that wire, you interrupted the full cycle of current the software was looking for? I know nothing about current but just wanted to brainstorm.

[Chesmu]

Originally Posted by txusa03

wild guess here but could it be that the error takes a while to show up because by splicing into this and that wire, you interrupted the full cycle of current the software was looking for? I know nothing about current but just wanted to brainstorm.

Yes, it could be that the car is smarter than me... in fact that's very likely. I don't see which cycle of current I've interrupted, and the bulb check that occurs at start-up takes 2 seconds tops. If the car spotted a circuit interruption, it should pick it up right away.

I appreciate the feedback.

[///Matt]

I takes more than 2 seconds. I get to watch my PIAA pulse for at least 5 seconds, maybe longer.

[mrdirosa]

What about using the side marker to trigger a relay? That way you don't need to worry about tapping into the ground circuit and the computer shouldn't see the extra bulb on there.

-Michael

[Chesmu]

doesn't work, unfortunately.

BMW light signals will not properly power a relay, because they are pulsed signals. plug a relay control side into a pulsed signal, and listen to the relay buzzzzzzz as the contacts open and clase over and over again.
- as per ///Matt from a similar thread on this topic.


When I do get the error message, all the turn signals on that side go out...front,side, and rear. I have to turn off/turn on the car again to reset everything. Does this sound like a fuse issue? Would a higher capacity fuse fix this?

[///Matt]

Chesmu,

Since the side marker is not a dim/flash bright signal, it MAY not be a pulsed signal. It may work to use a relay, but really a relay looks the same to the computer as a bulb. It's just a load on the circuit.

Matt

[mrdirosa]

As far as I know, the corner light low power is just a lower voltage - not a pulsed signal. As long as the relay can function at ~5-12 volts I think it would be ok.

The real question is, where is the error coming from? The sidemarker or the resistor?

[Chesmu]

it's not the resistor. The resistor works fine. I have no error message aslong as the sidemarker is not connected to the headlight adapter. Part I of the DIY works fine...it's part II I haven't gotten yet. This weekend I will try the mod with the LED's in place.

[///Matt]

MrDirosa,

Believe me when I say that it is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, FACT: The corner turn signals on the E90 are run on a pulse width modulated signal. They are pulsed at an Approx. 50% duty cycle for constant on, and a switched between 0% and about 90% for bright flash.

This simulates a lower voltage out put to the light, but it is really run on B+ voltage (around 13 volts) at all times, just switched rapidly on and off.

Also, I've personally attempted to connect a relay to the turn signal source, and you get to listen to the contacts try to keep up. Unfortunately, a relay can't cycle at 100hz.

Here's MY question for Chesmu:

Did you measure the turn signal bulb for Ohmic resistance value? You put in a six ohm resistor, but was the original bulb six ohms?

[Chesmu]

Originally Posted by ///Matt

Here's MY question for Chesmu:

Did you measure the turn signal bulb for Ohmic resistance value? You put in a six ohm resistor, but was the original bulb six ohms?

I didn't, but as I've said, I have no error message when the sidemarker is nt connected to the fron tturn signal. Right now I have AEO, but no front turn signal. No error message. As far as the car is concerned, I have a functioning front turn signal. It's only when I try to connect the sidemarker that I get an error. And the error causes the entire side (front, side, and back) to short out. Turning the car on/off resets everything.

So my conclusion is that he resistor works fine. The resistor has nothing to do with Part II of the mod because it's a diff't circuit.

[///Matt]

I've got, it by jove.

At least I might.

What if you used the side repeater signal to power a relay... and ONLY a relay. Not the bulb AND a relay.

Then you use the power through the relay to power both the side repeater AND the corner signal.

This way, the car only sees ONE load on it's circuit.

Some creative wiring could be needed in order to attain the perfect resistance on the relay control side though.

You may or may not know this, but resistors can be used to LOWER total circuit resistance, too.

[Chesmu]

so your side repeater and turn signal would blink out of sync?

[///Matt]

no. They'd be the same.... They'd both be run off of the same battery voltage through the relay.

[calvino]

Chesmu did you try to put the LED maybe that's the problem

[Chesmu]

Just so you guys know....

MOD WORKS WITH LED's IN PLACE!!!
WOOHOO!

I drove around for an hour testing it (driving around like an idiot with my turn signal flashing for no reason) to make sure.

Pics and video to follow!

[calvino]

YEAAA !!!!!
I told you man !!!!!
great work