Interior lights sometimes come on...UPDATE...SOLVED!

[mrnine]

Just bought a 318ti, so I'm new. When I have my interior lights set to automatic, everything works great when I open the doors: lights come on, and stay on for their set amount of time, then dim. However, I find that when I pull away, sometimes the lights try to come on just a bit then go out. Seems that the motion of the car sets it off?

What would be the likely area to look for this kind of intermittent short?

Also, when I open the rear hatch, the interior lights don't come on. Should they? When I open a driver door, for example, the lights, including the light in the hatch area come on. I have jiggled the switch around, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Thanks!

[schussey]

the hatch may not be tightly closed...it has happened to me a few times. But if that is not the case, then i'm not too sure

[mrnine]

This seems like a likely culprit. However...I jiggle with that hatch switch and can't get it to activate the light at all. Makes me think it's more likely a door switch, perhaps, but can't really figure out how to test it easily. Perhaps I should buy a switch and install and test. Are the switches in driver and passenger door both the same?

[mrnine]

Schussey...you were exactly right. The short was so intermittent, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Closer examination of that hatch showed that it wasn't making contact properly. Now we're all fixed, thanks!

[DaNO]

Same thing is happening to me. Mine is in the shop right now being looked at, they said that they ordered the part and it is "damn expensive", luckily mine has a 30 day warrenty cause i just got it. Is this true or is it maybe something different? How much did it cost to get this problem solved?

[318tds]

Originally Posted by mrnine

Schussey...you were exactly right. The short was so intermittent, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Closer examination of that hatch showed that it wasn't making contact properly. Now we're all fixed, thanks!

Could you elaborate on what you exactly examined on that hatch? I have the same problem... I did have a look at the switch (the little stick, left of the middle), but I haven't been able to reproduce the problem. Where did you see that the hatch wasn't making contact properly?

[L84THSKY]

I have found that not closing the hatch firmly, causes the interior light to flicker and fade in and out. Not a defect, just need to make sure the hatch is closed properly.

Originally Posted by mrnine

Just bought a 318ti, so I'm new. When I have my interior lights set to automatic, everything works great when I open the doors: lights come on, and stay on for their set amount of time, then dim. However, I find that when I pull away, sometimes the lights try to come on just a bit then go out. Seems that the motion of the car sets it off?

What would be the likely area to look for this kind of intermittent short?

Also, when I open the rear hatch, the interior lights don't come on. Should they? When I open a driver door, for example, the lights, including the light in the hatch area come on. I have jiggled the switch around, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Thanks!

[DaNO]

I spoke to my mechanic and they said that it was a module and they usually run 900 bucks, good thing i dont have to pay it. well anyways, let me know if this sounds wierd..