Left turn signal malfunction but all lights work. Help!

[Richsocal12]

Anyone experienced this and figured out how to fix it or any ideas?? It flickers super fast when it should pulse on. My car is a 2008 with upgraded LCI's.

Thanks in advance

[heyitsalex]

I'm having similar issues to my drivers side. Started off with my low beams flickering when hitting bumps to all lights malfunctioning (angel eyes, low beams, turn signal).

My guess is that it's either a loose wire or a faulty control unit. I'm leaning towards a faulty control unit.

I'm also interested in any answers you may receive.

Yours can be as simple as a loose wire, bad bulb, or as complicated as a faulty control unit.

[kenwelch]

Because the left side is doing the quick flash you have missed a bad bulb or connection on the left side. One of the left directional bulbs front or rear is the cause of your problem.
By closely looking at the good right side you will discover where all the flashing bulbs are located.

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by heyitsalex

I'm having similar issues to my drivers side. Started off with my low beams flickering when hitting bumps to all lights malfunctioning (angel eyes, low beams, turn signal).

My guess is that it's either a loose wire or a faulty control unit. I'm leaning towards a faulty control unit.

I'm also interested in any answers you may receive.

Yours can be as simple as a loose wire, bad bulb, or as complicated as a faulty control unit.

Its actually my rear left turn signal light. Hopefully its just a bulb or a loose connection.

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by kenwelch

Because the left side is doing the quick flash you have missed a bad bulb or connection on the left side. One of the left directional bulbs front or rear is the cause of your problem.
By closely looking at the good right side you will discover where all the flashing bulbs are located.

Ill go ahead and take a closer look. Hopefully its just a faulty connection or a bad bulb.

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by Richsocal12

Its actually my rear left turn signal light. Hopefully its just a bulb or a loose connection.

A bad front bulb will cause the rear to quick flash.

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by kenwelch

A bad front bulb will cause the rear to quick flash.

Left front bulb is working but flickering fast as well. Is that just a symptom of bad bulb going out?

[kenwelch]

Originally Posted by Richsocal12

Left front bulb is working but flickering fast as well. Is that just a symptom of bad bulb going out?

No, this is not a symptom of a bad bulb.
I'm still with you trying to help, so I went back to study the manual/documents again.
(Note: I have a 2008 non LCI E92 M3 so I cannot confirm on my vehicle.)
BMW uses "adaptive bulb" locations in rear lighting. If your turn signal bulb burns out there is a "adaptive" bulb location that the control unit can use to light the needed corner. There might be a chance that this is your problem discovering the problem bulb. This is a diagram of the rear bulbs for a 2013 model so should be like the LCI version in your vehicle. These are the descriptions for each location. Looking at the GOOD right side might also help with where the bad bulb is located on the left. Do you have a "bulb warning" on your iDrive screen with this problem?

•Bulb, direction indicator light (1)
•Bulb, reversing light (2)
•Bulb, brake light (3)
•Bulb, brake light/adaptive brake light (ECE) (4)

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by kenwelch

No, this is not a symptom of a bad bulb.
I'm still with you trying to help, so I went back to study the manual/documents again.
(Note: I have a 2008 non LCI E92 M3 so I cannot confirm on my vehicle.)
BMW uses "adaptive bulb" locations in rear lighting. If your turn signal bulb burns out there is a "adaptive" bulb location that the control unit can use to light the needed corner. There might be a chance that this is your problem discovering the problem bulb. This is a diagram of the rear bulbs for a 2013 model so should be like the LCI version in your vehicle. These are the descriptions for each location. Looking at the GOOD right side might also help with where the bad bulb is located on the left. Do you have a "bulb warning" on your iDrive screen with this problem?

•Bulb, direction indicator light (1)
•Bulb, reversing light (2)
•Bulb, brake light (3)
•Bulb, brake light/adaptive brake light (ECE) (4)

Idrive alert

[kenwelch]

With that iDrive warning it should be the #1 bulb "direction indicator light" shown in the diagram. Bad bulb or bad connection. If the bulb tests good with an ohm meter then check the bulb and socket contacts. I have had the contact problem in my car. I keep spare tail light bulbs in the car.

Also be sure to use the correct bulb or the control system will continue to display a fault in the iDrive. Some after market bulbs do not have the correct electrical resistance. Quality bulbs do not have this problem.

I am not sure the diagram matches the LCI bulb assembly?

[ailikesiliu]

unplug the battery and reconnect magic will happen

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by kenwelch

With that iDrive warning it should be the #1 bulb "direction indicator light" shown in the diagram. Bad bulb or bad connection. If the bulb tests good with an ohm meter then check the bulb and socket contacts. I have had the contact problem in my car. I keep spare tail light bulbs in the car.

Also be sure to use the correct bulb or the control system will continue to display a fault in the iDrive. Some after market bulbs do not have the correct electrical resistance. Quality bulbs do not have this problem.

I am not sure the diagram matches the LCI bulb assembly?

thanks for your help. I dont have an ohm meter to test the bulb so i guess ill have to take the car to my mechanic to see if i have a faulty bulb or poor socket contacts.

Originally Posted by ailikesiliu

unplug the battery and reconnect magic will happen

are u serious? lol Guess it wont hurt to try?

[kenwelch]

Save the labor charge! Just swap the turn signal bulbs left and right sides to see if the problem changes sides. OR install a new bulb which is cheaper than the labor rate of having a technician test the old one. It's a good Sunday project.

[BzsBimmer]

Since you have LCI lights, you should have LED's and not bulbs.
If you have LED's, check to see if all of the LED's are lighting up. You may have intermittent issues with the circuit board. If this is the case, you'll have to replace the whole assembly.

If you have LED's, turn on the left signal and just watch the tail light. You may see an occasional instance where most of the LED's won't light up. I had this issue on my car.

Last thing to check is if your lights have a bad resistor if it's an aftermarket LCI kit or factory with coding. Aftermarket light kits can cause problems.

[ailikesiliu]

Originally Posted by Richsocal12

thanks for your help. I dont have an ohm meter to test the bulb so i guess ill have to take the car to my mechanic to see if i have a faulty bulb or poor socket contacts.



are u serious? lol Guess it wont hurt to try?

You suppose to have the car coded if you go with LCI taillights, otherwise the car will be acting weird, like fast blinker etc. My car does the same once in a while, but I have been lucky enough to fix it by disconnect and reconnect the battery.

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by ailikesiliu

You suppose to have the car coded if you go with LCI taillights, otherwise the car will be acting weird, like fast blinker etc. My car does the same once in a while, but I have been lucky enough to fix it by disconnect and reconnect the battery.

So i unplugged the battery then plugged it back in.. Boom! Left turn signal malfunction alert is gone and rapid flickering of lights is gone as well. ? was this fix temporary for you? Or is this a sign of a bulb about to out???

[Richsocal12]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Since you have LCI lights, you should have LED's and not bulbs.
If you have LED's, check to see if all of the LED's are lighting up. You may have intermittent issues with the circuit board. If this is the case, you'll have to replace the whole assembly.

If you have LED's, turn on the left signal and just watch the tail light. You may see an occasional instance where most of the LED's won't light up. I had this issue on my car.

Last thing to check is if your lights have a bad resistor if it's an aftermarket LCI kit or factory with coding. Aftermarket light kits can cause problems.

I had left turn signal light on and all led in the tail lights work.. :

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by Richsocal12

I had left turn signal light on and all led in the tail lights work.. :

Well hopefully it stays that way when you reset your battery.
If not, you have a circuit board issue more than likely.

ailikesiliu probably saved you at least $100

[ailikesiliu]

Originally Posted by Richsocal12

So i unplugged the battery then plugged it back in.. Boom! Left turn signal malfunction alert is gone and rapid flickering of lights is gone as well. ? was this fix temporary for you? Or is this a sign of a bulb about to out???

no, i do not see any bulb out for almost 4 years since I went LCI. The same problem does come back once in a while, but reconnect the battery always does the trick for me.

[dlaw]

Originally Posted by ailikesiliu

no, i do not see any bulb out for almost 4 years since I went LCI. The same problem does come back once in a while, but reconnect the battery always does the trick for me.

So after you went LCI you didn't need to code out the bulb checks at all?

[ailikesiliu]

Originally Posted by dlaw

So after you went LCI you didn't need to code out the bulb checks at all?

No, didn't do any coding. Car is totally fine except fast blinkers once in a couple month, it does not mean that every car go lci will behave the same tho.

[dlaw]

Originally Posted by ailikesiliu

No, didn't do any coding. Car is totally fine except fast blinkers once in a couple month, it does not mean that every car go lci will behave the same tho.

Wow, I can't believe that worked! Saved me the trouble of needing to get it coded. I can't believe I didn't do this earlier. I was living with the fast blinker for months. Thanks!