footdown Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 Morning all, Lovely weather for it! So my headlights don't work. Think they are Xenons. Car is a 2003 325Ci Sport 2dr. auto The alternator died on it Tuesday when I bought the car and I've just had a replacement fitted which is great but the headlights still don't work. The coresponding lights on the dash are on in red to show there is an issue with them. I checked the fuse box but nothing blown. What's happened?! On another note, how do I stop my passenger wing mirror automatically pointing down when I put it in reverse?! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 (edited) Sounds like you have had some right electrical gremlins from your other posts. Start with a multimeter and check you have juice at the connectors at the lights and go from there. To stop the passenger mirror dipping when put in reverse slide the mirror adjuster switch to the drivers door mirror. Edited March 17, 2018 by R11CH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 OK thanks I'll get a multi-meter on it tomorrow. Yes it hasn't been great. Stuck after buying the car till 2am in the dark getting recovered when the alternator went. Luckily the big Bosch battery held up OK and alternator has been replaced but the headlights don't work still. I hope it's something simple because they worked fine until the alternator gave up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 If there's power to the headlights (do they share a socket type with the full beams? Might be easier than finding a multi meter) then it's likely to be the bulbs and/or the ballasts. (And there's an third bit inside the headlight, but they seem pretty reliable). You can buy new D2S bulbs far, far cheaper than new ballasts (bulbs are easier to change too), so if it's a case of guesswork as power is reaching them, I'd pick up some new bulbs first of all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Cheers @TriggerFish I thought that too and this morning ordered new DS2 bulbs or whatever they are called and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2clubsp Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 If both headlights are out then my guess it's not the lights but rather something that's common to both such live feed, fuse, connectors. It's very suspicious that the headlights no longer work after getting the alternator replaced. I'd to back to whoever did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Sounds like the lcm or similar has taken a beating for some reason when the alternator went hence why i would go at it with a mulitmeter rather then waste money on parts that might be fine. Ruesta and TriggerFish 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 whats the lcm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2clubsp Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Lighting control module. Sits behind the headlight switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 Cool thanks. What's it look like and what can I "do" with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2clubsp Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 You can turn the lights on and off. Well, usually. 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 Right... What I was asking is, when I locate this thing, what do I do with it exactly.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz 330 Cs Posted March 20, 2018 Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 The LCM is the headlight switch, it’s all one unit. As above it’s unlikely to be a bulb problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 OK. Is this LCM you are all referring to the ballast/igniter or something different? I understand that it could be the ballasts but I'm trying new bulbs first as they are far cheaper for now than 2 new ballasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted March 20, 2018 Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 (edited) The LCM is only worth investigating at this point if there's no 12v making it to the headlight connector. (This is the first test I'd be doing - it's free, and easy.) It's the control unit for all the lights, and can be set to tell the car it's a saloon, touring, coupe, with/without xenons etc. If you've got 12v, then you can likely ignore it for now. If, once you've got new bulbs, and you find it flickers badly, then the LCM will be worth looking at. (Usually what happens when you fit xenons, and don't tell the car.) The ballast/ignitors are separate - and can be found in the engine bay, under the lights. The LCM is the right hand thing in the image below. 4 hours ago, Daz 330 Cs said: The LCM is the headlight switch, it’s all one unit. Wrong Edited March 20, 2018 by TriggerFish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footdown Posted March 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 Please close. I've been a total tit and assumed incorrectly to my spec. H7 bulb.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted March 21, 2018 Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 Bulbs blown then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...