Internal lights flickering

Dux · Post by **Dux** » Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:45 am

Hi All,

Looking for some help please, my internal lights so the
Rear ones above the back seat, the foot well and inside door ones. They all seem to flicker, is it just a case of changing her the bulb if that’s possible or a different issue altogether.

Thanks in advance.
Dux

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Thu Dec 16, 2021 1:48 pm

Have they been changed to LED bulbs?

Dux · Post by **Dux** » Thu Dec 16, 2021 3:03 pm

Nope, as it came I believe.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Thu Dec 16, 2021 3:30 pm

Someone with more knowledge than me is required then. There is a 'master' light control module, but i don't know if that would only affect just some of the many interior lights and not all of them

Have you bought the car recently?

Jayx5 · Post by **Jayx5** » Fri Dec 17, 2021 10:22 pm

sounds like there leds,I swapped alot of my lights for leds, most of them flicker now,it drives me mad, gonna swap them back to normal in the new year.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sat Dec 18, 2021 8:23 am

Could well be. I think the interior lights are fed by a PWM signal as the method of dimming. That would cause LEDs to flicker, but not conventional bulbs.

Dux · Post by **Dux** » Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:57 pm

sapphireblack wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 3:30 pm Someone with more knowledge than me is required then. There is a 'master' light control module, but i don't know if that would only affect just some of the many interior lights and not all of them

Have you bought the car recently?

No I’ve had the car for 2 years now. It’s just started to flicker a few months ago now.

I’m pretty sure the bulbs are supposed to be life of the car. Might have to take it to a mechanic/electrician

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Mon Dec 20, 2021 7:24 pm

It’s unlikely to be the bulbs themselves. One possibly, but not a few and all at once. That points back at the LCM or perhaps a corroding earth connection.

Does it matter if the engine is running or not?

Dux · Post by **Dux** » Tue Dec 21, 2021 12:07 am

There’s a fair chance that might be the case as the DAB,
Radio and sound are a little flakey at times. Also the digital temperature is not clearly showing as it comes broken. I’ll need to get that looked at. This only happens when the engine is on.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Dec 21, 2021 9:01 am

In that case check the vehicle battery is OK and charging properly. Check the battery voltage using the jumper points under the bonnet. Should be done with the car ‘asleep’ (wait 15 mins after switch off) and not driven in the last 4 hours. If you aren’t seeing at least 12.5V your battery is suspect. This time of year with lights, seat heating etc in use will find dying batteries. Short journeys will also stop the battery getting fully charged. Batteries more than 5-6 years old are usually at end of life.

It might also be an issue with the alternator regulator pack. If you have an AGM battery then with the engine running you should see at least 14.4V (13.8V for a non-AGM) at the jumper terminals under the bonnet. If part of the pack is faulty it will cause the electrics to pulse (flickering lights).

If it is the battery and needs replacement then you need it coded to the car as soon as possible. You can’t just swap them over because of the intelligent charging system. You may already know this though

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Tue Dec 21, 2021 5:08 pm

Id be checking the charging as said could be an alternator giving too high a voltage

XSeries-forum

XSeries-forum