What causes the BMW 740's small lights to stay on and not turn off?
2 Answers
BMW 740 small lights stay on and cannot be turned off due to reasons such as switch damage, wiring issues, or problems with the light status. Switch damage: The interior lighting system generally has three modes: always on, always off, and lights on when the door is open. It could be that the switch is set to always on, which naturally prevents the lights from turning off; or the switch might be damaged, keeping the lights on continuously. Wiring issues: There might be a problem with the wiring, requiring checks on the voltage and resistance of the circuits. Light status problems: Another possibility is that the lights are set to turn on when the door is open, and they take a while to turn off after entering the car, so sometimes it's not due to light damage.
I recently encountered a similar issue with my BMW 740 - the parking lights stayed on constantly and couldn't be turned off, which was really frustrating. The most common causes are either a faulty or stuck light switch, or sometimes when the door sensor fails to reset, causing the system to mistakenly think the car isn't properly locked. Another key point is relay sticking - it controls the circuit and when aged, may fail to shut off. I've also experienced wiring short circuits; older vehicles are prone to wiring aging and short circuits that keep lights illuminated. If the battery drains too quickly, it can cause starting difficulties. My suggestion is to first try resetting the system: turn off the ignition and wait a few minutes before restarting to see if it returns to normal. If that doesn't work, check the fuse box and replace the corresponding headlight fuse. If you still can't resolve it, you'll need to visit a dealership to diagnose the control module or sensors - safety should always come first.
