elias_sturm53
BMW Xenon Lights Turning Purple? Fix This Issue Now
Summary of the thread
The issue with the 2002 BMW 5 diesel involved xenon lights turning purple and problems with the turn signals. The core problem was traced to corroded connectors and a worn-out ballast in the headlight system, causing voltage drops and erratic behavior. Suggested solutions included checking and repairing the wiring harness, replacing faulty connectors, and installing a new ballast. Addressing these issues promptly was advised to prevent further electrical problems.
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4 comment(s)
elias_sturm53 (community.author)
Thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with, really helpful to know about those corroded connectors and wiring harness issues. Do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for all the repairs? Also, just curious if you've had any other electrical quirks pop up since getting it fixed?
guenter_schwarz8
Hey there! Happy to give you an update on my BMW situation. So after I got it checked out, the good news is the turn signal problem is completely sorted now, what a relief! It ended up being a bad cable connection that was making the signals act up. The fix was pretty straightforward and cost me 95 €, not too bad considering how annoying that problem was. Since you asked about other electrical issues, nope, haven't had any other weird quirks pop up since getting it fixed. The turn signals are working perfectly now. Honestly, sometimes these electrical gremlins can be super simple fixes once you get them properly diagnosed. Mine turned out to be much less complicated than I initially feared when I wrote that first post. Just want to mention though, those purple xenon lights you mentioned in your original post definitely need attention. Mine were similar, and even though I got the turn signals sorted, those headlight issues are important to deal with. Don't want you ending up with bigger problems down the road!
elias_sturm53 (community.author)
Wow, thanks so much for that detailed follow-up! I actually bit the bullet and took my car to a new mechanic yesterday. Turns out you were spot on, it was mainly connection issues causing all the trouble. The mechanic found corroded wiring and a worn-out ballast in the headlight system. The total bill came to about 220 for parts and labor, which wasn't nearly as painful as I'd feared. They replaced some connectors, fixed the wiring, and installed a new ballast. Everything's working perfectly now, no more purple lights or wonky turn signals! Honestly, I feel pretty silly for putting it off for so long. Should've just dealt with it sooner instead of worrying about finding the right mechanic. The new shop was actually really honest and showed me exactly what was wrong. Guess sometimes you just need to take that first step and get it checked out. Really appreciate everyone's advice on this!
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BMW
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5
guenter_schwarz8
I had a similar issue with my 2005 BMW 530d (176K km). The purple xenon lights and turn signal problems were exactly what I experienced. At the garage, they found the ballast connectors were corroded and had loose connections. The wiring harness to the headlight assembly also had some worn-out spots. For the turn signals, it was a faulty control module causing the erratic behavior. In my case, it wasn't just a simple bulb replacement. The entire headlight wiring needed attention because the old connections were causing voltage drops. While not a catastrophic issue, it needed immediate attention to prevent further electrical problems spreading to other systems. Would suggest getting it checked soon since these electrical gremlins tend to get worse and can affect other components. Just make sure they properly test all connections and the control module before replacing parts.