e39 'check parking lights'

[Patrick Bateman]

Getting an intermittent fault here with this, warning was coming on and off on the way to work and back. I have aftermarket angel eyes although I replaced the bulbs last year already.

When the fault is active the passenger side indicator is lit as it would be when there's an issue with the parking lights but the angel eyes are still on, albeit a bit dimmer on that side. I've swapped the bulbs over to see if that makes a difference (will have to wait until going to work tonight to see if there's any difference. After swapping them on the drive the indicator bulb went out but it could have done that regardless of me swapping the bulbs) but assuming there's a wiring issue of sorts here, could the problem be to do with the indicator itself rather than the parking lights?

[RichardM5]

Far more likely to do with the Angle Eye bulbs, even if they have components that are supposed to remove Check Control Errors, these can degrade so the LCM thinks the bulb has failed.

[Patrick Bateman]

Even though they were replaced last year?

[WinstonWolf]

Check all connectors and replace both parking bulbs as a matter of course.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'll see if the fault moves to the driver's side first after switching them.

[Patrick Bateman]

The fault didn't even show. I was expecting it to either move side or stay the same.

[WinstonWolf]

The E39 is prone to poor connections, moving the bulbs about can mask the problem for a bit. Get your torch out and make sure the contacts haven't sunk and are in good condition without corrosion.

[Locknut]

Patrick Bateman said:

...
When the fault is active the passenger side indicator is lit as it would be when there's an issue with the parking lights but the angel eyes are still on, albeit a bit dimmer on that side...

That sounds like an earthing problem to me.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm going to go with new bulbs, a bit annoying since it was only last summer I changed them but the fault has now appeared again but only on the driver's side after swapping the bulbs over.