Whats this light mean?

[Zach716]

I could not find this in the Bentley or the Haynes, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong spot, so hopefully someone can tell me! I have circled the area where it is and poorly draw what it looks like it has two arrows pointing in the opposite direction with a dot in the middle, it lights up green. Thanks.


(not my cluster, got it off Google.)

[Danielsan]

I had that on my Euro 525 e28....never figured out what it was for.

[ahab]

Certain Euro models do not have the same separate turn signal indicators we have between the fuel and coolant temp gauges. They use that common bulb to indicate either direction is operating. I'd guess that you have a lamp in somewhere where it shouldn't be because our clusters don't normally have one in there. IIRC, we only have a lamp for ABS and CEL (non-functioning), all the others are twist-lock bulbs in the PCB. Why it's lit however is a different story. When you turn the key on does your ABS light illuminate until you start the car? If not perhaps that's where this lamp belongs and you have an ABS fault. Otherwise I'm not sure why your CEL would light on an 87 535.

BTW, forgot to look at my Llama interior bits today. I'll do it first thing tomorrow and get back to you.

[Zach716]

My ABS light does come on and turn off when car is started and so does this light. Weird. Ok, thanks for the input!

And that's cool, no rush!

[turbodan]

Are you driving down the highway in 3rd gear?

[John in VA]

Are you driving down the highway in 3rd gear?

(not my cluster, got it off Google.)

[Karl Grau]

I don't remember if BMW offered it but a lot of European cars had a feature where you could illuminate the parking lights on one side of the car while it was unattended. Maybe it's an indicator for that.

When we lived in France our Renault had this feature but it was a standalone lamp (shown on the fender above the front wheel arch in this pic).

[Zach716]

Are you driving down the highway in 3rd gear?

(not my cluster, got it off Google.)

Thanks John, I drive a 5spd Anyway.

[wkohler]

I don't remember if BMW offered it but a lot of European cars had a feature where you could illuminate the parking lights on one side of the car while it was unattended. Maybe it's an indicator for that.

When we lived in France our Renault had this feature but it was a standalone lamp (shown on the fender above the front wheel arch in this pic).

They did. Mine have it.

[gfoto]

All E28 must have it, mine does though the left one does not stay on...

[Lotus72D]

The manual states it is a Trailer turn indicator repeater lamp.

[shagrath]

Zach my car has it but it not lit. I found it because I accidentally put my CEL light in that spot instead of where it goes.

[ahab]

I don't remember if BMW offered it but a lot of European cars had a feature where you could illuminate the parking lights on one side of the car while it was unattended. Maybe it's an indicator for that.

When we lived in France our Renault had this feature but it was a standalone lamp (shown on the fender above the front wheel arch in this pic).

They did. Mine have it.

My 73 2002 had this feature but I *think* it used the standard dash illumination to indicate it was active. More than once I had an "oh shit" moment when I returned to the car at night and found one side of the car lit. It took a while to get used to. That and the TS stalk being on the right side of the column...

All E28 clusters I have seen have the spot, just not a lamp in it. I wonder what the ETM says about the wiring, I've never checked. This is likely part of the mystery behind some of those unused connectors behind the cluster.

[tomcinric]

I use that indicator for my alarm on light. It flashes when the alarm is active. I of course put it there, so meh.

[shagrath]

I remember being told the light is there for when a side of the car is illuminated while broken down on the side of the road (a Euro thing apparently).

[Lotus72D]

The manual states it is a Trailer turn indicator repeater lamp.

The BMW owner's manual states what is quoted above and the manual in German has the same picture and lots of words I don't understand. There is no other stock use for this telltale. It can be used for lots of different things when wired to do that. There are no interior lights on when the left or right side parking lights are turned on using the turn signal, this as discuss for that late night visit to the fraulein before going home to the frau.

[shomikus]

That light is for turning signals on trailer.
I have on my bmw instaled originaly tow bar and when you connect with trailer it signals on board

[Zeta]

If this is what I see when I turn the ignition to accessory in my US '88 528e, can I assume that the bulb from the anti-lock socket is in the wrong place?
 

Also, wow, it's been years since I last posted here, and this new photo uploader is amazing! I think it's the motivation I needed to post a general update on my car with pictures. And a wiki, holy crap, I've been missing out!

[Blue Shadow]

Don’t want to know about the P being lit up, but yes, probably a relocated abs lamp. Easy to stuff that one in a few different locations. 

[Zeta]

Don’t want to know about the P being lit up, but yes, probably a relocated abs lamp. Easy to stuff that one in a few different locations.

 

Sincerest apologies for the glowing P.

I checked to see if my ABS light was missing, but like the OP, there is already another light there too, it just doesn't turn on with the ignition. Maybe it's burnt out. Is it possible that the mystery light should be in the Check Engine position? My car is a Super Eta and if I remember correctly, they're actually supposed to have a functioning CEL, unlike most e28s.