Glovebox flashlight outlet no power

[M3llowM3]

So, i just had a hell of a week with my GM module getting bricked by a repair shop, needing to get a new used one from my mechanic and then programming it myself.
Now that i think my gm module is all programmed and good to go with my car, i notice only one thing that is off in the car. The glovebox flashlight port gets no voltage to it. I use one of those adapters that allows to me run a phone charger plugged into the flashlight port and have the charger cable come from the glovebox. Today was the first day i drove with my new GM module installed back into the car and I noticed my phone didn't want to charge from the glovebox port.
The fuse layout card was lost by the previous owner, but I tried to google and research a bit but couldn't find any definite answer as to if there is a fuse for the glovebox flashlight charge port,or which fuse it might be. I dropped the glovebox again and tested the connector itself and there is no power going to it. the glovebox light itself still works. I followed the two wires from the connector back as far as i could see up to the bundle of harness that goes behind the fusebox and relay area but coudnt see anything that stood out to me.

Worst case scenario I could just use a fuse tap to add a charger to my glovebox but I would like to avoid that if at all possible.
Any suggestions or troubleshooting ideas are appreciated. Thanks

[karter16]

Here's the fuse card - sorry about the fuzziness, it's that quality in the source document...

[karter16]

Also - the socket is labeled as connector X542 and I've attached the wiring diagram below.

It's connected to the General Control Unit A1 via connector X254 (Pin 22). (labelled as "Charge Socket" on the second diagram).

[M3llowM3]

Also - the socket is labeled as connector X542 and I've attached the wiring diagram below.

It's connected to the General Control Unit A1 via connector X254 (Pin 22). (labelled as "Charge Socket" on the second diagram).

Thank you for this diagram. I checked the continuity between the connector and pin 22 and there were no breaks in the wire. I checked continuity between ground and pin 22 for short to ground and found nothing. I checked the continuity of the connector ground to the chassis and the ground connection was good. I believe this only leaves the GM unit itself unable to provide the 12v to pin 22. Does anybody know if the option for flashlight came on every single e46? Im thinking maybe the replacement module I have came from a car not equipped with the charge port? Or maybe there is an option somewhere that i can toggle with ncsexpert to enable this?
If i am unable to code this into the gm5 settings, i will likely just end up tapping a fuse into another circuit and using the ground from the flashlight to install a 2-3 amp usb port into the glovebox.

[karter16]

Thank you for this diagram. I checked the continuity between the connector and pin 22 and there were no breaks in the wire. I checked continuity between ground and pin 22 for short to ground and found nothing. I checked the continuity of the connector ground to the chassis and the ground connection was good. I believe this only leaves the GM unit itself unable to provide the 12v to pin 22. Does anybody know if the option for flashlight came on every single e46? Im thinking maybe the replacement module I have came from a car not equipped with the charge port? Or maybe there is an option somewhere that i can toggle with ncsexpert to enable this?
If i am unable to code this into the gm5 settings, i will likely just end up tapping a fuse into another circuit and using the ground from the flashlight to install a 2-3 amp usb port into the glovebox.

Your diagnostics seem solid. Yeah I wonder if there is a config option to toggle to enable the GM module to output on the pin. Seems most likely. I doubt that you would happen to have a GM module that is faulty on just that port


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[karter16]

Your diagnostics seem solid. Yeah I wonder if there is a config option to toggle to enable the GM module to output on the pin. Seems most likely. I doubt that you would happen to have a GM module that is faulty on just that port


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Wait but do other things like your cig lighter light work? Because they are driven off pin 22 as well. Or is everything that pin drives not working?


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[M3llowM3]

Wait but do other things like your cig lighter light work? Because they are driven off pin 22 as well. Or is everything that pin drives not working?


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My cig lighter works. As far as I can tell everything except the flashlight works. Ive already just tapped a 5amp fuse to the rear sunshade circuit since I don't even have one. I added a 12v to 5v DC to DC transformer with 2 usb ports on it in the glove box and grounded it using the ground from the flashlight. It draws 3 amps max so I think this solution is fine, but it just makes me wonder what's going on here.

If the cig lighter is also driven from pin 22 that is very weird and I can't understand why it would not be giving power to the flashlight charger.

[sapote]

1. I added a 12v to 5v DC to DC transformer ...

2. If the cig lighter is also driven from pin 22 that is very weird and I can't understand why it would not be giving power to the flashlight charger.

1. It is a DC to DC regulator.
2. I would check pin22 and see if it has 12v.

[karter16]

If the cig lighter is also driven from pin 22 that is very weird and I can't understand why it would not be giving power to the flashlight charger.

Just to clarify, Pin 22 does NOT drive the actual cigarette lighter socket. It drives the illumination of the cigarette lighter socket. Two different things.

[M3llowM3]

Just to clarify, Pin 22 does NOT drive the actual cigarette lighter socket. It drives the illumination of the cigarette lighter socket. Two different things.

So my ashtray light still works as well. I found https://www.bmwgm5.com/GM5_Connections.htm here that pin 22 connects to the ashtray light only after2002/09. My car is production September 2002 as far as I know, so maybe mine does not have that change implemented?
I found the image below when investigating the power source for the ashtray light. I don't know if it is accurate.

the glovebox flashlight goes to pin 22 on the GM5, and I tested continuity between pin 22 on the connector and the flashlight connector and there was no issue with the wire. I removed the 26-pin connector from its housing and inspected it to make sure the pins were seated properly and it looked to be fully seated. Probing the flashlight connector (which should be contacting pin 22) while the car was in ign2 showed 0v. I have not probed the 26-pin connector directly while the GM unit is powered mainly due to the location of the harness, but assuming the connector is making contact to the pins (based on my inspection of the connector) on the actual module, I am concluding that pin 22 on my module does not provide power for whatever reason.

Random thought but i don't think its relevant. I see in the diagram for connector X13682 that pin 22 also goes to a few things on SMG module. My car was SMG from factory but has been swapped. is it possible this has something to do with it? since i had to code my 'new' GM module to my car using NCSexpert maybe something got defaulted back to smg and is relying on that signal?

[Thr00]

Thank you for the information in this thread. I have a '05 Touring with the same problem. I replaced my original GM5 module because it had central locking issues. After a few months I had discovered that the flashlight wasn't charging anymore. Bought an adapter just like OP, checked the voltage and it wasn't getting any power. From the wiring diagram and the site linked above I can see the pin 22 of the x254 connector also powers the orange LED in the center console ashtray. The LED lights up and works fine. As I said my car is an '05 and has the factory manual 6-spd, but I don't think they changed the wiring for the flashlight charge socket. That must mean there's some setting in the GM5 configuration that enables voltage to that socket? Does anyone know of it?

[sapote]

Pin22 of GM5 X254 should have 12v when engine running, so I would route the flashlight charging wire red/green to pin22 and it should work.

[ddugan77]

Hi - Have the same problem. Just no power whatsoever at the glove box flashlight port.
2003 BMW 325iT
Thr00 - Did you ever resolve? Thanks

[M3llowM3]

Hi - Have the same problem. Just no power whatsoever at the glove box flashlight port.
2003 BMW 325iT
Thr00 - Did you ever resolve? Thanks

unfortunately, I never did find the fix. Main reason I want the flashlight working is because I have the cigarette lighter adapter and its a clean solution to charging my phone.
I ended up just wiring a dual usb port into the glovebox by tapping into a fuse in the box. This gets the job done, but it is unfortunate that my flashlight port doesn't work.

I suspect it has something to do with the GM module, as I switched this out on my car, but I can't find any settings/coding that seems to have anything to do with this.