Electronics Failure

skywaystudios · 03-10-2010, 04:50 AM

Hi all,

I have a pretty serious problem with my 320d electronics. Here are a list of the symptoms:

* Headlights Flickering (halogens not Xenons)
* 4-5 Warning lights appear momentarily with a chime and then turn off again (ABS warning light stays on for a few seconds).
* When the chime goes off, anything like cruise control, heated seats turns off but the radio is unaffected.
* On some occasions the amber (O) (with a ! in the middle) and the triangle with a ! in the middle and a circular arrow around it, also amber, stay on until the engine is restarted (then they disappear).
* Every time the chime comes on the speedo goes to 0 then quickly comes back up to the accurate speed all in the space of maybe 0.5 seconds. Sometimes the chime goes off again and again meaning I have no idea how fast I'm going (pain in the arse going through speed cameras!)
* Sometimes even the indicators don't work
* The air-con doesn't heat up (even though both sides are @ 28C, and yes my engine is warm, even after an hour @ 70mph it doesn't work), however, sometimes the passenger side will heat up but not the drivers side.

All of this has seemed to have happened a few days after replacing my headlamp bulb and after having a look there isn't a cover over the bulb part. Do you think it could be damp/water/cold getting into the electronics there and c*cking everything up? It also seems to be getting progressively worse.

Any help is HUGELY appreciated as BMW can't look at it for 2 weeks (!) and I drive 140 miles a day minimum.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

burberry · 03-10-2010, 01:48 PM

has your car ever been in an accident?

Dackelone · 03-10-2010, 07:50 PM

Are your battery terminals tight? pos and neg?

Ground cables tight?

With a multi meter you can measure peak volts betwen the neg post of the batter and the engine block WHILE cranking. You should not see more than ONE volt. IF you do you have a bad ground circiut.

skywaystudios · 03-11-2010, 06:10 AM

Thanks a lot for your replies guys!

I was in an accident last October, someone rear ended me but it was repaired by BMW and it's only been in the last few weeks.

I'm not sure it's a problem with the battery connections as the radio is completely unaffected as well as all the displays in the centre console. I just didn't know if anyone has had the same problems?!

VP Electricity · 03-13-2010, 12:54 PM

Poor/loose electrical connections in body-shop repairs often manifset themselves some time after the repair, so don't count that out. I would have the body repair shop look at it.

03-10-2010, 04:50 AM	#1
skywaystudios New Member 2 Rep 13 Posts Drives: 440i Gran Coupe M Performance Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Peterborough, UK iTrader: (0)	Electronics Failure Hi all, I have a pretty serious problem with my 320d electronics. Here are a list of the symptoms: * Headlights Flickering (halogens not Xenons) * 4-5 Warning lights appear momentarily with a chime and then turn off again (ABS warning light stays on for a few seconds). * When the chime goes off, anything like cruise control, heated seats turns off but the radio is unaffected. * On some occasions the amber (O) (with a ! in the middle) and the triangle with a ! in the middle and a circular arrow around it, also amber, stay on until the engine is restarted (then they disappear). * Every time the chime comes on the speedo goes to 0 then quickly comes back up to the accurate speed all in the space of maybe 0.5 seconds. Sometimes the chime goes off again and again meaning I have no idea how fast I'm going (pain in the arse going through speed cameras!) * Sometimes even the indicators don't work * The air-con doesn't heat up (even though both sides are @ 28C, and yes my engine is warm, even after an hour @ 70mph it doesn't work), however, sometimes the passenger side will heat up but not the drivers side. All of this has seemed to have happened a few days after replacing my headlamp bulb and after having a look there isn't a cover over the bulb part. Do you think it could be damp/water/cold getting into the electronics there and c*cking everything up? It also seems to be getting progressively worse. Any help is HUGELY appreciated as BMW can't look at it for 2 weeks (!) and I drive 140 miles a day minimum. Thanks in advance, Adam
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03-10-2010, 01:48 PM	#2
burberry Caffeine Addict 47 Rep 1,987 Posts Drives: E93 M3 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY iTrader: (3)	has your car ever been in an accident? __________________ '07 E90 335xi ► '09 E90 335i ► '08 E93 M3 ► ???
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03-10-2010, 07:50 PM	#3
Dackelone European Editor 10880 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Are your battery terminals tight? pos and neg? Ground cables tight? With a multi meter you can measure peak volts betwen the neg post of the batter and the engine block WHILE cranking. You should not see more than ONE volt. IF you do you have a bad ground circiut.
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03-11-2010, 06:10 AM	#4
skywaystudios New Member 2 Rep 13 Posts Drives: 440i Gran Coupe M Performance Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Peterborough, UK iTrader: (0)	Thanks a lot for your replies guys! I was in an accident last October, someone rear ended me but it was repaired by BMW and it's only been in the last few weeks. I'm not sure it's a problem with the battery connections as the radio is completely unaffected as well as all the displays in the centre console. I just didn't know if anyone has had the same problems?!
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03-13-2010, 12:54 PM	#5
VP Electricity Brigadier General 301 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	Poor/loose electrical connections in body-shop repairs often manifset themselves some time after the repair, so don't count that out. I would have the body repair shop look at it.
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