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Car Forum / BMW Cars / October 20081998 E39 no speedometer, gas guage not reading correct and more
1998 e39 bmw 528i sedan. The speedometer DO NOT read at all. The gas gauge is not reading correct, it would read 3/4 tank but you would run out of gas. And read empty when tank is full.... it does what it wants to do. The temperature gauge is never centered.. the needle only gets to about 10 o'clock position on the gauge. The window and sunroof works when the want also. they mainly wrk when the key is use to lock or unlock the car instead of the remote. There are no check engine lights on the dash. I dont want to go change a bunch of things when it may be a computer problem or one of the BMW chronic problem you only here about when it happens to you. I know it could be the fuel sending unit, speed sensor, but it could also be the unit the collects this data before sending it to the cluster that is bad.. Any advise on what to checkout would be helpful > 1998 e39 bmw 528i sedan. The speedometer DO NOT read at all. The gas > gauge is not reading correct, it would read 3/4 tank but you would run [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Any advise on what to checkout would be helpful I think you have two probles working together. The incorrect readings of the gas gauge, the speedometer, and the temperature gauge are most likely the result of a bad cluster computer. This is the device that is common to the three sensors. It is highly unlikely that the sensors would all quit working right at the same time. That cluster is quite expensive. I have had no experience with the windows and sunroof problem, but it is hard for me to see where this isn't a separate issue. And, the check engine light only shows that there isn't anything wrong with the emissions systems. Jim >1998 e39 bmw 528i sedan. The speedometer DO NOT read at all. The gas >gauge is not reading correct, it would read 3/4 tank but you would run >out of gas. And read empty when tank is full.... it does what it >wants to do. The temperature gauge is never centered.. the needle >only gets to about 10 o'clock position on the gauge. Something is wrong either with the instrument cluster, the ground for the instrument cluster, or the power to the instrument cluster. Make sure the fuse for the instruments is clean and secure first. Then pull the cluster and clean ALL the contacts on everything with DeOxit or Cramolin. Check the ground connections to the chassis and make sure they are all clean and solid. A lot of the older clusters had problems with NiCd batteries inside that failed, and with cold solder joints. By 1998 you shouldn't be seeing those problems, although you might be seeing problems from the cheaper electrolytic capacitors that BMW started using. Most of the problems with the cluster, though, turn out to be corroded contacts somewhere. You can probably get a replacement cluster from a junkyard at a reasonable price if you can't find the problem. >The window and >sunroof works when the want also. they mainly wrk when the key is use >to lock or unlock the car instead of the remote. There are no check >engine lights on the dash. Get the wiring diagram and see what they have in common. Odds are there is one relay controling both of them, possibly related to the locking system, and that's where to start looking. Get out a test lamp and start checking the power at each step along the way, working from the button panel for the sunroof and working back to the battery, using the diagram in the manual. > I dont want to go change a bunch of things when it may be a computer >problem or one of the BMW chronic problem you only here about when it >happens to you. I know it could be the fuel sending unit, speed >sensor, but it could also be the unit the collects this data before >sending it to the cluster that is bad.. This is at least two different things. But I believe on your car, everything related to your first set of problems is happening inside the cluster. This is why bad connections at the cluster or bad power or ground for the cluster can cause a whole variety of issues. --scott  Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." >1998 e39 bmw 528i sedan. The speedometer DO NOT read at all. The gas >gauge is not reading correct, it would read 3/4 tank but you would run [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Any advise on what to checkout would be helpful Generally the BMW instrument units have cheap capacitors and they have a tendency to blow out and leak over the PCB in the unit. Can be easily fixed with a little confidence, a soldering iron and some decent capacitors. Sun roof problems are generally down to crap ground connections, burnt out switches and/or a dodgy control module. See if the motor runs when connected directly to a battery. SignatureSir Hugh of Bognor The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it! Hugh Gundersen hsg@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK > 1998 e39 bmw 528i sedan. The speedometer DO NOT read at all. The gas > gauge is not reading correct, it would read 3/4 tank but you would run [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Any advise on what to checkout would be helpful I had similar problems with an e30 speedometer and gas gauge. I replaced some blown fuses,then they worked, make sure your fuses are good. |
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