RustyItalian

Are you talking front or rear suspension? Fronts didn't look bad at all last I looked. Can't say I've looked that close at the rear. Cheers

Hey My 2000 E39 has a clunk from the passenger side that I'm trying to track. Sounds like an internal noise, from the driver's seat I swear it's from the rear door. Had the door panel off at the weekend and while it needed the capping glued back down (hot glue gun to the rescue) I couldn't find anything wrong. Are there any locations that tend to make noise on the E39? My next attack would be the B pillar but that appears to be more of a mission. Richard

My 2000 E39 528i (with TV) has a DIN 66 and all I can say it is crap. The dodgy heater hedgehog sucking power didn't help matters but (with that fixed) the car has failed to start even after short periods of sitting. As little as 20 minutes will be enough to stop the car cranking. The Exide battery is less than 2 years old so I'll be off soon to get it replaced under warranty (a bigger one of course).

Thanks for the response, that's the type of head up I was hoping for. That's the resistor block on the heater module? Common Toyota failure point too. I have the full climate AC so I'll pay some attention to what it is doing. Will also turn the fan off before switching engine off. Where's my multimeter...

All I've had a 2000 E39 528i for three months and over that time it has drained the battery four times. Sometimes it happens overnight, sometimes while I'm at work. Seems totally random. All doors are closed and all accessories off as far as I know. No alarm fitted or anything non-factory to draw current. The battery has a date stamp of 11-08 and appears to be a sealed DIN66. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this? Being intermittant it is hard to find a source of the current draw (if that is the cause). I will pull the battery when I get a chance to check acid levels if possible and have it checked out. I have jumper leads in the boot and can generally sort it out, but don't want this happening when the wife has it... Richard

Also found my car was not prewired for phone. Damn.

Well I've been digging, the options on these things are damn complex. My car has a black squarish plug and a flat white plug at the top of the LH rear wheel arch. Harness 61128377438 is plugged into it and goes nowhere (One 20 pin black plug and one 7 pin green plug). The car has the VICS module installed (picks up current traffic issues in Japan only, see VICS info. It is not plugged in though (16 pin black plug). I don't think my car had nav fitted as it is not on the option list I got from BMW for my VIN and the luggage compartment door does not have the cutout for the NAV CD module. However, if I understand what I've read correctly I can simply plug in a Japanese Nav CD module and the system will all operate (in Japanese without NZ maps). I have played with a workmates 2000 528i who has this ex-Japan. I would need to get a later model radio module and export NAV CD module (with NZ maps) for the system to work here. Correct? My car was produced 11/99 so I believe it had the Mk II NAV system. Richard

Here are some pics. The interior one is of trademe so notthe best.

Makes sense. Seems they replaced the front pads but not the sensor.

My dash is telling me to check brake linings and the red exclamation light is on all the time. Front pads are good but the pad sensor is open circuit. The rear pads are low and the pad sensor is closed circuit. Tried the manual and it didn't show if the sensors should be open circuit or closed circuit?

Checked all fuses and all are good. Both feeds mentioned are 12VDC at radio box in boot. Disconnecting battery didn't help. Mucking around pushed volume button and it came to life. Oh FFS, didn't even know that turned it off... So that is all solved! There is unused wiring behind the amp and CD changer so perhaps previous owner removed nav?

Japan spec E39 528i with self dimming rear view mirror. Car does not have the factory alarm. Do these cars have the LED installed in the IR sensor on the rear view mirror? I think I can see it in there but cannot get the red cover off. If so, where can the wires be found under the dash? I want to use it for an alarm.

Car has following audio options: 602 on board monitor with TV. 676 HIFI speaker system. 694 Preparation for cd changer.

Hello all Just bought a metallic blue 2000 E39 528i and drove it from CHC to Auckland. Great test drive! Higher kms but runs really well so I'm very happy. Well specced with BMW individual leather and factory 17's. Still figuring the car out, far more complex than anything I've had before, not engine wise but body systems wise. About the first car I've had that I didn't want to modify. I would like a 16:9 TV though! Richard

First post! Just bought a 2000 E39 528i Jap import with 4:3 TV, radio and CD changer. No phone, DSP or navigation. What is the code for this setup as the huge variety of E39 systems has confused the hell out of me?! Pulled the trunk lining off to check radio module numbers and found a band expander. Explained the crap radio reception. Reassembled and now the radio won’t work. Weird. Symptoms: TV works. Volume works (including steering wheel). Eject button makes whirring noise (cassette was jammed in when I got it, I got it out but deck is kaput). Other buttons don’t have any response. No radio or CD. Obviously I’ve checked all fuses, found one of the radio ones blown. Replaced and still won’t work. Radio module has a 12VDC feed still (band expander is tapped into it). Any suggestions about where to troubleshoot next? Richard