jochen

When the chaffing occurs various wires can touch the chassis and cause many unpredictable problems that appear to have no correlation whatsoever. I recall clearly the service bulltin showed where the wiring loom went along the wheel arch (inside) and over a sharp piece of metal. Here was where the chaffing occured. To inspect, remove wheel and wheel arch trim to reveal wiring loom. Inspect carefully for damage. Repair damaged wires and also insulate and protect against further chaffing But Glenn at Botany Motor Works will know about this. I have also fixed chaffed wires on the rear parcel tray causing the speaker to short out to chassis, switching on the protection circuits of the radio, causing no radio sound on any speakers. So depending on the units affected, chaffing can have hugely differeing effects.

The E39 does not have a rechargable battery in the instrument cluster like the E34 and E36 have. So your problem due to failled instrument cluster battery is not related in any way whatsoever to the OPs problem.

Why don't you consult the Electrical Trouble-Shooting Manual (BMW ETM)? PM me your email and I'll send you a copy (PDF file) Tell me what year and model (1992 318is etc) and I can send you the full wiring diagram I would suggest you need 2 x diagrams: One for your car One for the donor vehicle Then you can print and sit down with the diagrams side by side and compare differences.

I can tell you how to do that: 1. Put fingers on fuse 2. Pull out 3. Insert new fuse Tools required: Fingers Parts required: standard automotive blade fuse, 7.5A I think (its written on it) You don't need to go to a stereo installer to do what you can do in 10 seconds with no tools...

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. It looks pretty minor. The red bit is a fuse - replace it with a new fuse, check the fuse older still looks OK Pick out the bits of broken off plastic and straighten any that aren't fully broken off None of the pins look damaged - and they are really robust anyway The locking pins for the connector lock are still present It looks like it'll be fine - I've had radios in a similar condition and electrically they were still OK. Just a little bit of broken plastic behind the radio, where it will never be seen... I was worried the CD changer connector was damaged, but that is untouched Be glad the damage was to the rear of the radio, and not to the front panel......

PS: an american company makes special strenghener kits, highly trecommended if you drive these cars (or E46s) hard, especially if you want to race them. However the strenghthener kit needs to be fitted BEFORE total failure of the subframe mounting points...!!

Common problem on vehicles that are driven hard. Happens with early (pre 2002 I think) E46s as well. Continuous flexing of subframe due to motor torque causes metal fatigure which then results in total failue of the mounting points. Doesn't happen if old ladies drive slowly and carefully. Happens when young lads drive cars hard and drop the clutch a lot. If you took the car to a warrent station today they would slap a sticker on the car declaring it dangerous and forcing it off the road immediately until repaired. Do everyone on the road a favour - please don't drive your car. It is not considered safe by any stretch of the imagination. You have a critical problem that affects major drivetrain components and makes your vehicle very unsafe. My Australian mate had the same problem on his E46 M3. Was repaired under warranty by BMW Australia as the car was less than 5 years old. He showed me photos of the process. Repair normally involves cutting out and fitting new floor section as follows Remove rear bumper Remove rear subframe and diff and complete drivechain assembly back to gearbox. Remove exhaust system Remove petrol tank Remove EVERY electronic control unit from the car (due to welding) Remove all airbags Remove rear seats, and all boot trim and fittings Cut out old floor section with gas torch etc Fit new floor section (brand new, not old, which may also have metal fatigue) and weld into place (this is why ALL electronic control units are removed) Fit special spray-and-expand space-age foam between sandwhich sections of floor where subframe mounts to increase rigidity and reduce flexing. Prepare, paint underbody and interior, and reassemble everything Wheel alignment also required. You have to question whether this is worth it for a 16 year old car. Maybe you need to consider wrecking the car for parts, and buying a new car. Get a newer BMW And I know what part of any new car you'll be carefully checking with an inspection lamp....

Sounds like a chaffing wiring loom in the wheel arch / engine bay. Specifically as you have multiple systems being affect for no apparent logical reason. Checking all fuses first - and carefully noting which if any fuses have blown - is a key step to diagnosing the problem. Also, having a copy of the FULL wiring diagram for your vehicle is essential. Luckily, it is all available online here: http://wds.west.lv/release/en/index.htm Don't even start to repair it if the repairer does not have the full WDS (Wiring Diagram System) and if he is not aware of how to use the WDS. Using the WDS will save a huge amount of time in tracking down the problem. There are BMW service bulletins that discuss these problems and how to identify and rectify the fault - I remember reading it once. I just tried to find it in TIS but couldn't. The repair is quite easy as long as the wiring loom is not too badly damaged. What area of the engine bay did the smell come from? When repairing it, take it to someone who knows the problems and has the service bulletins describing the fault, and access to the WDS. Otherwise they'll spend way too long looking for the problem without knowing where and what to look for. ie: only go to a BMW shop Either Botany Motor Works (Sth Akld) or BM Workshop (central Akld), both these places will have dealt with this problem before and they REALLY know there stuff. When dealing with a high-tech specialised car like a BMW, don't use a generic local garage. Use the experts. Cheaper because they know their stuff and have seen all problems before.

Dashboard illumination brightness is controlled by a pulse-width modulation signal which comes from the LSZ (Light Switching Centre) The illumination is terminal 58G, the red wire with a green stripe. NOTE: Never put 12V on this wire! You'll overpower the illumination LEDs and burn them out. The illumination signal goes to all switches and controls that are illuminated: eg: cigarette lighter, door switches, heater controls, radio, and all switches. The illumination is fed by the LSZ (Light Switching Centre) which is immediately behind the light switch - when the headlight switch is removed, the whole LSZ comes out with it. It is easy to remove: pry off the trim panela round the light switch, undo the screws, and then the switch + LSZ slides out. When you turn the dash illumination adjustment, it alters the pulse-width modulation on the 58G illumination wire. Your problem will be either: 1. Faulty or failling LSZ. If you are comfortable with electronics, you could dismantle it and resolder all components that get hot, or are large (electrolytic capacitors, transistors, etc) 2. A simple dirty potentionmeter in the illumination control. dismantle the LSZ to gain access to the illumination control. Spray contact cleaner or good old CRC (a little, not a lot!) into the dimmer potentiometer and then move the pot through its range to spread the contact cleaner around and clean the contact surfaces. See if it helps. It has worked wonders for me many times with older, dirty pots in many electronic items. Sometimes through the pot can be so sirty or corroded or oxidised that no spary will help forever. Then replacement of the pot is the only cure. 3. Bad connection on the 58G illumination signal (red/green wire) as it is distributed throughout the vehicle. Monitoring which lights are affected and then referring to the wiring diagram will help you find the intermittent connection. If the variation of the illumination only affects SOME but not ALL of the illuminated switches etc at the same time, then you must have a faulty wire connection in the red/green wire. Be aware that some displays (radio, climate control, instrument cluster) have a photo sensor which alters the brightness of the display based on ambient light levels. So these displays may not react as quickly to a change in the PWM illumination signal, and they may mask a rapid fluctuation of the PWM signal, which might make itself visible on eg a switch illumination, but not on the radio display. You can also test the instrument cluster illumination as follows: System test (Test No. 2):This system test facilitates simple visual assessment of the instrument cluster (pointer instruments, displays, lighting, warning lamps and indicator lamps). Selecting system test function The system test is started by pressing the left-hand button in the instrument cluster (trip recorder reset button. The button must be pressed and held with the ignition lock in "0" position, now turn the ignition lock to position "1" (terminal R radio setting) and release the button. When "tESt 1." appears in the display press the button once again, "tESt 2." now appears. After a short period of time, the display changes to "tESt 2.0". The system test can now be started by pressing the button once again. By switching the terminals, ignition lock from position "1" (terminal R radio setting) to position "2", the two-coloured indicator lamps are activated yellow and red. On completion of the system test, it can be repeated by pressing the button once more. These elements are: All pointer instruments (pointers are moved once over their indication range) All LC displays with a segment test and their background lighting Indicator and warning lamps for: High beam Oil pressure (red) (ignition lock in position 2/terminal 15) or Oil level (yellow (ignition lock in position 1/terminal R) ASC Front/rear fog lights Windscreen washer fluid level "CHECK ENGINE" EML (EPC) / MDK Coolant level Brake pad wear Tyre pressure control Cruise control Belt warning Fuel reserve Coolant high temperature Left/right direction indicators Windscreen washer fluid level Shift indicator (if automatic transmission is coded) Cruise control (Tempomat) cut-in Battery charge indicator lamp General brake warning lamp (at terminal 15) All test functions, apart from test numbers one and two, are interlocked and must be released by means of test function number nineteen. Selecting test functions The test functions are started by pressing the left-hand button in the instrument cluster (trip recorder reset button. The button must be pressed and held with the ignition lock in "0" position, now turn the ignition lock to position "1" (terminal R radio setting) and release the button. Once " tESt 1. " appears in the display the required test can be selected by pressing the button. " tESt 2. " " tESt 3. " " tESt 4. " etc. now appear in the display. After a short time, the display changes to " tESt x.0 " (x stands for selected test group), by pressing the button once again, it is possible to switch to another test in the test group or, as in the system test, start the respective test. If the test is a locked test (test 3 to 21) the lock is released with test 19 by pressing the trip recorder button when "_L_oFF" appears in the display. The display then jumps to test 0 so that the corresponding test group can be selected by briefly pressing the button.

If you have the colour LCD screen then your car will also have some or all of the following functions: Radio (can be made to work in NZ, either reprogram or replace depending on age) Television (works in NZ) Navigation (can be made to work in NZ by changing the nav computer) Telephone (can be made to work in NZ by changing the phoen module)

A couple more points: If you retain the Jap nav unit, you can only use the Business single-tuner Euro OG radio If you upgrade to the Euro nav unit at the same time, you can fit the Professional twin-tuner Euro OG radio. Professional is simply the best, that's what I had Do you have DSP? Some older cars had DSP wiring which prevented use of the Professional tuner. Do you have Telephone? If Telephone is fitted, this can also be made to work in NZ if you want.

Yes, I have done lots of these. You can a) change the radio to NZ-spec b ) change the navigation to NZ-spec Everything can be made to work. Because you have a pre-2001 car, you have the old generation radio (OG). This cannot be reprogrammed. But it is plug and play with a Euro-model OG radio. I suggest you buy a replacement radio module on eBay Germany or from Grant (hotwire). Do not buy from US! US-radio is also different to NZ spec and won't work properly in NZ. Only purchase from ,hotwire', or from NZ, Australia, UK or mainland Europe. Nav can also work if you want, you have to swap the nav computer. I had a 1997 E39 540i from Japan and I had fully working NZ nav and NZ radio (and of course TV, but I am sure you have already got that going) I had 10 x TV channels in my car in Auckland :-) Then I also hooked up my video iPod to watch movies on the TV screen, it was fantastic. Very easy and low-cost to connect a video source (like DVD player, video iPod, playstation, etc)

I'd add the intravee II iPod integration, because there's is the best Get whatever you like. Google "E38 speaker upgrade" and you'll find tons of references. I've never heard the Bavarian speakers myself, I left my E39 with stock original speakers. Keep it. It's original and adds value if you ever resell the car. The mount will be fine. The compatibility is whether you have the Aux In on the radio for the iPod to connect to. There were a few generations of different radios, you have one of the earliest. Plus the CD changer control protocol changed from direct connection to ibus. For the iPod control you need the ibus CD changer, which may mean swapping out the radio (which controls the CD changer) When adding iPod you need to patch it into one of the existing audio inputs: tape or CD, as there was no Aux In on your model E38. Most people sacrifice the CD changer.

Easy isn't it? Is the stereo properly in Europe mode? Make sure it is not in USA mode...

Good! I whole heartedly agree with you. I would start, and probably stop, at replacing the stock speakers with decent after-market speakers. Lots of people, especially in the US, have done this and the difference is amazing. Bear in mind the following: The front speakers are a 3-way setup. Behind the top grill are a mid range and a tweeter. The midrange is impossible to find as an aftermarket replacement, so most people replace the front door bass and tweeter speakers. And the rear woofer and tweeters. These guys here have a good reputation for speakers for the E38: http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product/...e-E38-7-Series/ In fact what they offer is plug and play, the speakers have the exact right connectors for the BMW, all you do is unbolt the old, bolt in the new, no wiring or cutting of connectors required. Note that the kit replaces tweeters and bass only, the midrange stays in place. Ask then if their kit also replaces the subwoofer speakers. Also check if you have a car telephone - in the early cars, the phone sound comes from the drivers speaker, using a special speaker with dual voice coils. You loose this capability when replacing the speaker. The solution is to then fit a separate phone speaker under the dash, hooked into the original phone wiring. Price for the BSW kit is USD $500, plus whatever the shipping will be from US to NZ. As long as you don't have 2 x left hands, you should be able to fit it yourself easily. Buy some at the same time, and use as required. Whether you need it or not depends on the rattliness of your car. My E39 didn't rattle or vibrate at all with the stereo on full volume. The first bad effects I heard were the speakers bottoming out, creating bass beat distortion. This problem goes away when new speakers are fitted. Then with the rest of your money decide on what sort of subwoofer you want. Due to regulations, you cannot cur into the rear parcel tray of the car - this is a structural member and your car will be non-warrantable afterwards. So for subwoofers, you need to either fit a box in the boot, or replace the spare wheel with a custom-made sparewheel subwoofer - all depends on how much boot space you are willing to loose.

You already have a 120 watt per channel system with DSP The DSP amplifier, currently fitted to your car, drives each speaker via a separate amplifier. So you already have 12 x speakers and 12 x amplifiers. One of the best upgrades you can do to the sound system is just replace the spealers with modern speakers. The rest of the system is pretty good. Add another subwoofer if you want (you already have a standard BMW subwoofer fitted) and use the existing DSP amp subwoofer outputs to drive the new subwoofer amp. Be aware that the setup is complex. Consult the wiring diagram for your car (all available online) if you want to tap into any cables etc. Do not consider replacing the headunit, as the whole integration of the radio, the DSP amp, the DSP controller, the MID, the steering wheel controls, and the multiple AM and FM antennas (ffor diversity reception) is a well engineered system that simply cannot be replicated by anything after-market.

Depends what audio setup you have: With navigation / TV screen: radio and CD changer and all wiring is in boot. With standard audio CD player or tape in dash (no TV): the CD changer wiring goes from the dash to the CD changer in the boot. If you want to cut the cables, you could tap into the CD changer wiring in the dash board The best iPod integration by a country mile is the Intravee II with the Alpine iPod interface. 100% full iPod control from your BMW radio, complete with song titles etc, as long as you have the MID or the TV screen.

And all I do is copy and paste from here I guess its all about knowing where to look and how to read the info... <grin>

Correct :-) So you have no power. Doubt it is a blown fuse as F9 supplies the GM, the LSZ, the brake light switch and the clutch switch module. You'd have more problems than just steering wheel if F9 was blown. I suspect the wheel was fitted to a car with originally non-MFL, and the necessay wiring is missing. Correct. All the radio buttons will work immediately, no other special work required. Provided, of course, that the necessary cables are fitted... But getting it working would be very easy.... fit the wiring loom and plug in (if it is missing) and of course ensure the volute spring is fitted Maybe the volute spring is faulty? Easy to fix... Anyway, to inspect, take the steering column trim off and look for the volute switch and wiring loom to steering wheel. Look for anything non-original in case the paddle wheel shift was a mickey mouse add on. Take photos of what you see - from both sides of steering column - and post here or PM me. Cruise control 2 (GR 2) <h3 class="subsection2">Applications</h3> The cruise control 2 (GR 2) system is a further development of the autarkic speed control (GR 1).It is used as of E38 and in subsequent series with the exception of cars equipped with electronic engine management (EML) and diesel vehicles with digital diesel electronics (DDE). The cruise control enables constant driving for speed above 30 km/h irrespective of the type of terrain.Additional functions facilitate convenient speed increase or speed decrease as well as making it possible to drive at a stored speed value. <h3 class="subsection2">Functional principle</h3> The cruise control system consists of the operating unit, the control electronics and the electric motor-driven actuator. The control and operating signals necessary for cruise control are supplied to the control electronics.The throttle position is corrected with the electric motor-driven actuator in order to adjust the driving speed during controlled constant driving to the required set speed value or to change the driving speed during controlled driving.The actuator is controlled by the electronic control system. The feedback of the actuator position to the electronic control system closes the control circuit for positioning the throttle. When driving is uncontrolled, the throttle is controlled directly by the accelerator pedal.The accelerator pedal always has priority in the throttle open direction (also when cruise control is active).Driving with cruise control is interrupted by a number of different switch-off conditions, e.g. pressing the brake pedal or the clutch pedal. Note The cruise control GR 2 is connected directly to a diagnosis link.In the case of faults during the diagnostic procedure, the diagnosis link must be checked between the diagnosis socket and the control unit for cruise control. <h3 class="subsection2">Variants</h3> Depending on the vehicle type, vehicle equipment level and country-specific variant, the cruise control is operated either via an operating unit integrated in the steering wheel (multifunction steering wheel, MFL) or with the steering column switch.Operation with the steering column switch can take place with or without the main switch.A further differentiation is made between the type of transmission installed (manual or automatic transmission) and the type of brake light switch (electronic or mechanical). (end quote) there is more info but for the sake of brevity i just copied the first section. If your car never had cruise control fitted, then you will need: 1. Actuator 2. Clutch switch (manual) 3. Applicable wiring 4. Coding Can all be retrofitted, get a copy of the retrofit instructions to understand exactly what is required.

Look at the search history. Selling prices vary from around $75 to $500 depending on model and source. Reverse RDS = noone wants them (in NZ or Germany!) They make a good choice for a car dealer or if you are selling your E46 and want a working radio in the hole. Business RDS Cassette = good cheap choice if an existing CD changer is fitted in the boot Business RDS CD = good choice for yourself if you have no CD changer and don't play tapes Professional RDS = best choice if you want the best of the best and are prepared to treat yourself to the highest-performing radio that BMW offered at the time.

The MFL (Multi-Funktion Lenkrad, or multi-function steering wheel) connects direct to the k-bus through the right button pad. The k-bus is the databus that carries all the data commands for the stereo and infotainment system and most of the body electronics on the E46. The radio commands are sent down the k-bus to the radio. To check if the kbus is working to the steering wheel, check the following: 1. Illumination. If this works, then the power and ground wires to the MFL button pad are working. If no illumination, check fuse F9 (5A). This powers the MFL electronics incl cruise control buttons. 2. Check all buttons except cruise control. If any single button works, the k-bus must be working 3. Check cruise control buttons. If these work, the power supply to the MFL is OK, and the FGRS wire is OK (cruise control connection to motor electronics). You can also use my NavCoder software to monitor the actual commands on the kbus to see if the MFL is sending commands - if it is and the radio is not responding, then the kbus wire to the radio needs checking, and possibly the kbus interface inside the radio. I once had a radio where the kbus line inside the radio had corrosion on it from a leaking capacitor. The MFL cruise control uses a separate databus direct to the motor electronics, but is powered from the same fuse (F9). No cruise control = maybe bad fuse. The volute spring (slip-ring system) can also fail, causing wire breakages in the wires to the MFL. If illumination and cruise control work, then maybe the volute spring has a broken kbus wire. The full wiring diagram for your car can be viewed online here: BMW WDS for E46 Internet Explorer only. Steering wheel is under Complete vehicle - Chassis - Steering Or the volute spring is under Component and signal information - I_Components of outside manufacturer - I01002 volute spring This also shows the SMG wiring for the paddle switches. Any speaker can fail from overdriving the bass which overextends the speaker cone and ruins it over time. First check the door pockets for anything that may vibrate. Then open the door panels and look for physical vibration. Check all bolted-on items are tight, and that no screws are loose. Then check each speaker/door one by one (use balance/fader) to isolate any physical vibrations in the materials in the door. Try padding etc to reduce vibrations. If the speakers are knackered replacement is the only cure. In this case consider after-market speakers as a possible sound upgrade option. A band expander is a small tin box or inline round housing which is attached inline with the antenna connector, and then has a single power wire as well. Normally fitted to the back of the radio. to tell if you have one: a) is yours an ex-Japan radio (display only to max 90.0 on FM) but can you listen to stations higher than 90MHz? Like National radio? If so, a band expander is fitted. Here's my solution to band expanders 1. Remove band expander 2. Repair damaged wiring 3. Place band expander in front of a rear wheel (left or right in accordance with preference) 4. Place vehicle in first gear, rev to approx 3000 RPM 5. Drop the clutch The band expander has now had the treatment it deserves.

I am not familiar with the Alpine 9835. I just looked at a picture on ebay. In my opinion, it would look totally wrong in a BMW. And also IMHO, speakers have much more impact on sound quality than the stereo.

2 x tuners means One tuner is locked to the station you are listening to The 2nd tuner will be a) checking the alternative frequencies of the current station monitoring for traffic bulletins on a different FM station c) scanning the FM band, automatically picking up current stations and populating the station button list. Thus when on AM, you can still receive FM traffic bulletins The above features are RDS functions which are extremely common in Europe, and more and more common in NZ. My current car - 2007 VW Passat - has a twin tuner design and means that I can monitor traffic bulletins even when on AM. Where I am, traffic bulletins are very useful - on Wed night this week there was a 4-hour traffic jam. So knowing about it meant you could avoid it. With a single tuner design, the radio can only monitor traffic bulletins on the current station, so no traffic info on AM. Also, the RDS alternativefrequency retuning has audible gaps when on the edge of a coverage area as the tuner switches to another frequency to look for a stronger signal. Only the best radios have the twin tuner design.

And remember the E46 radio comes in 3 x types: Reverse RDS. radio/tape, no CD changer control, 12-watt amplifier. Single tuner design. Business RDS; radio/tape or radio/CD, with CD changer control. Tape has 12-watt amp, CD has 25-watt hgh-power amp. Single tuner design. Professional RDS: CD, CD changer control, twin tuner design, high-power amp. The very best model.

Yes, there definitely is a market in NZ. I know the situation well. No after-market stereo can match the BMW OEM stereo, as ONLY the BMW stereo can control the original BMW antenna amplifier and diversity switch. The E46 has 2 or 3 FM antennas (depending on E46 model) and the stereo decides which antenna to use and tells the antenna switch to change antennas. No aftermarket stereo has this ability. So add an after market stereo and the antenna switch stays on one antenna, and FM performance will reduce dramatically, which really shows up if you live in out-country areas where FM signal strength is low. Plus the original BMW stereo offers: 1. perfect integration with colour, design, and ease-of-use 2. Speed dependent volume 3. RDS 4. Steering wheel controls 5. Telephone integration with BMW telephone 6. Control of the original BMW CD changer in the boot Not all aftermarket stereos can offer these functions And the original BMW stereo is a high-quality Blaupunkt or Alpine unit (depending on model). The construction and components used are very very good. I'm a radio tech and have worked around car stereos for over 20 years, so I can recognise cheap crap and good quality easily. I always recommend fitting the original BMW unit. As for replacing the radio, you only need to remove the trim around the radio. I use a plastic bicycle tyre lever. Lever the trim up evenly across the length of the trim, otherwise the pegs may break off. Then the radio can be removed by undoing 2 x screws. The security ocde function in these radios is automatic; no code entry or programming required in an E46. Just plug it in and it works. Put the radio in a non-BMW and it won't work :-) Remember, if the car has a band expander and you are fitting a NZ-band BMW radio: make sure you remove the band expander and repair any damaged wiring before the new radio goes it. Remember also: the OG radios are market dependent: Europe, USA, Japan and Oceania. ONLY the Europe and Oceania radios work in NZ. So when buying a non-programmable OG radio, you MUST get a European or Oceanian model. I always got the European radios from Germany or the UK, because they had RDS and the Oceania models didn't. With NG radios, you can change the AREA setting to Europe, and thus purchase of a NG radio from the USA is OK. Luckily, NG and OG radios are immediately distinguishable just by looking at the front panel. Enjoy your forray into swapping out Japan BMW radios for European models :-)