jochen

True, all E39s have immobilisers in them that communicate to a transponder chip inside each key. Impossible to start without a key - so the thief must have found the keys

What model car and what model Sony? Is it asking for a security code? Are the fuses OK? Including the fuse on the radio. Jochen

Yeah but I remember hooning up the Austrian Alps in the snow in my front-wheel drive light-weight Fiat Tipo passing all the BMWs and Mercedes who had to stop to fit chains :-) It was a fun little car, but you could never pull it apart and put it together again without breaking something....

Sounds like it could be low fuel pressure. I had a Fiat Tipo once with a fuel pump so clogged that it couldn't deliver sufficient fuel pressure to feed the engine under load. I used to get to 90kmph OK on the motorway and then struggle to go any faster because It couldn't feed the engine fast enough. Doing a pressure check with a pressure gauge told me immediately what the problem was - way too low fuel pressure. so get your fuel pressure checked.

Yep. Lift the trim, expose the switch and the connector, swap the wires in the connector.

Cheap as chips in Deutschland Around $300 landed price in NZ, for a DVD player with remote control, that you can connect to the existing TV system in your BMW. Plays all known media. Connects to external AV in on the TV tuner. I'm gonna fit this one to a BMW Range Rover when it arrives, I'll take some photos when I do it. Jochen

Got a ex-Japan E38 or E39 or E46 or X5 with nav? I can get it going for you - $700 for Bimmersport members. For cars from 09/1998 onwards PM me if interested. Jochen

If you need wiring diagram help, I've got the 500 pages of wiring info for these generation cars, so once we identify the car properly, I can tell you what all the wires do etc PS: that's 500 pages PER CAR. Lots of detail.

Well done with the oil pressure wire. Easy fix, when you know where to look! The Check Engine light is on the same fuse as the oil pressure light. It connects directly to the engine DME (Digital Motor Electronics, or engine ECU) It is a grey wire, goes from the instrument cluster (pin 16) to pin 8 of X20 (engine bay connector) and then to pin 8 of X6000 (DME plug) It is a grey wire, with no stripe. To test the circuit: Turn ignition off, then unplug the DME unit. The DME is located on the rear right-hand side of the engine compartment. Locate pin 8, with the grey wire on it. Turn ignition to On, then use a piece of wire to connect the grey wire to ground This should illuminate the Check Engine light. If it doesn't check the light bulb is properly seated in its housing, no dirty contacts etc There is a possibility that your DME is not designed to activate the Check Engine light, you may find that the grey wire is missing - this is just a thought, as my E39 540i does not activate the Check Engine light, simply because ex-Japan E39 540i's don't have this function. US and Canadian ones do. Jochen

Oil pressure light is on the same fuse (F27, 5A) as the park brake, alternator, ABS, check engine and brake fluid lamps. If any of these are going, the fuse is OK. The wire to the oil pressure switch is a brown/green wire. That means brown with a green stripe. The wire goes direct from the instrument cluster to the switch, which is on the engine. The oil pressure switch is on the RH front of engine below the intake manifold, To test the light, disconnect the oil pressure switch wire, and connect the brown/green wire to any convienient ground (chassis, car body) point. When grounded, the oil pressure light will illuminate. If the light goes, then your oil pressure switch will be faulty. Jochen

Changing that is as easy as swapping two wires around in the shifter electrical switch Then you'll get what you want. It's a common mod on the E39s. You just have to remember the label on the shifter is opposite - or change to a newer version label - if available. Jochen

Honda Odyssey with sport floor mats and staggered rear seats Mods: front H badge self-removed to reduce weight, bumper trim carefully removed with a lamppost to aid the styling, special floor treatment (childrens-detrius) fitted to discourage hubby from driving.

Use BMW GT-1 diagnostic software and check it has the latest version software fitted. Oh yeah - you need to go to BMW (or a independent BMW shop) to do that.

Normal small 12V illumination bulbs. Remove one and have a look. Some have special mounting bases, if so, you need to go to BMW for replacement bulbs. The mounting base colour denotes the wattage of the bulb. BM Workshop will also sell the bulbs at cheaper prices than BMW

See here: TradeMe listing for E39 in-dash CD Player Being sold by my good self :-)

See my listing on TradeMe: E39 CD Player Enjoy! Jochen

The key contains 3 functions: 1. Mechanical key 2. Infra-red remote control 3. immobiliser #1 can be cut from a blank key #2 can be re-synchronised #3 can only be enabled by a BMW dealer with the diagnostic computer

Well - they never made E39s in 2004. The last production date for the E39 540i sedan was June 2003 And the broken taillight is from a pre-1999 model Get the chassis number to confirm, but to me it looks much older than 2003 Plus did you notice it has a broken wing mirror?

Wonderful!. That's a good way to do it. No issues at all with having the video module switched to the reverse camera input, doesn't change / damage anything Jochen

BMW stereo connections are standardised. They have been the same for over 10 years. The wiring is identical. If the plug is the right size, it will fit. The wiring will be correct. The one wire you may not have existing on an old car is the ibus wire, which you will need for the interface. If that is the case, just fit a new pin & wire to the empty socket on the plug. Jochen

Fix the misfire first and foremost. Something is not right with your engine, get it properly serviced and tuned. At the very least, new air filter and spark plugs - use the proper type for your car. Check for no air leaks in any of the vacuum lines. Check for proper compression on each and every cylinder. Check that all the emission control systems are working and clean, you may need to clean your ICV (idle control valve), ECV (emission control valve), PCV (positive crankcase venitlation valve) if you have them. Use carburetor cleaner. Once your engine is running right, then check your fuel consumption again. If still low, consider a new oxygen sensor - if they are old, consumption can go up, due to aging chemicals in the O2 sensor. All of the above is generic for any engine - most will apply to yours. J.

Wonderful! Left-hand reverse light = white with yellow stripe Right-hand reverse light = black with green stripe When it is getting old, yes, can do. Put it on an overnight charge on a battery charger. Use an automatic charger that will reduce the charge current as the battery comes up to full charge. Consider giving the battery a full charge once a week for the next month or so. Monitor the charge status window on the battery for the next few weeks - green is good, black is bad. If you get a lot of black, consider getting a new battery On the internet, everyone knows your name...

using 60L to drive 420km = 14.3L/100km I achieve the same economy with my 4.4L V8 :-) You'd expect around <9L/100km from a 6 cylinder engine of 2 to 2.5L size. Which makes >666km per 60L tank I saw a 3.0L E39 wagen which was averaging 8.6L/100km today. 8.6L/100km = 700km from a 60L tank Of course, your engine tune might be perfect, and you may just have a very heavy right foot. In which case, if you drove my car, you'd use 30L per 100km !!!

Oops,thats an old fan. Current fan (part #5 below) is 64546921395, still USD $335.92

Order a fan from the USA, heaps cheaper than here Even US price = $335 US for the PUSHER FAN 64548380780 But check the part number required for your car. Post your chassis number and I'll give you the right part number and USD price for the fan Jochen