More Dash Light Related Problems

[Muzzie 0]

Ok, well after removing the dash board to find out if the oil light bulb was blown, I found it aint.

And I found the check engine light bulb doesn't go either.

Neither of these light up at all - but the bulbs work cause I swapped them between different lights. And I stole a spare one and got the seatbelt light to work Lol.

But anyways, any thoughts as to why neither the oil pressure light or the check light don't work? I don't know how long they haven't worked for, but i'd really rather they did.

Thanks

(once again - car is E36 318iS M42 motor auto)

Edited July 15, 2007 by Muzzie

[MADBMA 0]

well if its not the bulb id look at fuses,(not sure if theres a fuse for them) if thats all good i think youd have to start tracing the wire back which is a rather big job, electrical troubleshootings not for the faint hearted

[Muzzie 0]

well if its not the bulb id look at fuses,(not sure if theres a fuse for them) if thats all good i think youd have to start tracing the wire back which is a rather big job, electrical troubleshootings not for the faint hearted

Well theres no obviously blown fuses, and tracing I can do but to be honest I really rather not lol.

I'm not as worried about the check light, it'd be nice to have it working but I guess it's probably run off an ECu or a computer somewhere and so theres unlikely I can do anything about it, but still thought it was worth asking just in case it's something simple someones come across before.

The oil light however I really would rather have, and I can get around that by putting in my own oil light, if I can find the switch........which would be where??

[jochen 4]

Well theres no obviously blown fuses, and tracing I can do but to be honest I really rather not lol.

I'm not as worried about the check light, it'd be nice to have it working but I guess it's probably run off an ECu or a computer somewhere and so theres unlikely I can do anything about it, but still thought it was worth asking just in case it's something simple someones come across before.

The oil light however I really would rather have, and I can get around that by putting in my own oil light, if I can find the switch........which would be where??

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

[Muzzie 0]

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

Eureka!

Found the switch and found that Einstein hasn't plugged it in, so traced some of the wiring that was in that vincinity and found the plug dangling round one of the intake manifold pipes. Untangled that and plugged it in and it works!

Cool!

Now, if only I could sort out why the 'CHECK' light doesn't go at all.

[jochen 4]

Now, if only I could sort out why the 'CHECK' light doesn't go at all.

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

[Muzzie 0]

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

This one came from Singapore.........

So would it have it or no?

I'll investigate the above if I haven't seen a reply prior to my getting some daylight to enable me to see lol!